- Chosen before the foundation of the world v4

This does not mean that others were left out or passed over, rather in God’s wisdom He knew you would believe trusting Jesus to save you.

Matthew 13:53-58, John 1:11,12

- Predestined to adoption v5

Romans 8:15-17 but you received The Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness that we are children of God, if children, then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

- Accepted in the beloved v6

What does this mean?

Who are the beloved? Jude 20,21; 1 John 5:12

I thought that God loves everyone?

John 3:16 Love is proven to God not by word, but when you start loving His Son!

Who I Am

- I am blessed v3

seated in heavenly places v20,2:6, Colossians 3:1

- I am chosen v4

Jeremiah 29:11, NIV plans, NKJV thoughts I have.

- I am holy v4

set apart, reserved for

- I am blameless v4

Revelation 20:11-5 explains this, there will be a day when everyone will stand before God condemned. The believer will not be there, we are blameless.

- I am adopted v5

- I am accepted in the beloved v6

- I am redeemed v7

- I am forgiven v7

- I am the praise of His Glory v12

- I am sealed v13

- I am alive 2:1,5

- I am saved v8

- I am His Workmanship v10

1. Their relentless faith v32-38

- Subdued kingdoms - Judges

- Worked righteousness

- Obtained promises

- Stopped the mouths of lions - Daniel

- Quenched the violence of fire - Shadrach

- Escaped the edge of the sword - Elijah

- Out of weakness, made strong - Samson

- Became valiant in battle - David & Goliath

- Turned to fight the armies of aliens

- Women received their dead raised to life - Widomes of Saepta, Shumamite - 1 & 2 Kings

- Others tortured not accepting deliverance

- Others had trials, mocking, chains, imprisonment

- Stoned - Jeremiah, Zechariah

- Sawn in two - Isaiah

- Slain with the sword - book of Jeremiah

- Wandered destitute, afflicted, tormented

- Wandered in deserts, mountains, dens, caves

2. They did not receive the promise v39

3. There was something better for us v40

By their delay(promise) we have been given the opportunity to join this multitude of people of faith. There were only 500 believers after the resurrection.

What God said to:

David - 2 Samuel 23:2

Ezekiel - 2:1-5

Jeremiah - 23:28,29

In our text prophecy is a reference to God’s Word.

2 Timothy 3:16 “all scripture given by inspiration of God”

Application: It has pleased God to use people to:

- Write His Word

- Translate His Word

- Preach His Word

- Distribute His Word

- To confirm His Word

By living it out, “convincing multitudes that His Word is True, Trustworthy, a Timeless Treasure given from Heaven to people on earth”

2 Corinthians 3:2,3 “you are our letter written in our hearts, known and read by all mean; clearly you are a letter of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tables of flesh, that is, of the heart.”