Except The Father Calls

Man chose Satan over God in the Garden of Eden.  From that moment of sin, man cut himself off from the tree of life.  He had the freedom of choice up to that point.  As with all choices, we are free to the moment of choosing; then our choice will either open a vista of unlimited options or plunge us into a garden of thorns.  Man chose to do it the hard way; rejecting God, he was thrust into a future of toil and hard work among the thorns.  No longer living in paradise; enjoying the fruits of the Garden of Eden; now, he had to scratch out of the ground of thorns and earn his daily bread by the sweat of his brow.  The ground was cursed because of man’s sin.  From that point on, God left man to his own devices.  God has had a, “hands off policy,” giving man freedom of choice; but the choices are limited.  Paradise in Eden is off the table of offerings along with the tree of life.

Every bad decision limits our choices.  Every bad financial decision of the past administrations of the United States has put the nation in bondage to debt.  We the people are picking up the tab for the corrupt and foolish selfishness of our elected governmental leaders.  We say, “In God we trust,” but we don’t.  Only God will be able to clean up the mess that we are in now as a nation; and as a people.

Man is cut off from God by his own choice.  Jesus said that no one could come to Him except the Father in Heaven draw them.

John 6:44 KJV No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Man has to live out the punishment of choosing sin.  All have been cut off except for those few that God has reserved the right to choose for His purpose.  From the world of paganism and sin, God called Abram from a family who was in the idol making business.  God called him out, of the darkness of ignorance; into the marvelous light.  From dead powerless gods to the one true Eternal, Creator God; Abram was given a choice of paradise and the tree of life.  Abram chose God over Satan.  Through this one faithful man, God brought about a nation and then a king named David, a man after God’s own heart.  Through this king, a lineage would be established through whom God would come to man, as Jesus Christ, son of David.  Abram, who the LORD renamed Abraham and his descendants were the exception to being cut off from the tree of life, but they still had to choose God.  The history of Israel proved them to be a people who remained rebellious as a nation and chose pagan gods over the LORD. 

Our world and our nation have cut themselves off from God!  They mock God and refuse to allow Him in our schools and in public places.  There will come a time when all who call upon the LORD shall have access to God and the tree of life.

Joel 2:31-32 KJV The sun shall be turned into darkness; and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.  (32)  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

We are approaching that day and very well may be in the time when those who call upon the LORD will be saved; when God will make salvation available to all who call upon His name.  Down through the generations since that day of Pentecost, when Peter gave the first sermon of the Christian Church; many have been called; but only a few have chosen God.  We see large Christian denominations that have a form of Godliness, but who deny the power thereof.

2 Timothy 3:1-6 KJV This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  (2)  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3)  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,  (4)  Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;  (5)  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.  (6)  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,  (7)  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Only the chosen, who have answered the call; and who have overcome the world; will avoid the White Throne Judgment; they are the saints of the Most High and judgment is upon them now.  Christ will gather them and protect them from the Great Tribulation.  They will be called to the marriage supper of the LAMB.  All of the rest will stand in judgment.  If the Father in Heaven is calling you now, then take responsibility for your calling and choose Christ so that you will be counted worthy to escape the Great Tribulation that will come upon the entire world.  You can choose now or you can choose in tribulation as Joel says above; “and in the remnant; who the LORD shall call.”  The remnant; are those who will be left behind.  You don’t want to be left behind when Jesus gathers His saints.  Answer the call, the choice is yours!