<TITLE>16. Par 392-406</TITLE>L-392   Now watch this, now, just as we get down towards the end. The 11th verse.
And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of the hope unto the end:
That ye may not be slothful, but followers of them that who through faith and patient inherit the promise.

L-393 Now, just one more remark here.
For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself,
Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiply, I will multiply thee.

L-394 When God met Abraham! Now, Abraham received the covenant, without any merits at all. The covenant was made with Abraham. It's absolutely grace, altogether. Abraham was not a better man. He was not a holiness man. He was just an ordinary man. And God, by election, chose Abraham because God elected him; not because Abraham wanted it, because Abraham did this, because he was a good man, 'cause he had any merit at all. But it was God's choice. God took Abraham.

L-395   Today, as I said, I believe, "We select our preachers." We go around, say, "Well, one of the deacons quit. Let's find the best man in the building to take his place. Well, the pastor quit; let's find out, we get the best." Sometimes that's not right.

L-396 When they selected a man to take Judas' place, they got the wrong man. They got a gentleman, Matthias, a great scribe, a scholar, a diplomat. They said, "He'll just take the real place. Boy, he looks like a real man." But it wasn't God's choice. And he took this man, and he never done nothing for God.

L-397   But God took a choice of a little, old high-tempered, hook-nosed Jew that come down there. His face, all, "I'll go down. I'll arrest them."

L-398 God said, "I see something in him. I'll use him."

L-399 And God appeared before him, that big Light there. And he said, "Who are You, Lord?"

L-400 Said, "I'm Jesus. Why, it's hard for you to kick against the pricks. Why you persecuting Me?" Like that, and God took that man and made him one of the greatest men that's ever hit the face of the earth since Jesus Christ. That was God's choice.

L-401 Today, we try to make a choice. You churches, you send this man here, and that man here. It's not supposed to be done that way. God does the leading. It's God in all, through all, over all; not what some document of some church. It's what God said about it, what makes the difference.

L-402   Notice. God made a promise to Abraham, unconditional. And now, wait, Abraham did not have to do one thing. God said, "I have already done it."

L-403 God made a promise to Adam, said, "Adam, if you'll not touch this, you'll live forever. But the day you eat thereof, that day you die."

L-404 Adam said, "I just wonder what it's all about, anyhow?" He goes over and eats it, tampering.

L-405 Every time that God make... a man makes his covenant with God, or God with a man, the man breaks his part. So God had to do something, because He seen what man was. And they were foreordained, they were elected, and God had to do something. So God came down and made His covenant with Abraham, unconditionally. If it wouldn't have been unconditionally, Abraham would been lost, a long time.

L-406   Look at him setting down there at Gerar, backslid, telling a lie. And give his wife over to another man, to save his own skin. What a man! Setting out there, and backslid. God told him, said, "Don't you leave up here. Stay up here." The famine run him out. He wandered down to where it was easier going. You know what happens to a fellow when he takes the easy road.


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