Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
“The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed so shall it stand. . . . for the Lord of hosts has purposed and who shall disannul it? And His hand is stretched out and who shall turn it back?”
Isaiah 14:24, 27
From Pastor John’s Old Testament class: “Lessons from Isaiah”, No. 38.
Paul said that whatever God does, He does “by the counsel of His own will”; that is, God does what He wills to do. No one advises Him. No one can either force Him to do anything or stop Him from doing what He determines to do. Speaking of God’s power, Solomon added that once God does a thing, no one can undo or improve upon it, for whatever God does is perfect and eternal.
Solomon also pointed out to his son that “in the king’s favor is life.” There are no exceptions. Everyone who finds favor in the sight of God will live forever. He is the King, and no one can remove you from His favor once he determines to show it to you. If you have God’s favor, you will live forever. Period. You can rest in that hope. Paul expressed this supreme confidence when he wrote to the saints in Rome, “If God be for us, who can be against us? What can separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
On the other hand, if God is provoked by you to the extent that He determines to destroy your soul in hell, who is it that can rescue you? Neither angels, nor demons, or men, “or any other creature” can deliver you from His wrath anymore than they can separate you from His favor. Jesus told his disciples, “I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them, that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear. Fear Him who after He has killed, has power to cast into hell. Yea, I say, fear Him” (Lk. 12:4-5).
Think about it. All we need is God’s favor, and our eternity is secure. No one can make God stop loving those whom He loves. When someone loves Jesus, the Father will love that person and share with him His own Spirit; Jesus said so (Jn. 14:23). The Bible calls this sharing in God’s life the “baptism of the holy Ghost”, an experience that Jesus referred to as being “born again”. This holy Ghost is called “the promise” because when you receive the holy Ghost, you are receiving God’s promise that He will give you eternal life and save you from eternal damnation. And that promise is sure. It is the promise of God, not of a man, and once given, it cannot be taken away by anyone.
Please God with your faith in Jesus, and obtain favor with God.