Divine Priorities
We all have our priorities, so would God have priorities? Is there a Divine system or schedule that is all around us, in every age? About 4,000 years ago Abraham & Israel were dramatically started. God made promises to them (and not to other ancient nations), that He would bless & make Israel great (Genesis 12:1-2). About 2,000 years ago the followers of Christ were likened to Israel (Romans 2:29 & Galatians 6:15-16), which makes the Christian a micro type of the macro nation of Israel w/its priority position w/God.
A few Divine Priorities questions WHY: (and yes I do have more questions than answers.)
- Why did God treat Israel differently?
- Why do many young Christians get extra care & special treatment which older ones often seem to lack?
(Hebrews 1:14)
- Why are some folk’s prayers answered quicker?
- Why are miracles shown to some & not others? (Matthew 9:29 – Jesus)
- Why do some live in chaos & despair, from crisis to crisis?
- Why are some folks blessed & others don’t appear to be?
Cover to cover the Bible reveals the nature of a God which draws near to those who actively seek Him. It’s also God’s nature to move away from sinners & those who reject or have no time for Him - “Divine Priorities” . . . It appears to be politically correct to believe in a big sweet universal grandfather type God, but the Bible knows nothing of that distortion. Among other things, “Divine Priorities” may explain why praying for oneself can often be answered quickly, while praying for others may take longer to see God’s answer – maybe MUCH longer. (And in our atheistic day & age the liberals have smeared the glory of Christ, and undermined the integrity of the scriptures, so we are set up for spiritual confusion & apathy, & ignorance of Divine Priorities.)
For “no extra charge” here is a “cruise ship” illustration: Someone willing & able to put me on an expensive but FREE ocean voyage with all the amenities such as premium food, nice private cabin, entertainment, pools & hot tubs, interesting ports, etc. Would that benefactor force me to go if I was sitting stubborn, cross armed with back towards the ship saying, “H__ no, I won’t go.” Many folks treat God exactly the same way, when they hear the Gospel & benefits of Christ’s salvation. (See “What’s In It For Me?” link 28)
- Psalms 18:25-26 “With the loyal thou dost show thyself loyal; with the blameless man thou dost show
thyself blameless; With the pure thou dost show thyself pure; and with the crooked thou dost show thyself perverse.”
- Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
- Matthew 11:25 -26 “Jesus declared . . . Father . . . thou has hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes . . .” (a matter of election & depth of experience.)
- Luke 8:18 “Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” (Jesus Christ said that.)
- 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
Well if there are Divine Priorities, and a God who chooses & blesses some & not others, I want to get in on the good side of that action. How about you? Choose Jesus, He is Alive & ABLE to save from godless living, the second death, & hell. See also "The Blessing & The Curse” link 66
Many other interesting titles: www.gospelnotes.net – Link 0 is Index. * * F. J. Stone * *
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