God picked me before the foundation of the world. So he knew me, or my spirit or soul, or something.
Did he know what parents I would get? How I would respond the them? What physical/mental/spiritual limitations I would have? Because it sounds like he does, but how involved is he in this.
Proverbs 16:33 says: NASB
The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD.
Psalms 37:23 NASB
The steps of a man are established by the Lord, And He delights in his way.
Am I like a computer program doing exactly what I am told, or do I have parameters that I can work within before God takes corrective action. Or can I do anything I like?
(For corrective action I am thinking Jonah being swallowed by a fish and spit out in front of Minevah instead of not helping the people of that city. Or Paul being converted, whether he liked it or not. That sort of thing)
Also, I was picked before the foundations of the world, has He been guiding me since birth or only since I became a Christian.
Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
The Bible says I did not always love God, that I was his enemy until I became a Christian. Prior to becoming a Christian was I free but now I have "ordered" footsteps?
How would God make a plan for me from before the foundation of the world if I was free to do anything I wanted until I was converted. What if I got myself killed or injured while still a savage and now I could not fulfill the plan he created so long ago. It seems to me our Master must be looking after us long before we know he is, long before we are joyed to have him in our lives.
So how involved is he?
Amos 3:6 If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it?
How about on a smaller scale. If I get stuck at 3 red lights in a row, is that God?
And how frequently is he involved? We have an immanent and a transcendent Lord. He is always there but does he always direct our actions or even put us in situations where he knows how we will respond?
We must have some freedom to choose or why make us accountable for our actions.
We are advised/commanded to "lay up treasure in Heaven" (Mathew 6:20) and we know we are going to be judged for every "careless word" (Mathew 12:36-37)
If a person has a hard or an easy life is that because God made it that way.
Thank you
Mark
Did he know what parents I would get? How I would respond the them? What physical/mental/spiritual limitations I would have? Because it sounds like he does, but how involved is he in this.
Proverbs 16:33 says: NASB
The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD.
Psalms 37:23 NASB
The steps of a man are established by the Lord, And He delights in his way.
Am I like a computer program doing exactly what I am told, or do I have parameters that I can work within before God takes corrective action. Or can I do anything I like?
(For corrective action I am thinking Jonah being swallowed by a fish and spit out in front of Minevah instead of not helping the people of that city. Or Paul being converted, whether he liked it or not. That sort of thing)
Also, I was picked before the foundations of the world, has He been guiding me since birth or only since I became a Christian.
Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
The Bible says I did not always love God, that I was his enemy until I became a Christian. Prior to becoming a Christian was I free but now I have "ordered" footsteps?
How would God make a plan for me from before the foundation of the world if I was free to do anything I wanted until I was converted. What if I got myself killed or injured while still a savage and now I could not fulfill the plan he created so long ago. It seems to me our Master must be looking after us long before we know he is, long before we are joyed to have him in our lives.
So how involved is he?
Amos 3:6 If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it?
How about on a smaller scale. If I get stuck at 3 red lights in a row, is that God?
And how frequently is he involved? We have an immanent and a transcendent Lord. He is always there but does he always direct our actions or even put us in situations where he knows how we will respond?
We must have some freedom to choose or why make us accountable for our actions.
We are advised/commanded to "lay up treasure in Heaven" (Mathew 6:20) and we know we are going to be judged for every "careless word" (Mathew 12:36-37)
If a person has a hard or an easy life is that because God made it that way.
Thank you
Mark
