You've Been Known A Long Time

June 1, 2014                     YOU’VE  BEEN  KNOWN  A  LONG  TIME

Our infinite mind is limited but faith is not limited. Our subject for today cannot be totally grasped with the mind so we have to receive what is said with faith in what the scriptures teach. Our Father is unlimited and is all powerful but He gives us faith to believe even what we do not fully understand.                                                        The scriptures teach that God knew us before the foundation of the earth! Ephesians 1:4 “..just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him….”  That fact alone boggles the mind! Also, it is an awesome thought to realize that we come from God as we read in 1 John 4:4: “You are from God little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”  We need to know that we were in God’s heart long before we were born physically. At the right time, God formed us in our mother’s womb; He knew every detail about us. “For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother’s womb.” Psalms 139:13. (Read all of Psalm 139 and be blessed.)  God said that we “were fearfully and wonderfully made”.  The key for us is whether or not we believe this wonderful truth. Even though you may have been a “surprise” to your parents or perhaps you did not have a functional family, you were no “accident” and you were not a “surprise” to your real Father God.  That is great news, but the best is yet to come. God knew that sin would enter the world and He knew that all would sin. BUT God had a plan all along to deal with the sin issue. Man’s fall was no surprise to God. God sent His only Son Jesus to bear our sin. Here is the truth that can change your life: Jesus came to redeem His brothers and sisters who were in the Fathers heart from the beginning!  Jesus came to buy us back-to restore us to our real family!  We have been restored and we are being restored-the process has started. When we come to understand and believe this, the scriptures truly make sense! In essence, the scriptures were given to reveal our real Father and to awaken us to our true identity- that of being sons and daughters of the Creator God. This is such a wonderful truth and it sets us on a lifetime journey of discovering the riches of being joined to God. Now when we read the scriptures we find life. Now we more fully understand why the New Testament writers had the passion they did as they pinned the words inspired by God. The Gospel is indeed the Gospel! I pray that we will awaken to the fact that we were “fathered” by God, we have is DNA, and that we have a destiny that has already started! Share this good news.

“..I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God..”  John 20:17b.     

“And looking out on those who were sitting around Him, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:34-35.

Redeem: to buy back; to repurchase

Gospel: good news; something realized as true.

Blessings,

Buddy

“It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming”.   The title of a message I heard someone share a long time ago.