Tag: people for His own possession

52. You shall be called Sought Out

Deuteronomy 14:2   For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Exodus 19:5-6    Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;  and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’

Leviticus 11:45    For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

Leviticus 20:26     You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.

Isaiah 62:12    And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.

Titus 2:14    who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

1 Peter 2:9     But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Redeemed, chosen, a treasured possession, sought out, and separated for good works describe those called by God.  We are sought out and chosen by God.  This is not because of who we are but because of who He is.  This is not because of something we did to deserve it but because of what He has done.  Just think, God of creation has sought you out, chosen you, redeemed you, and sees you as a treasured possession to be separated and set aside for good works.

Being sought out and chosen by God is no small thing and should not be viewed as small, trivial, insignificant, inconsequential, unimportant, or of no importance.  This is God’s love demonstrated and extended to His creation.  “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” God’s steadfast love and external call go out to all mankind.  He demonstrated love and sacrifice so great and all-encompassing that all are called (chosen) – but not everyone chooses to accept the call of being chosen.  “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

It is important to hear the call but much more important to respond to that call.  Remember response to this call is not an ending but rather a new beginning of being a chosen, redeemed, treasured possession, sought out and separated for goods work child of God.  The response to God is every minute of every day.  Be ever listening to His leading and ever obedient to His word.

If anyone serves Me

“And now the LORD says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him— for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength —  he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

“Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.”

John 12:23  And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

1 Peter 2:9   But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Numbers 32:11    ‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me,

Ephesians 5:1   Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Revelation 14:4    It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb,

Matthew 16:24    Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Called, chosen, and redeemed are all describing those who wholly follow and serve Jesus Christ. Denying self, walking in love, and proclaiming His excellence are examples of those who wholly follow Him.  Our commitment is tied to our understanding and knowledge of the magnitude of our sin, our separation from Him, and the redeeming sacrifice of Christ to cleanse us from sin.  Don’t lose sight of this for it is easily replaced with cares of this world and what this world has to offer.  Spending time in His word feeds our souls with seeds of truth that help guide us through this life in a way the honors Jesus Christ.  I know many people who have gone through very difficult times and while in these times they came to a place where they realized they had no control, no power, no courage, and much confusion.  They fell on their knees, sought God, and spent time in prayer and in His word and each one of them said they were helpless but found peace in the midst of it and developed a much closer walk with Jesus.  They also said though the pain, anxiousness, and hurt they went through seemed unbearable they see it as the best thing that happened to them.  Why?? Because they found a taste of what it is like to be totally submitted to God and relying on, clinging to, and trusting in Him alone.  They found the peace of God that passes all understanding through surrendering their control and self interest into the hands of God.