YET TO COMPLETE:IS GOD CALLING ME? (IS GOD PARTIAL?)

YET TO COMPLETE: 

IS GOD CALLING ME? (IS GOD PARTIAL?)

Is God Calling Me?

(Is God Partial?)

Alex Oguh

Copyright © 2022 Alex Oguh

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DEDICATION

This booklet is dedicated to the Lord who, out of love, is constantly working to draw upwards to Himself.

Alex Oguh

 calling  you  right  now,

PREFACE

No scripture su0erceeds the other. The Christian who snobs a jot or a phrase of the written word should expect surprise in the Day of Judgment. When taken together, it becomes clear that God is no respcter of any man. Yet we all sometimes wonder why some seem to have more favour with God than others. Find out whether  God is

Alex Oguh

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My thanks go to God who has granted me the grace to write. I pray that His name and seal will go with every book. I thank all my wife and the children for their support and help while I spend long hours in the office.

I want to thank Sis. Ruth Alfa. and Bro. ThankGod Akeji, for making time to proofread most of the materials, I must thank Bro. Dan Omotayo and others for praying on the materials. My thanks too go to all those all  those who  laboured  to  make  this  book see the  light of  the  day. May God  raise helpers for you.

Thank  you all.

.  

Alex Oguh

Is God Partial?

And

Is God Calling Me?

I came across 1 Kings 18:15; where Elijah said, “God before whom I stand” and I heard the Lord asking me “Can you take your stand before Me?

I was surprised. Why is He asking me again? So I said to Him, “This has come again? Have I not taken my stand before You? His answer was “A person who has taken his stand before his master stands at attention, ready to do anything the master wants. Be at my beck and call”. 

I prayed and asked Him to tell me what to do now and this day. He told me and what He said was not quite new. It was about how to pray and what to do each day. 

As usual, His demands are that He wants complete obedience. Moses did all that the Lord commanded him. This was said many times. 

I decided to again start standing before Him from this day and prayed for grace. I need grace because I have been trying to stand on the word of God for several years. 

I went into Bible reading to find the basis for prayer. The first place I read as I opened the book, “Devotions of a Disciple” from Peace House, was dry, the verses simply did not open. It was the second reference that yielded its fruits.

    

Mark 3:13-15

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. 14 Then He appointed twelve,* that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and* to cast out demons: NKJV

I suddenly saw that He was the One that called them and the ones He called were the ones He desired. There were thousands down there in the valley (Mk 3:7-10) when He made that call. Why did He not choose all those He called and they that have come to Him? Or why did He not just call only twelve? If God is not partial, what has happened? Let us answer that under the following questions:

Is it that some didn’t come quickly?

Is it that some only came and did not sit down?

Is it that some that sat didn’t give Him attention?

Is it that some didn’t believe Him? 

Is it that some that came had other plans apart from following Jesus?

Is it that some were pigs and dogs?

Is it that some were like Judas: Satan?

Before we answer these questions, we must state the value of what it means to be called and chosen by Jesus. After His choice of you, you can never be the same. It is like once an egg is laid; there are only three options ahead of the egg. It either hatches into a chick or the egg is marred and becomes bad and capable of producing very bad smell. The third option is that the egg is cooked or roasted and is served at table as food. 

Anyone chosen by Christ is like an egg that has been given life. The twelve apostles Jesus chose became something. Judas ended up producing a very bad smell. May you not be like Judas. The Lord said about Judas,

    

  Matt 26:23-24

23 He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.  24 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born." NKJV

The rest of the disciples produced many, many disciples for their Master. If today there are two billion Christians in the world, when shared between them each of  the early disciples has millions of followers behind him. 

The Joy of that can be great on the Day of Judgment. Each of them will look back and say like Jacob when talking about Joseph’s children in Gen. 48:8, ”who are these?” 

It pays handsomely to be called and chosen. Jacob was called in Gen. 28 and he was finally chosen in Gen. 32, after twenty years. Why were some not chosen by Jesus? 

Our Lord is not partial. He is not a respecter of persons  (Rom 2L11; Deut. 10:17)..

Is It That Some Didn’t Come Quickly?

It appears to me that the first requirement for God’s call is that you are a bit near to Him. 

Crowds normally follow our Lord. It can be over five thousand men in a place that is not a desert. When He went up the hillside and started calling, it is likely that He called only those that could hear Him. 

What was the parameter for choosing the twelve? We know that the Lord added Judas for a particular assignment that of betraying Him. Why did He pick the eleven that He picked? He must have been fair to all.

Could it be that those not selected came there lazily? Were they sluggish in coming to Him? 

Jesus normally sets pace for His followers. He would take a step and expect them to imitate Him. That is His normal way in discipleship. 

Jn. 13:34.. love others as I have loved you”. 

Coming to Jesus is not always by covering physical distance. It can be in transforming to become like Jesus in character, in obedience, in holiness and in love. 

Take King Saul as an example. He took too long in becoming like Jesus. He only obeyed the Lord promptly at the beginning of His reign. After that he became sluggish about obedience. He offered sacrifice instead of waiting for Samuel to come and do it. He spared Agag and some sheep and cows when God sent him to wipe out the Amelekites   and all they had. That was why even though he was called, he was not chosen. 

One other person that was called but was not chosen was the father of Abram, Terah. 

    

Gen 11:26-32

26 Now Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 

27 This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot. 28 And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 Then Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. 30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child. 

31 And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. 32 So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran. NKJV

It appeared like he was called. He knew where to go, Canaan, but he only went as far as Haran and settled and died there. His call was not confirmed. He was called but not chosen.

Some of those Jesus called were like Terah. He delayed in coming. In fact, he never reached or arrived at the expected destination. 

Is It That Some Came and Did  Not Sit Down?

How many times did the word of God say, incline thy ear to my word or hearken unto my word?  About five times in King James Version (Ps 45:10;  71:2;  102:2;  119:36; 119:112).

It is as if the whole world has ganged up against God (Ps 2).. No one listens. Many do not turn at His rebuke (Prov 1:22-31). Yet God promises to help if we will listen to Him. 

God is drawing our attention every time. Getting our attention is not always easy for God. He had to dramatize a burning bush with leaves that refuse to burn so as to get Moses’ attention. Some had dreams, visions, or angelic visits in order to wake up to their God-given assignments. Moses was born at a time every male  baby  was condemned to  die. He was saved and raised in the palace and then God gave him light about his destiny. 

Instead of preparing in prayer guiding himself to serve in that capacity, he went about it in the way that was only right in his own sight. He perceived that he would be the one to save Israel ( Acts 7:22). That was right but even what is right has to be done in the right way.

We have better light in the New Testament. Jesus sent two of His disciples to go and prepare the Passover meal for His team. These wise disciples went and prayed.    

Luke 22:7-9

Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. 8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat." 

9 So they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?" NKJV.

It is as important to come to the will of God as it is important to do so acceptably. It was wise of them to have prayed after getting that initial instruction. The answer to  that  prayer  helped  them  escape  paying  rent and renting  tables  and  chairs..

The two were not free to take any direction they like in their effort to obey Him. Praying long helps you to avoid that mistake. 

The two were not free to like a ride because they might arrive at that junction too early and might mistakenly follow another man who might be carrying water. Arriving too early can disqualify you from being chosen. There is time and season for everything under heaven. 

The two were not free to greet and answer greetings anyhow. Supposing they met a school mate who wanted them to know his house, were they free to follow that friend? No! Obedience must be complete.

Is It That Some That Sat Didn’t Give Him Attention?

The question is why did Jesus again have to select out of the people He wanted and called to Himself . 

    

Mark 3:13-16

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. 14 Then He appointed twelve,* that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and* to cast out demons: NKJV

Should He not have said? “I pick all of you that have come up here with me to be my apostles”. Instead, He again picked only twelve out of the number He had called. 

Let us now consider another possible reason for Jesus choosing or rejecting a man or a woman He had called. We will look at the degree of attention given to Him as He spoke to them. In another record in: 

    

Matt 5:1-2

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: NKJV

Jesus, as soon as they had settled with Him up there, opened His mouth and began to teach them. That teaching lasted through to chapter 7 of Mathew. Teaching therefore is the longest single event in the Gospels. 

It is not miracles; it is not feeding men and women. We will do well to follow Jesus even in this. If teaching in His top priority, then listening to Him is very important to Him. He commended Mary for listening and rebuked Martha for making welfare a top priority (Lk 10:41-42). 

Some people are near the Lord, but their hearts are far from Him. Judas even kissed the Lord. You need to be close in order to kiss. Yet Judas was a traitor. 

Some people will only be called but never chosen because they give other things their attention instead of Jesus. 

This is everywhere in the body of Christ. How many Christians even read their Bible? How many even forget where their Bibles are till Sunday morning? Many have the intention to cover the whole Bible? Some only started reading their Bibles from the book of Genesis. Like Terah, they never come to their destination. Many stop on the way. Some stop in Leviticus, some in Psalms and others stop in the prophets. May you not stop. 

There are those who refuse to give time to pray. The Lord has told all His disciples to pray always and without ceasing (Lk 18:1; 21:36). Many prayer meetings are not well attended. People attend other meetings. Political meetings are full of people, football field have great numbers in attendance. Only few come to the Lord and their father for discussions. Why? Many do not hear their heavenly Father. Many hate fellowshipping  with their heavenly Father.

    

Prov 1:23-27

Turn at my rebuke;

Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;

I will make my words known to you. 

24 Because I have called and you refused,

I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, 

25 Because you disdained all my counsel,

And would have none of my rebuke, 

26 I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your terror comes, 

27 When your terror comes like a storm,

And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,

When distress and anguish come upon you. NKJV

He, the Lord wants to have discussions with you. He likened it to intimate discussions. He told us to enter a room when we want to meet Him. Then we are told to close the door. Leaving the door half-open is not enough. Closing the door stop it from opening itself. Then talk to your Father who sees in secret. 

God is looking for attention, give it to Him. His gifts are waiting for those who will spend time with Him. Yes, He gives the sun and the rains to both the righteous and the wicked. What of ability to stand in the face of temptations? It is only given to those who can spend minimum of one hour with Him daily. 

    

    

Matt 26:40-41

40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?  41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." NKJV

God is asking for your attention. Spend one hour with him each day. Put God more on your side. This is hard for children. Primary school periods are short per lesson. Even then we have to use games and ways to keep their attention from one moment to another. Children like play a lot. A lesson is normally not more than forty minutes in primary and secondary schools.

As children enter higher institutions, like the Polytechnics, the Colleges of Education and the Universities, their attention spans are expected to increase. Some can now sit for three hours for a lecture. 

God is looking for your attention, give it to Him. Meditate on the word of God. 

Do not just be near Him physically, be near spiritually. Do not just be near Him with your mouth. You should draw near the Lord and give Him attention.       

               

Is It That Some Did Not Believe Him?

Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6).

Nobody can be chosen or confirmed without faith and it is continuous faith that is needed by the Lord. 

The Lord picked Abram at seventy-five years old. Abraham obeyed God and went to a land he had not known about. 

Years later, at the age of about one-hundred and twelve, the Lord tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son (Isaac) to Him. He did and there he was confirmed or chosen. 

    

Gen 22:15-19

Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said:"By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son —   17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." NKJV

When will God say the same to you? It is after you pass all His tests or trials. You are to believe up to the point of death. 

King Saul believed to a point and then he was tested. He was told to wait for Samuel to come and make necessary sacrifice before they (Saul and his soldiers) start fighting in a particular war. King Saul tried. He waited through the first day, second day, third day, fourth day, fifth day and sixth day. He could not wait till the end of the seventh day. He must have scored over nine percent. He succumbed to pressures and anxiety and offered the sacrifice. Immediately after that, Samuel appeared. King Saul had failed the test (1 Sam. 13). Human way of scoring things is different from God’s. God marks the blemishes as well (Lev. 1:1). 

The highest test is that of faith just as the highest insult to God is to call Him a liar. 

Lack of trust in God made Eve eat the forbidden fruit. Unbelief made Moses to hit that second rock twice instead of speaking to it. Nathan told David that what he did was refusing to believe God to give him more women (2 Sam. 12:7-9). 

Since this factor is very important in the decision to choose or not choose those already called, God takes extra trouble to repeat Himself when giving instructions to those He wants to choose. Look at the way, He instructed King Saul. 

The Lord repeated Himself over and over, when He was instructing King Saul. 

    

1 Sam 15:3

Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'" NKJV

 Now go and attack Amalek, 

 And utterly destroy all that they have, 

 And do not spare them. 

But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.

Numbers 1  to 4  instructions are  saying  the  same  thing over and over.

He said, put to death men. 

(Agag was a man) 

Women, 

Children,

Infants, 

Cattles (fat or lean)

Sheep (good or bad)

Camels,

Donkeys.

The instruction was so clear. Rarely do teachers ask questions like that in examinations. 

King Saul failed the test, it was like an examination that has four questions and you are told to answer all. The first answer is the same as the second, third and  fourth answers. King Saul failed all the questions. If he had got one answer correct, he would have passed the exam. 

I must testify that God has treated me so. I write down the dealings of God a lot. When it was possible for me to have much of the writing on computer a search tells me that God repeats His instructions to me. If I fail to reach my destiny, let no body blame the Lord. If I miss heaven, I will still admit that the loving-kindness of God is great. I believe that this is what He does for every man or woman  He is   trying  to save. 

Oh God, you are good, no God like you. Your loving-kindness is new every morning.

When you fail and fail, remember the word of the Lord to King Saul in 

    

1 Sam 15:22-23

22 So Samuel said:

"Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,

As in obeying the voice of the Lord?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

And to heed than the fat of rams. 

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,

And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,

He also has rejected you from being king." NKJV

Here then is another reason for one person being rejected and replaced and another continuing with the Lord to glory. 

Is It That Some That Came Had Other Plans Apart from following Jesus?

Why would God select some and reject some from among those He had called to Himself? It was not that He was partial. It was not because of the race, face or colour of the persons called. He must have been looking for image of God in them. 

God does not force His will on any man. 

            

Luke 9:23-24

23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,* and follow Me. NKJV

    

Matt 16:24-25

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. NKJV

    

Mark 8:34-35

34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. NKJV

It is ‘If”, not you must follow me. Even the call to bear His yoke is left to you, not Him. You are to take up His cross daily. 

The yoke forces you to go along with the Lord. You are free to un-loose yourself from Him. You can jump out of the queue. You can pull your neck out of the yoke. You can tell Him that you no longer want to follow Him. Elijah said so in 1 Kgs. 19: and he was released. The call can be to everybody. Being chosen is another reason that only  few are chosen from the  many called ones.

Be among the few. 

Do like Paul. Know nothing except Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2).

Do like Paul. He said one thing I do ………. (Phil. 3:13). 

Do like Paul. Do not just be the air. Have aim in every punch (1 Cor.  9:26).

Do like Paul. Call your journey a race (1 Cor.  9:24). He said, “I have run the race.” Race is always in one direction. Racing is with speed. Racing is with all your might. Racing is a serious business. Are you in this race or in another race” 

I meet a lot of Christians who are in the race to become millionaires. That is good if it does not disqualify you from winning the race of life. The main race is to become like Jesus. Nothing should tamper with that.

Prosperity was not the quarrel in the Garden of Eden. No good health makes you everlasting. So jump out of the race that makes you steal to eat and look well. Jump out of the race to have good cloths and cosmetics unless that race would not stop you from entering heaven. 

Jesus was going to the northern kingdom and had to pass through a city of the Samaritans. Why? Maybe to win that woman of Samaritan, let it not be that what is causing your diversion on the way to the home in heaven is not sex, not just gluttony, not lust of the eyes. Drop all your other plans. Pursue only one plan, the plan to be like Jesus. 

A plate of pepper soup can divert some from the way of life. Esau ate a good meal and forgot the pursuit of God. Jacob had to miss a plate of food or went a little bit hungry and he got a name above many of his equals. 

Is It That Some Were Pigs And Dogs?

It is possible that some were not chosen because they were like pigs and dogs.

Pigs enjoy being dirty. Washing them is of no value to you or to them. After taking a bath they would go back straight to dirt again. 

King Saul was like a pig. He kept falling into sin. He had this temptation where David, a more youth was praised more than him. It turned to war. 

David had the same challenge when his son, Absalom became more desired than him. He wept when Absalom died as if the boy was a good boy. 

King Saul was like a pig. He spared Agag and Samuel rebuked him. Instead of mourning, he wanted Samuel to escort him in  the  public to prove that nothing was amiss.

David was different. He openly admitted his sin before Nathan and before all his people. He wrote his confession down for all to read and learn. 

David was ashamed of sin. He tried by all means to cover his sin with Bathsheba. He covered the murder of Uriah. King Saul was not so. He even tried to kill David openly many times.

    

Matt 7:6-7

"Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. NKJV

A dog returns to its vomit. When there is stomach upset in a dog, it vomits what is giving it trouble. That can be a relief. The dog has no sense that the same problem might come if it goes back to eat it again. 

Jeroboam was rebuked for starting a denomination (1 Kgs 13). After the young prophet died, the evil started by Jeroboam continued. The northern kingdom ended up in exile. A man was paralyzed for 38 years and Jesus healed him in a way he could not have expected.  He was expecting the coming of an angel, the stirring of the water, his luck to be the first to enter that water after the stirring. Jesus met the healed man later and told him not sin again, otherwise something worse would come over him. 

    

 

   

    John 5:14

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." NKJV

   I don’t think that such a man had 38 years to spend under the bondage of sin.

Whatever God does is permanent (Jn 15:16 ). God does not take delight in temporary things. So the rule is to punish anyone in the church that continues in sin after more  than one rebuke. Have you been rebuked over and over? Be warned. 

    

1 Tim 5:20

Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. KJV

    

Prov 29:1

He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,

    Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. NKJV

It Is That Some Were Like Judas Or Satan?

    

John 6:70-71

Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"  71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve. NKJV

Judas was picked. Jesus knew that Satan could be in him. There was no need to pick many of them. One betrayer was enough to get the job done. Could it be that there were more persons like Judas standing around Jesus when He picked the twelve? 

Are you like Judas? You are not alone. Pharaoh was terrible. He was bent on not letting Israel go. Nebuchadnezzar was warned (Dan 4) and he did not change. 

    

Dan 4:24-27

this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses. 

26 "And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity." NKJV

The other sons of Judah (Gen. 38) were like that. Even after God killed the first born, the junior brother did not learn. God killed him too. 

Their father Judah had to send away Tamar. The Bible records indicate that much did not come out of shelah. 

Why was it so? 

You know that Reuben, the first born of Jacob slept with his father’s wife and got disqualified as the first born. You also know that the next two boys in age – Simeon and Levi – did evil by deceiving the men of Shechem into being circumcised and killed. That put them off. 

Judah became the one to inherit Jacob as the first born. Satan pursued Judah to get involved with a woman he met with his friend. Anyhow marriage led to anyhow children. The devil knew what descendants of a good man can do to him. He wanted descendants of Judah wasted. 

God Helped Him.

Tamar got pregnant for Judah. So God left him, descendant through Perez, the line of revival continued. The fire was fully kindled when the descendants of Judah through Tamar came to ten. Why? It was because bastards do not enter God’s temple until from the tenth one. David was the tenth in the line.

Nobody becomes Satan without his fault. One way to become so is when you keep allowing unclean spirits that left you to keep coming back. One comes back with seven more deadly demons. Eight come back as sixty-four. Sixty-four returns with all their friends as one hundred and twenty-eight. That could be  why that man in    

Mark 5:9-10

Then He asked him, "What is your name?"

And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many." 1NKJV

Therefore know how you came to Jesus. Are you born again? Are you called? Did you respond quickly to the call? Are you close to Him. Are you learning Him?    

  Matt 11:28-30

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." NKJV

He chose only twelve? Why? Is it that many didn’t come up? That He chose means there were more than twelve around Him. What disqualified those others will not disqualify me. Many of them were like Peter who was called three different times before he finally began real following.  Peter was called a few days after Jesus was baptized (Jn. 1:29-42), He was again called after John was  put in  prison (Mt 4:12, 18-22). The last call was much later in Lk 5:1-8. Why was Peter always returning from following Jesus? He was a family man with responsibilities. The last call was not in mere words. Jesus simply demonstrated that He could provide to meet all Peter/s family needs.  Those extra fishes must have served as capital for Peter’s wife. Peter left all and followed Jesus after that. 

Have you been dilly-dallying around Jesus? Your call can never be confirmed that way. Come now, let us reason together. Use what happened to peter to encourage yourself. Peter was sluggish at first in coming,  but he  was sincere. He finally came with his whole heart. He participated heartily in everything Jesus did and taught. Jesus found him worth to lead His Church and he became the leader of the work. Come to Jesus now and write down your impressions. God is not partial.

. 

Those that seek wisdom are considered wise. Those that come well to Jesus are confirmed or chosen. It may take years. It may take months. Focus on your running the race well.  The race is running towards Jesus or becoming like Jesus.  

    

  Rom 8:29-31

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. NKJV

              

  Rom 8:29-30

God knew them before he made the world. And he decided that they would be like his Son. Then Jesus would be the firstborn* of many brothers and sisters. 30 God planned for them to be like his Son. He chose them and made them right with him. And after he made them right, he gave them his glory. Easy-to-Read Version