Today I'd like to talk about that we are chosen. We are chosen. This pretty much means election, election. Real simple. It's a, it's a picking out or a selection. And I'd like to start out at is in Ephesians chapter one, verses four and five. according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will." His will. He has chosen us in Him. before the foundation of the world. How amazing is that when we realize that he didn't look out in time and see that Rick was going to be good, he said, I like Rick. I'm going to write that name down there. Or Bill, or Sue, or Mabel, or Leroy, or Roger, or Mary, any of us. He didn't look out there and see that we were good. We're good because he chose us in him. That's the only reason why we're good. Within our bodies, within my body, there's nothing good in me. I'm going to step back, Brother Rick. There is something good in me. He's taken away my old heart and He's given me a new heart. And I have that new heart that's within me. Because that new heart is within me, we can say just like Paul said, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. But on my own, there's nothing good in me. But He chose me and him before the foundation of the world. I don't know why. All of us might say, why did he choose me? I'm not going to question that, but you know what I want to do? I want to give thanks. Thanks that he looked before time and chose me and him. As I'm sure each and every one of us is that same way. You know, if we look at it, and the reason why I picked 4 and 5 is, like Rick sometimes, you looked at one and you can't read one without the other, you know? Like the old song way back along, you can't have one without the other, you know what I mean? You can't have one without the other. So He's chosen us in Him, but look, in verse 5, it's according to the good pleasure of His will. Who is the author? Who is the author of this choice? It's God. It's God, and it is entirely sovereign. It's sovereign. That's what makes it so awesome. He's chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world. Why did He do that? We should be holding without blame. Why are we upon this earth? We're upon this earth to what? Praise God. Praise God, what does the song say? From whom all blessings flow. That we should be holy and without blame. That's the only way that we're going to what? That's the only way that we're going to be able to stand before Him in the end times. Because we're holy and without blame. Imagine how that is. You know, Romans, for all who sin to come short of the glory of God. We've all sinned. We've come short of the glory of God. But he takes that all away from us. Takes it all away from us. So when, as Brother Leroy was talking about, we go before him, you know what, it's, you know, I know we see things and we look and some people say, you know, they're the pearly gates and, you know, what Peter's there and whatever, and just like, hey, you know, there's none of that stuff. I don't believe that's true, Rick. I don't believe that. You don't have to take no tests. They're not going to look. Because the Bible says that the books are open in Revelations, doesn't it? What does it say? Another book was opened. What is that book that was opened? The Lamb's Book of Life. And what does it say? If your name was not found in the Lamb's Book of Life, what happens to you? You're cast into the lake of fire. That's plain and simple. Either your name's in there or it's not. If it's not, you're going to be cast into the lake of fire. If it is, there's a crown of glory that's been saved for you, reserved for you. You have a spot reserved in heaven. That's the kind of reservation I like. It's reserved. And you're going to be with Him The Bible says that you're going to be with Him for what? For all eternity. All eternity. I can't wait for that to happen. I'm like Paul. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place is what he said. I'm paraphrasing. He said, I am stuck in a twixt of two, I can't remember exactly. To depart and be with God is what he really wants to do, right? But why are you still here? Because God still wants you here upon this earth. I keep using Roger as the prime example. The doctor said, hey, you're going to die. But he's still here. Why is he still here? It's more needful for him to be here. So if you're still here tomorrow, it's more needful for you to be here in this world. You know, I know Rick was reading some things from John Gill. I'd like to read something from John Gill, too. It's on verse 4. Election. And yet some of all nations, Jews and Gentiles, are included in it, though none for any previous qualifications is them. is not for their good works, faith, holiness, or perseverance therein. For these are fruits and effects of election, and therefore cannot be causes of it. And this choice is made in Christ, and the persons chosen are chosen in him, and by being chosen they come to be in him." I like that. I like that. He didn't choose us because of our good works, or of our faith, or our holiness, or perseverance, for these are fruits and effects of election. We have all those things because we have been chosen in him before the foundation of the world. So we look at, you know, and it's because of the grace of God, isn't it? It's the grace of God that we find the strength to face each day. And when I wrote this down and it was previous to this and what's happened to Mabel, but I look at that and this is what gives Mabel the strength to face each day. To get up and just keep going. Because it doesn't do any good to just sit down and just moan and have a big old pity party every day, does it? Don't get you nowhere, does it? I use pity party because that's Brother Rogers' phrase. Pity party. What good does it do us to have a pity party for what's going on in our lives? But we can keep going, going forward all the time. all the time, because God is with us. God is with us all the time. We're gonna, next three, four verses, we're gonna go into the book of Romans. First one is Romans chapter nine. Oh, I kept on looking at my verse, and I'm like, that's not right, but I was in Romans eight. Romans chapter nine, verse 11. For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election, might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. Let's read verse 12. It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger. So we see, So the children, we can see in verse 13, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. Or we could read on, what shall we then say? Is there unrighteousness with God? What does he say? God forbid, God forbid. Children being not yet born, the children weren't born yet. Neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God Here we get to it. It's the purpose of God, according to election, might stand. The purpose of God, according to election, might stand. Not of works. Remember what I just read to God? John Gill said, not of works, but of him that calleth. It's not of works, but of him that calleth. Who is the guy that's calling us? God. The purpose of election. We can see these things. It's all throughout the scriptures. My brother Rick knows this, brother Leroy, brother Roger. It's there. We can see, even here, what are they talking about? They're not talking about the New Testament. See, everybody thinks election and choosing and this and that is all New Testament stuff. But here, what is it saying? Purpose of election. They're talking about Jacob and Esau, right? That's Old Testament. That's not New Testament. That's Old Testament. It's in the Old Testament. See, that's why we just, I know we like to stay in the New Testament, right? But you've got to read the Old Testament. You have to read the Old Testament. If it wasn't, if God didn't want us to read the Old Testament, it wouldn't be in His Bible. You understand? We'd only have the New Testament. We don't have just the New Testament. We've got the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the New Testament, it says what? All scripture. It doesn't say the New Testament is given by inspiration. All scripture is given by inspiration of God. And it's profitable for doctrine, reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God. Who are you? You're the man of God. I know women are here, but the man of God may be perfect. That word doesn't mean perfect. There was only one perfect. That was Jesus Christ. That word perfect means mature. that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works." All scripture, Old Testament, New Testament. Stay in chapter 9 of Romans, go down to 23 and 24. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had aforeprepared unto glory, even us whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. He might make known the riches of his glory. He loved us even when we were yet dead in our trespasses and sins. The riches of his glory is on the vessels of mercy. Those are vessels of mercy. Those are found written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Those are the ones that are the vessels of mercy, which He had aforeprepared unto glory. He had afore, before, prepared us unto glory. When you read these things and you start studying my brother Rick, you just, it just, Sometimes it just blows your mind. It's just like, wow. But I understand we're thinking as man. We're thinking as man. We're not thinking as God. We're finite. He's infinite. The Old Testament, what does it say? My thoughts are higher than your thoughts. I think I remember it's the Old Testament. My ways are higher than your ways. My thoughts are higher than your ways, sayeth the Lord. And I'm glad for that. We just look at these things and we just realize that if God couldn't do all these things, then He's not God. When it's not God, then everything that is in here is totally useless. But He is God. And He's sitting on His throne of glory today. And He's in control of everything that happens in this world. And that just makes us just really happy. And look at in verse 23, even us, you know, I've, when I was looking at Ephesians chapter one, and you start looking in there and you see the us, the we, that the way Paul wrote, and even here, look what he says. We have to realize, I mean, Paul was a mighty man of God, right? But he was just like you and me. He made known unto him the riches of his glory on the vessel. He was a vessel of mercy. And he had aforeprepared Paul to glory. Because he says in verse 24, it says, even us. Even us, Paul says. That's you. That's you. You and Paul. He says, even us whom he hath called. Paul was called just like we were called. Not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. We know that Paul was considered to be what? The apostle to the Gentiles. He was a Jew. He went through a whole lot. Not of the Jews only. It's not just the Jews. Even though, if we look at it, Rick, what? The Jews were what? Chosen people. They were chosen of God. What does God say? He says, I didn't choose you. He chose them. I didn't choose you because you were the greatest. I chose you because you were the least, the smallest, the littlest. And if we look at even today, In this day and age, God really watches over Israel. He watches over Israel. He's still their chosen people. He didn't go back on that, did he? He didn't go back on that. They're still his chosen people. Look at that. Not only the Jews, but the Gentiles. It's just amazing when we look at these things. Go back. Now we're going to go into chapter 8 of Romans. Romans chapter 8, verses 30 and 32. Let's start at 29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Look at what it says here. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called. And whom he called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, if God is for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? So he starts out in verse 30, he predestinates, predestinated us. And he did that When? When he wrote our names in the Lamb's Book of Life. So we see a positive succession here, don't we? He can't call you if he didn't predestinate you. So he predestinates. Whom he predestinated, then he also called. And whom he called, then he also justified. Why would he justify somebody if he didn't predestinate them, if he didn't call? So we see this proper going, and whom he justified, them he also what? Glorified. Glorified. That means basic. I'm not going to get into deep theology here, you know what I mean? Glorified. That means where he is, you're going to be also. You're going to be in heaven with him. Glorified. You don't no more have the old body or anything like that. we're going to be with Him. What can we say to these things? He's talking about some of these things that he said before here. If God be for us, who can be against us? That is just something you have to take and hold on to. God is for us. Who can be against us? We can go down and read the rest of it. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? He goes through so many different things. How many times have you preached on them verses, Brother Roger? A lot of times, haven't you? He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. That we should be what? Holy and without blame before Him in love. Delivered Him up for us all. How shall He Not with Him. With Him. You know, we look at this, we don't need to see the actual words here, but how shall God, not with Jesus Christ, also freely give us all things? Through Jesus Christ, He freely gives us all things. Freely gives us all things. You know, He's blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We see these things. We have to take these things and hold on to them. That's why they say these things are what? More precious than what? Silver or gold. Because it's so precious, don't we just want to hold on to it? Sorry about that. Hold on to it and never let it go, right? That's what it means. Hold on to it. Never let it go. Hold on to those things that are contained in the scriptures. The sweet and precious promises. And we know that it hasn't stopped. The predestinating, we know that it hasn't stopped. The calling hasn't stopped. Justified, hasn't stopped. And glorified, because we see so many of our friends, relatives, significant others, whatever. To be absent from the body is what? To be present with the Lord. If they're not here, they're present with the Lord. And one day, as there is coming a day, there is coming a day when it's going to be a big family reunion. And you're going to go up there. I have a feeling I'm going to know y'all. Now how I'm going to know you, I don't know. Am I going to know Mabel is my wife? I don't know that. I don't think there's anything in the scriptures that tells us how it's going to be. But I believe we are going to know you. And if you're up there, and I come up there, I hope you'll give me that right hand of fellowship. Say, oh, welcome, Brother Dave. Welcome, Brother Dave. Glorious day. Glorious day. When we're all with Him. Turn to 2 Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians 2. Verses 13 and 14. But we are bound to give thanks all way to God for you, brethren. Beloved of the Lord, because God had from the beginning. Chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief for the truth. Where unto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining. Of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. or to the gaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Look at Paul, he says, "...but we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord." So we know he's talking about a group of people, a different group of people, because they're what? They're brethren and they're beloved of the Lord. Now we've got to understand, when they use the word brethren, It's not just talking about the brothers. It's talking about those that love the Lord. Brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to understand that. We need to look at this. Brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation. He's chosen us in Him to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. He's taken away that old heart. He's given us the new heart. We believe the things... The natural man cannot receive the things that be of the Spirit of God for what, brother? They're foolishness to him. Neither can he know them because of what they are spiritually discerned. But we are not the natural man. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. So we can see those things that are of the Spirit of God. That are of the Spirit of God. And believe of the truth. Believe of the truth. What does Jesus Christ say? I am the way, I am what? I'm the truth, and I'm the life. Believe for the truth. Whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Gaining the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. How awesome is that? Isn't it? Man, I'm just... You know, we could go back. I'm just going to look at, we don't have to go there and look. It's Matthew chapter 22, verse 14. I wrote just a little bit. For many are called, but what? Few are chosen. Few are chosen. When we look at that, we see these things. Many people hear a general call of the scriptures, but few can have that effectual calling of the scriptures. So many people. I mean, I can remember reading the Bible here and there, not really understanding anything. I could hear it, but I couldn't understand it. Then when God Talks to you in that still, small voice. Come unto me. Come unto me. All ye that labor and heavy laden, I'll give you rest. When you hear that word, it's just It just feels like a weight's been taken off your shoulders almost. Because those things you've done in your life, which might not have been good, might not have been nice, all of a sudden you realize He's forgiven you. He's forgiven you. You know, I got one of my next verses was Revelation chapter 20, verse 15, which is names are not found in the Lamb's book of life. We look at these things and just realize. Where we're going to be. Real quickly, we've got some time. Turn to 2 Timothy. Chapter 1. We're going to read verses 8 and 9. Then I wrote down some thoughts I'd like to read. Verse 8 and 9. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me as prisoner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God, who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." In Christ Jesus before the world began. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word, what? Was God. He was there. He was there. He has saved us and called us with a holy calling. Holy calling, effectual calling. He's called us. It's effectual. Just like it says, the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man. Maybe I'll do a word study on that, Brother Rick. Effectual. Now just looking at some of the things I wrote down. God preserves us and keeps us from dangers and sins. God puts us into His Son's hand where we are safely preserved. We're safely preserved in His hands. He's going to watch over and protect us. If you look before in your life and you've seen maybe some things happen, And you wonder, why did that happen? Because if you weren't a child of God yet, he had to watch over you and he kept you safe. He loved you, right? So he's going to take care of you until you become one of his children. I mean, you were his children. You know what I mean, right? You were his children, but you kind of weren't his children. Until that time when you came up, you asked for a home in the church. You made a declaration of your faith. And when you go down, what is it? What do we say? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? If you've been baptized and you know, you answered yes, right? You answered yes to that question. In the name of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit, I baptize you. We look at this. all according to an eternal purpose. Salvation was not only resolved upon, but the scheme of it was contrived from eternity." I can't remember where I found that, but that's not my words, okay? The scheme of it was contrived from eternity. When we look at these things, salvation or calling are not according to the works of man, Works are not the moving cause of salvation, but the free love and favor of God. That's why it's so special, right? It's so special. Because it's not of us, it's of God. Salvation is what? According to His own purpose and grace. One of the things I like about Ephesians, it just talks about it, it's His purpose. Everything's done because that's how he wanted it done. In Matthew, you know, it says you're going to have a child. It's going to be a boy. You're going to call his name Jesus. And he is going to. He is going to. You like that? He's going to save his people from their sins. His people. Again, who are His people? Those whose names are found written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? No. Like Brother Leroy says, we are allowed to be fruit inspectors, to see the fruit of the Spirit. You should be able to see the fruit of the Spirit. That's just why when Peter and James and John went into the consul, And the Sanhedrin, they looked on them and said, they realized, now I'm not calling us unlearned and ignorant, okay? They took note of them that they were unlearned and ignorant men, right? But, there's my favorite word, Bill, but they took note that they had what? Been with Jesus. That's what people should be able to look upon you and be able to realize that you have been with Jesus. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. I hope what I have said today, I had more, but I'm going to just go ahead and stop there. I'm sure I'm going to preach again. We hope what I've said will be of comfort for you in your lives. and just seeing that God had a hand in every part of your life. Every part of your life. Give me a couple more minutes. It's not by chance that things, it's not by fate that things happen, right? Because I happen to be between my house and my friend Dave's house is a baseball field. And we were kind of out there with Dave's next door neighbors and we're playing baseball. And I'm sitting there playing baseball and this girl gets out of this car and walks up to my friend Dave's house. You know who that woman was? My wife. Hey, Dave, who is that girl that was over by your house? Oh, that's Marie's best friend. That was his girlfriend. Oh, why, you want to go out with her? Sure. Was that fate? Was that chance? Or was that predestinated that that was to happen? I like to look at it now. Back then I thought it was, boy, that was kind of lucky where I was. Now I look at it and see it was the hand of God. the hand of God. We got married in 50, 54 years, I can't remember. 53, 54 years and here we're still married. And that's by the grace of God. We've had good times, we've had bad times. But we like to say that we trusted in the Lord through all those times. And that's what we need to do, trust in the Lord. I thank you for your kind attention this morning. Anybody have a song in closing?