What does it mean when Paul tells the believers in Ephesus that they were
chosen by God before the creation of the world
Ephesians 1:4
“Chosen” as used here derives from the Greek word “eklegomai” which means to pick out, select, to choose for oneself. God chose them, selected them for Himself. Chosen not because of anything they have done or anything they will ever have to do…simply a beautiful act of His love.
This is God’s character.
Jeremiah 1:5 says,
I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as My prophet to the nations.
Psalm 139:16 says,
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
Sweet friend, God brought you here todat to remind you of this precious Truth. Hear it and never forget it…before time began, before God spoke the world into being…He had you in His heart. Like the saints in Ephesus, you have been chosen by God to be His child, to live out a perfect plan He has for your life. No one else has your plan, your family, your gifts, your talents, your heart, your calling, your past, and your present… NO ONE!!!
He chosen you to use you to do great things for His Kingdom…things that only you can do.
But to be used by God, you must BELIEVE He is who He says He is, BELIEVE He has chosen you, SURRENDER your life to His Plan for you, and BELIEVE He will equip you to do what He has called you to do.
If you have a moment, please share with me what God has chosen you to do… what is it He is calling you to do for His Kingdom. And if you don’t know, please leave me a comment sharing your thoughts so I can pray for you. God wants to reveal His wonderful plan for your life!!!
Sweet Blessings to you,
Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God's Story 
All Things Wise and Wonderful: Applying God's Wisdom in Everyday Life (E-Book)
Ooh! How this is another reminder for me that God has something for me. And I do know what it is. I've tried to 'cover my ears' because I feel wholly inadequate to do what He's purposing, but I'm finally at that place where I know I need to surrender.
As my daughter is my biggest calling, I know that God has placed inside me a ministry for young girls. Why? I do not know. But, He does know and He, the Creator of her heart and mine, is trying to nurture something so precious and so dear to Him. Since Bethany was little, I've prayed that she would be a Daughter of Zion–full of Faith, Love, and Power. Well, if I don't show her through the Word how to be that, how will she know how. So, God is taking me on a journey, with my daughter and others around her age to begin stepping into the foot prints He's laid out for them.
Please do pray that I will be obedient in all things to this call and that Danielle will get out of the way and let God reign supreme.
Love you sister! Was wondering how Lauren is doing? How are you doing?
I believe that God has called me to share His word, share His love to YOUTHS.I teach science in middle school and senior high.I really have a lot of passion in teaching and just to see my students know more of God or even feel His love makes my day.
Please pray that God will sustain and support me.Pray that I will always walk in His will and be sensitive to Him.
TQVM.
In the grip of His grace
Sheena
Thank you for this post. I definitely needed a reminder of God's love and plan for me even though I don't yet know what that plan is. I don't know what God has called me to do and I'm not sure how I will know or how to find out. Will it be obvious? Will I just know with all my heart where God is leading? I do feel and hear God speaking with me but with little things, little things I should be doing. As far as the entire purpose of my life, I have not a clue. Is it simply to be a Christian wife and mother? I am definitely fine with that. I just wish I felt more sure, more certain, that I'm doing all that God has called me to do.
Hi Wendy,
Your post couldn't have come at a more perfect time. As I've beat myself up this morning saying, "how could God use me with the past I have or the consquences of those mistakes," I read your post. Thank you once again for the reassurance that God knew those mistakes and loves me anyway. Please pray as I discover my calling for our Lord and Saviour!!
Melissa
Beautiful post, sweet friend! Please pray that God will reveal His wisdom and love as I work with the women's ministry at our church. There are a few ruffled feathers from some of our ladies as to why we need a women's ministry–which provides outreach and Bible studies– if we already have United Methodist women–serves in missions only. The two should be able to work together. Praying that barriers will come down
. Thank you so much!!
How is Lauren doing??
Love you!
Susan
What beautiful words and words I needed to hear. I am a teacher at a Christian school where sometimes I feel like I don't make a difference and parents make you feel like you never measure up. Yet in my heart I know God is using me to be a light to my little butterflies who have so touched my heart.
Daily, moment-by-moment obedience to Him and yielding to His Holy Spirit.
Sometimes I think I have things "figured out" as to what He wants me to do….but I know in daily yielding to Him and His will, He will establish the work of my heart and hands. I recognize some gifts He has given me for His purposes and yet I don't want to go ahead of Him. Sometimes that's hard.
Thanks, Wendy, for the always refreshing encouragement based in His Truth here.
Love you much,
Sharon
Wendy,
A cry from my heart, I know it seems ridiculous as a woman with a grown up family, that I can honestly say I have no direction.Coming recently to God I am concentrating my prayers on my family's transformation and protection from evil influences.Thankyou for your prayers.
Thanks again for the reminder that God has a plan for each one of us.I need to remember to pray about everything, myself included and claim Jer 29:11 about my future.
Thankyou for you encouragement.
Susanx
Hi Wendy,
I think that the calling on my life is to bless and love people. So many people need encouragement and I have recently been praying.."Lord,please show me whose life I can have a positive and powerful influence on through a spoken word or deed done today."(The power of Blessing by Claude Thomas gave me the idea for this prayer.)Anyway, I am just trying to hear the Lord and do what He asks me to do.
Thanks for your continued encouragement,
Debbie
I would appreciate your prayers concerning a relationship I have with someone who is deeply troubled…and that is just what God has given me a heart for..the deeply broken. But its very very hard because she is choosing to hold on to those broken parts rather than turn to God for help and healing. And so often she turns from me as well which is so hard becuase I care for her so deeply. Thank you for reminding me that God has is the one who has given me a heart for her..I can't do this on my own.
I attended a life changing women's conference put on by a church in KC last weekend where our sweet friends, Lysa T & Holly were at. I was so blessed & moved by the message God gave Lysa to share. One thing that struck me is God's will for my life. I was so moved. I am on a new path and my prayer is that I'll remain faithful to God this time. I am easily distracted and I hate that about myself. This was a great post to come and read today Wendy…thank you for speaking truth into our lives straight from His Word!
Love,
Lelia
Wow what a wonder, my Bible study today was just on this very thing of being choosen by God not because of anything I have done but because God is God and does what He chooses.
Hey sister. Had you on my mind this morning. Prayer for you!
A few of you that commented do not have blogs, and I would love to pray for you personally. Please e-mail me at deuteronomysix@aol.com. I would love to write a prayer for you!
Blessings,
Wendy
Wendy, I need your prayers as I prepare to undergo an emergency mstectomy for cancer that was diagnosed on Monday. please see my blog for an update and please let the entire P31 staff know to pray. I love you ladies and know you will send prayer and praises ahead of my victory. love you!
I don’t normally do this, but my daughter, Bethany(age 10) just wrote something that I posted on my blog. I’m asking that you take a look at it and leave a comment to give her some encouragement. She was very nervous, but took a big leap because I asked her to. Please help me boost her confidence in sharing what God is speaking to her heart. Thanks!!!!!
Obedience… a ten year olds perspective.
Oh, how I needed to read this today! I am struggling terribly to figure out what God has planned for me and to believe that He does have something planned for me. I feel so inadequate, so I ask for your prayers.
Thank you for your time.
Melissa
What I am learning is that not even our gifts and calling, our purpose for which He created us, is for this temporary life in this fallen earth only. His gifts to us and calling on our lives goes with us into Eternity. He calls us to rule and reign on the new Earth (Rev. 21:1). His plan and purpose for us continues even when our flesh gives way to physical death.
Even though my young son, Andrew (12 yrs. 7 1/2 months), went ahead of us to Heaven 7 weeks ago, God's purpose and plan for his life continues.
Melanie@Bella~Mella
Good post for a time when many people don't understand the value or purpose God has for them. Lives change when people realize they wear God's image.
Melanie – God's blessings upon you and your family.
wb
For two days now, I've been crying out to God about why he's allowed all this crazy stuff to happen in my life. Why he hasn't used me; why have I turned out to be the way I am; why didn't I do something different 25 years ago, and my life would be better today…the list goes on and on. And, since yesterday afternoon, EVERYTHING I've read and heard has reminded me that somehow, someway, God is going to turn this mess of my life into something good. I just have to stop doubting his plan and his purpose, and, like you said, BELIEVE. It's hard to do that when you're regretting almost everything you've done and not done. I have no idea how God can use someone like me. But I'm going to keep on. I hear that God wants me to.
Thanks, Wendy for this post.
Many days I sit at home, wondering why God has me here and not in some corporate penthouse saving the world. I am convince God has me right where he wants me, a stay-at-home person, no children, supporting a husband who has amazingly-with God's help and grace, overcome alcohol and tobacco addictions, and to have the time to serve others at the local food bank, as an volunteer EMT and Firefighter. God has put in a place where I am rich in time and energy and not in financial resources. I guess God has given me a heart to serve rather than a heart to spend. Thnaks for the devotional. God who has planned every detail in my life—What a reminder of our awesome God.
At the age of 48 i wandered into a full gospel church. I attended with my wife and 2 children my 9 year old is in special ed. the church had a great band and i really enjoyed the music. at one point the pastor asked for people to come up who needed special prayer my wife was prodding me to take my son up i really did not want to but i did.As she was praying she had her hand on my lower back and thru my 2 sweaters i could feel her hand burning when i came down from the alter a 40 year member of the church thanked me for coming and asked how i felt i said great but that the pastors hand was burning hot . She put her hand over her mouth and said something special would happen. honestly i left thinking they were crazy(lord forgive me) well 4 weeks later i had a burning desire to learn how to sing the desire consumed me i could not quench it i bought some equipment and started teaching myself to sing 7 days aweek many hours a day after 6 months i bought better equipment and trained another 6 months.After 1 year i returned to the same church i attended about 1 month of services and to make a long story short the next thing you know im on the platform singing lead with the band. that was approx a year and a half ago and im still singing there stronger than ever. Right after the first few songs were sung i was plunged into the most severe trials of my life things are slightly better now but the severe trial continues. i am truly convinced that god has a job he wants me to do and i am in expectancy every moment it feels like i just cant wait to get to where he wants me all i want to do is sing praises to our lord .Nothing else matters very much anymore. im sort of inbetween 2 worlds the fire of desire in me is still red hot and i dream of doing whatever it is that he has called me to do im so anxious i feel like i just cant wait anymore i love singing at church but i strongly feel there is more he wants me to do meanwhile i work a regular job which really doesnt intrest me very much the only thing im interested in is to do the work of god and my life wont be complete till i do. please comment i would love to know what you think of all this as i write this i am still suffering in trial and i know i will be until he reveals his plans to me
Hello Wendy,
I was very moved by your website and wanted to share my experience. My Pastor after speaking with him of my recent experiences told me this.
Quote: "Some people choose to be follow the ministry however you have been chosen by God."
He gave me a book to read by Jack Hayford titled
Manifest Prescense. Have just started reading the book. Would like to have a dialogue with you. My email address is arkellysos@yahoo.com
Hello Wendy,
When I was about 23, I was going through a really really tough time in my life to the point where I somewhat demanded an answer from God or I was going to take my life. The next day a lady from my mother's church called an said she had a dream that I was singing somewhere and she asked to speak with me. The moment that she got on the phone, I could sense that she felt something bad and she started to pray for me. After that she told me the reason why I was going through what I was going through is because God has chosen me for a special purpose and the devil was trying to finish me off so to speak. After that I dove in head first into church and completely surrendered my life! Im 28 now and I feel like Im in the battle of my life! I see things, angels, demons, I hear whispers at night, sometimes there good, sometimes there bad. I see parts of hell and heaven. Whenever I read the bible and memorize psalms or meditate on
God's word, at night I feel like Im being attacked for it! I see numbers, wars, animals and other things that don't make any sense to me! I feel like Im losing my mind!! God has blessed me with a voice to sing and to deliver messages and the lady at my church told me that Im going to be international one day, but Im so very shy…I just don't understand anymore. Can you give me some advice?? http://www.mp3tube.com
Hello Wendy,
for some time now, there have been signs of God having a plan for me. God has done things in my life that would make a nonbeliever think as mere coincedinces. He has actually saved my life a couple of times from events such as death. It’s as he says, “it’s not time yet”. My plans in life have ALWAYS ended up changing because of him, which I am happy to go with.
One thing I have never liked in this world is the corruption with money and greed. It’s funny because I am studying in school to become an accountant (talking about money lol), which wasn’t my original plan (computer programming was), and I don’t know HOW or WHEN God’s plan is going to happen, but I feel like it one day will…
I feel that one day I will be right in the middle of a storm, in a position of strong power, and I want to use that to make my voice be heard, to shake the world with the light of God. I may not be able to unchain everyone in this world from the corruption with money, but I want to wake up many from the greed. It may sound crazy, but like I said before, I don’t know HOW or WHEN, but I feel like it will happen one day. A little by little God’s plan is helping me prepare for that day.
Thank you for sharing your heart with me. I love that you are looking for God in every area of your life and listening for His Voice. He promises that when you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him. Praying you will trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding because when you do that and acknowledge His ways, He will direct your steps. Praying He will direct your steps and confirm what you are hearing if this is His plan for you.
Blessings,
Wendy
I HAVE A QUESTION: Matthew Chapter 22 Verse 14 SAYS MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN? SO WHO ARE CALLED AND WHO ARE CHOSEN? THANK YOU
Great question. The way I understand it from commentaries I have read is that God calls (gives the opportunity to) many to enter into the kingdom of heaven, but very few choose to take Him up on His offer. Some simply refuse to follow Him. Some start out strong following Him but then they fall away because their commitment was never deep and real. Others follow Him but the minute the worries of the world come, they pull them away from God…kind of like the parable Jesus teaches about the different soils. So though He calls many, only a few actually surrender their lives to Christ and have the privelege of spending eternity with Him in heaven.
Hope this helps!
Blessings,
Wendy