according to the counsel of his will

July 31 2018

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Eph 2:9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God did the saving and God gets the glory and you are responsible to do good works, that He has prepared for you to do before the foundation of the world.

according to the counsel of his will

July 30 2018

Gal 6:14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ

May it be the desire of our heart to always point to the cross. God gets all the glory!

according to the counsel of his will

July 29 2018

1Co 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,

1Co 1:24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1Co 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1Co 1:26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

1Co 1:27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

1Co 1:28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,

1Co 1:29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

1Co 1:30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

1Co 1:31 so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

To those who are called!

God is the one who calls and you will obey the call. So if you boast, you must boast in the LORD.

It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus!

according to the counsel of his will

July 28 2018

Pro 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.

It is God's purpose that will stand! And we read in an earlier verse that; All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

according to the counsel of his will

July 27 2018

Php 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Php 2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

You are responsible to make right choices but know that God's plan is not contingent on you at all. God is sovereign and He knows all about your foolish decisions.

according to the counsel of his will

July 26 2018

Php 2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

God is working in you! Everyday in all that you go through, God is working in you. When you start to believe that you will have peace in your life, peace that passes all understanding.

according to the counsel of his will

July 25 2018

1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

I think that you are getting the point. God gives the increase.

according to the counsel of his will

July 24 2018

Isa 42:8 I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.

God keeps all the glory for your salvation, for the giving it to you, for the keeping you, and for the conforming you to the image of His Son. Not you or any of your idols, idols like your good works. The things you do are not the things that keep you saved, He is!

according to the counsel of his will

July 23 2018

Isa 48:9 "For my name's sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off.

Isa 48:10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.

Isa 48:11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.

If we have anything to brag about, then we take some of the glory. If we say, “I was more righteous than another because I raised my hand and got up and walked down to the front and got myself saved.” Then we are trying to take the glory away from God, don't say that. Say instead, “I was born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

according to the counsel of his will

July 22 2018

Rev 13:8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

So when did God decide to save you? “before the foundation of the world”

according to the counsel of his will

July 21 2018

Eph 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

Eph 2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Eph 2:3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

Eph 2:6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Eph 2:7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Eph 2:9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

I know this is a bit longer than most of the verses I post, but maybe you should read it again and then read it again, slower this time

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us,” God rich in mercy,

“even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” And He did this to show “ the immeasurable riches of his grace”

according to the counsel of his will

July 20 2018

Jer 18:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

Jer 18:2 "Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words."

Jer 18:3 So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel.

Jer 18:4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

Jer 18:5 Then the word of the LORD came to me:

Jer 18:6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand......

The clay has no say what so ever about anything. It is made into what the potter wants it to be, and when the potter wants it to happen. And so it is with your salvation.

according to the counsel of his will

July 19 2018

Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

I hope you have a blessed and wonderful day today, but give the glory to God, don't try to take any glory for yourself because you are only clay that the potter has choose.

according to the counsel of his will

July 18 2018

Rom 9:18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

Rom 9:19 You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?"

Rom 9:20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?"

Rom 9:21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

God is the potter and we are the clay. Clay has no say in what the potter does to it. That is, the potter is Sovereign over the clay. And the potter gets the glory, not the clay.

according to the counsel of his will

July 17 2018

Rom 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means!

Rom 9:15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."

Rom 9:16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

It depends on God! To God be the glory!

according to the counsel of his will

July 16 2018

Rom 9:10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,

Rom 9:11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—

Rom 9:12 she was told, "The older will serve the younger."

You did notice that the reason for God choosing was so that God's purpose would be accomplished. So that He would get all the glory, not man.

according to the counsel of his will

July 15 2018

Joh 11:43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out."

Joh 11:44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

You all know this story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus was dead and could not seek for life, he was dead, you know what dead is, dead is no life, you can't ask for anything, because you are dead! Jesus had to give life to Lazarus before he could choose to obey Jesus and come out of the grave. And that's the way salvation is, Jesus has to give you life before you can come out of the grave that you were in.

according to the counsel of his will

July 14 2018

Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Before God saves us we are dead spiritually. We cannot even see the Kingdom of God, because we are dead, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." The dead man does not even want to find God, nor can he, he is dead. God must give him life!

according to the counsel of his will

July 13 2018

Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Wow! That's pretty strong words! “Be accursed” Don't preach a different gospel. Don't tell people that they have to do certain things in order to be saved. That's not the gospel. This is the gospel; "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.....”

according to the counsel of his will

July 12 2018

1Co 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

1Co 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

That's what saves you, that's what gives you salvation! Not works done by you. Any works! The gospel is this, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures

according to the counsel of his will

July 11 2018

Heb 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus is the founder of your faith! And not only that, but He is the perfecter of your faith! So stop worrying about your flaws and rest in Him.

That does not give you the right to live in deliberate sin.

according to the counsel of his will

July 10 2018

Psa 3:8 Salvation belongs to the LORD.....

You did not say magic words and by them receive Salvation. Salvation belongs to the LORD!

according to the counsel of his will

July 9 2018

Joh 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

No one! Not even you. It's called, “the perseverance of the saints.”

according to the counsel of his will

July 8 2018

Rom 8:38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,

Rom 8:39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This verse use's all kind of words to drive the point home, that you cannot be separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. And then in-case you want to bring up something that was not named here it says, “nor anything else in all creation!” Nothing can separate you, nothing!

according to the counsel of his will

July 7 2018

Joh 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Joh 10:29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

Joh 10:30 I and the Father are one."

Jesus is a lot stronger than your sin! NO ONE CAN TAKE YOU OUT OF HIS HAND! Your salvation is not a matter of how tight you hold on to Jesus, it is a matter of how tight Jesus holds on to you!

according to the counsel of his will

July 6 2018

Joh 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you.....

Someone said, “that sounds a lot like “Calvinism,” don't listen to Him!”

Well, wait a minute, that's Jesus talking. You see if He does the choosing then He gets the glory for it! Not you. You contribute nothing to your salvation, therefor you get none of the glory for it.

according to the counsel of his will

July 5 2018

Tit 3:3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

Tit 3:4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,

Tit 3:5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Tit 3:6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

Tit 3:7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Not because of what you have done, but because of His mercy! That is what saves you, His mercy!

according to the counsel of his will

July 4 2018

Joh 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.

You cannot come to the Son unless the Father draws you to Him.

And if the Father draws you, you WILL come...Joh 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me

according to the counsel of his will

July 3 2018

Rom 3:10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one;

Rom 3:11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.

I read the opening pages of a book onetime that said, “The moment you are born you began a quest, you are searching for something and you don't know what it is.” The book went on to say that we are all seek after God. The bible says different. I admit that we have an empty place in our life and that God is the only one who can fill it. But we are enemies of God and we do not seek for Him. In fact if God did not draw us to Him, we would never come.

according to the counsel of his will,

July 2 2018

Joh 1:12b He gave the right to become children of God,

Joh 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

God is the one giving the right be become a child of His.

according to the counsel of his will,

July 1 2018

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

Eph 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

Eph 1:5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

Eph 1:6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Eph 1:8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

Eph 1:9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ

Eph 1:10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Eph 1:11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

God is at work in our salvation. In fact He is the author of your salvation, just look at the amount of times that these verses say things like, “in Him, before Him, He chose, He has blessed, His will, He lavished, His purpose, He set forth, and, the purpose of Him!”

This month we look at the glory of God in your salvation. God gets all the glory! Not you.