Re: In other words

Yes, we do "act". But, our actions are still a result of His grace. I didn't just decide to fall to my knees one day begging for mercy by my own will. God's will working in me brought me to that point. He did it in his mysterious ways, and He works differently in each of us, in our unique circumstances. For me, God brought me through many years of misery growing up in a cult church, being taught sermon after sermon that you must do all this stuff to be saved and right with God. Over and over I would try to live how I saw was right according to the bible, but always was aware I wasn't getting it all right. Really, I wasn't getting any of it right, but probably thought I was getting some of it right. I remember feeling guilty if I fell asleep during my prayers at night, and would wake up in the middle of the night and try to finish praying, many times falling asleep again without finishing. lol After years of that, my church started falling apart, my family started falling apart, my whole life started falling apart. I read the sermon on the mount, and realized there is no way I measured up to that, or that my family measured up to that, or anyone I knew measured up to that. I knew I didn't love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and my neighbor as myself like Jesus said to do. And I knew after years of trying, that I couldn't do that. And so I came to that point where I realized I needed major mercy. At that time, God began to lead me out of that church and I began to understand the doctrines of grace. It was awesome and so freeing. So for me it is clear, God had been leading me all along, He had been working out in me the day I would repent of trying to do all this myself. He knew the day He would free me from all the false doctrines that bound me. He knew before the foundation of the world, the plan of my life and how it would unfold. This is what I believe. And I believe my life is still unfolding the way He has planned from the beginning.

These scriptures are very important, and very freeing if we can understand them:

Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

Job 42:1-2 "Then Job replied to the LORD : "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." Job 42:1-2

No plan of his can be thwarted! Think about what that means. Do we really think we can thwart any of His plans by anything we do or don't do? He has declared the end from the beginning, and said He will accomplish ALL his purpose, not just some of it, or most of it, but ALL of it. I'm going to trust that to be true. That gives me great joy. My flesh and my heart may fail, but He is my portion forever, and will finish all He has started in me, and all His children.
Isn't that good, or no? I say yes!