Heavenly Father I praise You for loving me through the hard times and when I am not so lovely. I praise You for giving us a way to have a relationship with You, even though we are not worthy. I praise You for giving us the privilege to choose to have a relationship with You, even though You have the power to take that right away at any time, but You are true to Your word.
Holy Spirit the reason I do not believe in predestination is simple, Your word says, “For You so loved the world, that You gave Your one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For You did not send Christ into the world to condemn it, but to save the world through Him.” [John 3:16&17] Your word does not say those You chose who can be saved but whoever chooses to believe. I know that You are omnipotent, which means You are outside of time, You already know how time began and how it will end. This does not mean that You pick the players that only can succeed or fail, You allow us to choose our destiny by the decisions we make each and every day.
I believe that You are so awesome and great and love us so much that You desire for us to follow You, but You are also a God of truth and honoring of Your word, so it is us who have to come to You. You have already made the offer of a relationship. I do believe that times, seasons, and the end are predestined because of the fact You live outside of time and this life with sin in it must come to an end for things to be made right. I also know that I continue to grow in wisdom and understanding and do not have the grasp or ability of scholars much more wise and experienced than me. So, I hang onto this truth, I believe in You, I believe that You offered salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus and that I accepted this salvation at the age of 16 and have tried to walk in Your will ever since. Have I fallen at times, yes, because I war with the flesh daily. Have I failed at times, yes, because I have taken my eyes off Jesus as Peter did when walking on the water. Just like Peter, I learned to immediately cry out to Jesus to get me back on top of the water to walk with Him.
Holy Spirit teach me to, “in view of God’s mercy, I will offer my body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is my spiritual act of worship. I will not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of my mind. Then I will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. I will rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; I will love without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to others with brotherly love, not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; distributing to the needs of the saints when I can, and demonstrate hospitality.” [Romans 12:1&2; Romans 12:12; Romans 12:9-13]
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Galatians 1:3-5)