"Not According To Your Works; But According To HIS Own Purpose And Grace."

I have chosen you!
(George Mylne, "Fear Not!" 1854)

"Fear not, I have chosen you!" 
Isaiah 41:9, 10

Christian reader, GOD says to you, 
"I have chosen you!" 
This is a great mystery--
but it is a comforting truth. 
GOD does not tell you WHY 
HE chose you. HE only tells you 
the simple fact. It is not for you 
to question it, or to shrink from it--
but to receive it, and be thankful.

GOD was free to love you--
or free to loathe you. 
HE was free to choose you--
or free to reject you. 
HE says, 

"I have chosen you!" 

Believe what GOD says, 
and rejoice. 

"Before the mountains 
were brought forth, before 
HE had formed the earth and 
the world," (Psalm 90:2a)

GOD had chosen you! 

"From everlasting to everlasting,
HE is GOD."  (Psalm 90:2b)

From everlasting to everlasting 
HE loved--HE chose--
HE delighted in HIS people. 

Fellow-sinner, if GOD says, 
"I have chosen you," HE says it . . .
  to encourage you;
  to strengthen you;
  to sanctify you; 
  that you may rest upon 
the everlasting covenant, 
ordered in all things and sure,
 that you may look away from self, and 
see that salvation is altogether of the LORD.

GOD chose you, 

"not according to your works; 
but according to HIS own purpose 
and grace, which was given you 
in CHRIST JESUS before 
the world began." (2 Timothy 1:9.) 

Fellow-sinner, you are . . .
  loved in CHRIST;
  chosen in CHRIST;
  called in CHRIST;
  saved in CHRIST! 
Here is your foundation; here 
your hope; here your safety--
you were "chosen in CHRIST 
before the foundation of the world!" 

This is to humble you--
as well as to exalt you.

This is to make you weep--
as well as cause you to rejoice. 

You are vile in yourself--
but chosen to indescribable honor! 

You are poor in yourself--
but chosen to unspeakable riches! 

You are naked in yourself--
but chosen to eternal glory! 

Child of GOD, never lose 
your hold of this precious truth. 
GOD has revealed it, that you 
might delight in it. Let this be 
the brightest jewel in your crown--
this the sweetest cordial to your heart--
that GOD says to you, 

"Fear not, I have chosen you!" 

As you sit at the feet of JESUS; 
as you lay your mouth in the dust, 
and cry, "Unclean, unclean!"
as you take all the shame to yourself, 
and give all the glory to GOD, 
let this comfort delight your soul--
GOD has said, 

"Fear not, I have chosen you!"

"GOD chose us [actually picked us out 
for HIMSELF as HIS own] in CHRIST 
before the foundation of the world!" 
Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)

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GraceGems has published Horatius Bonar's uplifting short article, 
"The risen Christ and the things above".