GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU

WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SEPTEMBER 28, 2022

TOPIC: GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU

BY T. O. BANSO

“The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains; rugged are the mountains of Bashan. Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the Lord himself will dwell forever?” (Psalm 68:15-16 New International Version).

Divine choice is real. When God chooses someone, it’s not necessarily because of the excellent qualities he thinks or what people think he possesses. God chooses people both for salvation and assignments.

If you’re born again, don’t think you were saved because you’re better than those not yet saved. God chose you. Ephesians 1:4 says that even before the world was made, God had already chosen the believers to be His through our union with Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him. Verse 11 says in Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will.

As 1 Peter 2:9 says, we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His special people, that we may proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:29-30 New International Version). God has chosen you.

You’re born again because you were chosen, and you answered the call. “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29 New King James Version).

Jesus told His disciples that He chose them. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19 New King James Version). Without God, nobody can be saved but each person must come to Him to receive the salvation offered to all.

Others who are called but haven’t answered can still give their hearts to Jesus too because He died to save the world, including them. Titus 2:11 says the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. God wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). Election or divine choice is totally dependent on God’s mercy. It is not of him who wills or of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy (Romans 9:16). Nevertheless, each person must come to Jesus and whoever comes to Him, He will by no means cast out (John 6:37b).

God doesn’t see the way man sees (1 Samuel 16:7). That was why He rejected all the seven brothers of David and chose David, the youngest (verses 7-13). Isaiah 55:8 says God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and our ways are not His ways. God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty (1 Corinthians 1:27).

Psalm 68:15-16 says, “The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains; rugged are the mountains of Bashan. Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the Lord himself will dwell forever?” (New International Version).

The scripture above mentioned two mountains – the mountains of Bashan and the mountain where God chooses to reign and dwell forever believed to be Mount Zion. The New Living Translation puts the verse this way: “The mountains of Bashan are majestic, with many peaks stretching high into the sky. Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live, where the Lord himself will live forever?”

The mountains of Bashan, according to the scripture, were majestic and rugged. They were towering and higher than Mount Zion. Nevertheless, God chose Mount Zion as His dwelling place, not the mountains of Bashan. God will always bypass the proud for the humble. He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). You can’t query God’s choice, and anyone God has chosen must never think that he deserves it.

Mount Zion must not think that it deserved to be chosen; God decided to choose it. God chose Abraham (Genesis 18:19). The New King James Version uses the phrase “For I have known him.” God chose Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6). The Lord told Israel, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities” (Amos 3:2 New King James Version).

God chose Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah. “In that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the LORD, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:23 New King James Version). God also chose Mary to give birth to Jesus. She, most probably, was not the only virgin in her family. “Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS” (Luke 1:30-31 New King James Version).

After Paul’s conversion on the way to Damascus and he lost his sight, God sent to him Ananias, a certain disciple. But he told God that he had heard from many about the man (Saul), how much harm he had done to God’s saints in Jerusalem, and how he had authority from the chief priests to bind all who called on God’s name (Acts 9:11-14). “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel’” (verse 15 New King James Version). Saul of Tarsus was a chosen vessel.

In Acts 22, Paul referred to what Ananias said when he came. “Then he said: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name’” (Acts 22:14-16 New International Version). God chose Paul for the ministry He entrusted to him.

In Romans 16:13, Paul described Rufus as “chosen in the Lord.” The Contemporary English Version uses the phrase “that special servant of the Lord” while the Amplified Bible refers to him as “eminent in the Lord.” In the Bible, God chose other people for specific assignments. This is also true in our day. God chooses or has chosen people for different purposes.

When God chooses someone for an assignment or visitation, don’t be envious of the person. You may think the person is not qualified but God doesn’t need your assessment, evaluation, or opinion. There is also something God has chosen you for. Others like the mountains of Bashan may appear more qualified than you but God has chosen you. What is important is to discover what God has chosen you for, fulfill His counsel, and not disappoint Him. Be faithful. It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2). 

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself.  I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, thank You for choosing me, especially my salvation. Holy Spirit, help me to discover the assignment God has chosen me for, fulfill it, and not disappoint Him. I shall not be envious of anyone but pray that everyone will fulfil God’s purpose for his/her life.

(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).

T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org