Advancing Encouragement By
Bishop James Jr. Hairston
2Tmothy: 1:9: Who hath saved us, and called us with a 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,
How important and special were you to God before you were even thought of? There are several things in this passage of scripture that are pretty significant for your life and encouragement. Let us start with the last will be first that is before the world began. In Ephesians 1:4 Paul had talked about being chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in Love. Therefore, not only were you thought of in the mind of God before the earth was without form and void, Gen. 1:2, you should be holy and blameless before Him in Love (see Jeremiah 1:5.) To be holy and blameless is through His Son Jesus Christ, the second thing that makes this text so powerful (see John 3:16) because He loved us even before the earth was without form and void! Therefore, the plan was the entire long while, even when man still had a choice too not sin and fall short, it was all because his Son would come into the world just for you (see Gen. 3:15!) Hallelujah, that is awesome! That is just mind boggling to even try to fathom yet, that is how precious you are to God. The third thing is it was for His own purpose and grace that means the entire Universe never witness grace before until man sinned against God and God chose to forgive man in-spite of His disobedience because after man sinned it was by God’s grace He came looking for man among the trees in the garden, Gen. 3:9, although God could have destroyed man completely to start all over again but it was all about His Grace! In addition, it was for His purpose to show all creation including all of heaven how God loves even while you are not perfect but have flaws, frailties and sin in your life called being disobedient to God! Not only that He chose to save us which is the fourth thing so we won’t be condemned and banished for all eternity with the adversary Satan yet to be forgiven and have eternal life through Jesus Christ why, because of His grace (see Titus 3:11.) Moreover, He choose us but He also called us which means it was by direct contact God called you by name to be singled out from among all creation which is another thing (the fifth thing) Paul is saying (see calling by name John 10:3!) Wow, how significant are you to God? I would say plenty significant and special. I have already mentioned holy which is the sixth thing because you were made in His own image, Gen. 1: 27 yet man lost that original image of Gods perfection in His total holiness because man sinned by being disobedient to Him (see Romans 5: 14-15.) Now we are called with a holy calling were we are Holy not because of how good we are but it is because of Jesus Christ and being conformed to the will of God and consecrated to His service. Last but not least, this is not according to our works but to Gods own purpose and grace. God’s Holiness is unmerited by His grace yet, now that we have Christ Holiness we are consecrated to the things of God (sanctification, Romans 6:19, 22; Eph. 1: 4; Titus 1:8; 1Peter. 1:15) and by personal holiness by the Holy Spirit, Acts 15: 8, 9; 1Cor. 1:30; 2Cor. 7:1; Eph. 4:23, 24. So be encouraged today, it has all taking place so that God can bless you, prosper you, and to keep you from all harm and danger to defeat the enemy in every way because you are special in Jesus name…
James Jr. Hairston