Being set apart by God is the Title of our Message Today

In all our feelings of unworthiness and the insignificance that we seldom feel, the Lord’s outlook on us is an altogether different thing. The Bible declares that we are divinely chosen by God for His own purposes and that how insignificance we feel in ourselves is not important. That is why we should know that we all are predestined in Him for what He sees us fit to do for Him in the generation we live in. If we think our lives have no importance to men, to God it matters. That is why He has chosen us before we were ever born. Isn’t this marvelous and isn’t He awesome? Now let us dig a little deeper into the words of the scripture to find out why and how we are a little different than others.

In Jeremiah 1:5 the Lord declared to the young prophet that He had chosen Him before He was even born and that He had separated Jeremiah to Himself for His prophetic ministry.

This is how the word of God spoke to the young man.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Here is the awesomeness of this revelation of God to Jeremiah that God foreknew Him before he was even created and that it was God who had formed him in his mother’s womb. What an unfathomable heavenly truth. The Creator of the universe says to us that He was mindful of us and in His plans He has included us. Wow even the thought of it makes me jump for joy. Not only this much, but that He has set us apart from other men for Himself. Not that we are any better than others around us, but that He has a purpose

For creating us and a call that we are unaware of. Just the fact that I know my existance here on earth is not an accident this must give me plenty of reason to want to live for Him and His divine truth. This alone excites me I don’t know about you?

If you have come here today feeling dawn and unworthy I must tell you these feelings of yours are from the pit of Hell. If God is for you, then who could be against you. Amen?

In this we need to be encouraged that if we are saved through the regeneration work of the Spirit of God then we carry a genuine call and in it we have a divinely planned purpose for our lives. To the same young man the Lord later on in Jeremiah 29:11 says this following awesome words and those are also said to us all.. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”. These words are spoken to all who are set apart by God from a divine perspective in life. Yes no medicine can lift a weary soul like these words of God could remedy our sin sick soul. The revelation of our predestination is a very dear thing to be cherished.

In Psalm 4:3 the scriptures says “ But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly”

Throughout the Scripture, God sets apart people for himself and his purposes. Often the Bible uses the language of holiness to depict this act of setting apart. In Psalm 4:3, however, the language is slightly different though the idea is the same. Here, God distinguishes those who are godly, because they have received God’s faithful love. In other words, Psalm 4:3 does not mean, if we make ourselves godly, then God will set us apart. Rather, God sets us apart in his mercy, making a covenant with us based on His salvation. He makes us godly so that we might live in a godly manner. But the emphasis in Psalm 4:3 is not upon how we live in our godliness. Rather, this verse underscores the fact that the Lord has set us apart “for himself.” We belong to him, not primarily to do his work, but because he loves us and seeks relationship with us. We serve the Lord, therefore, in response to his initiation, and in an intimate relationship with him. Here is today’s good news: God has set us apart for himself. God wants relationship with us. He seeks intimacy with us, so that we might know His amazing love. What a wonder!

To be set apart also means to be sanctified and since one of His awesome names is Jehovah  M’Kaddesh our sanctifier which also means the one who sets us apart for Himself in Holiness. This is the main reason for us to be set aside from the rest of the people with whom we live in this world. The Lord has separated us to Himself, since He alone is holy and wants us to live in the same sphere of sanctity, so that we will be able to share with Him in all the attributes of His godliness. That is why He says “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy: for I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 20:7)

God’s people are, and must be, persons of distinction. God has distinguished them by His holy covenant, and therefore they ought to distinguish themselves by their holy living.  In Titus 2:14 Paul teaches us this same truth. We are told of God’s TWO purposes in saving us.

1. To redeem us from all iniquity, AND….

2. To purify unto Himself a peculiar people – one that is zealous of performing good works – works that will honor and glorify Him. In II Corinthians 5:5 we read:

“Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee” In this Paul speaks of the work of being set apart in holiness for God’s divine purposes. Therefore being set a part has a direct connection with becoming Holy in the sight of God by His own doing. All we need to be doing is to co-operate  with Him in this work of sanctification, just as 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 teaches us.

Look at Queen Esther’s life and her uncle’s role in saving the Jewish people from their predicaments. There were people set a part by God for Himself for His divine purposes. They were soverignly chosen by God to bring redemption to the Jews at their worst hour of trial. Mordeccai the Jew warned queen Esther about her call and said to her that “What if you were called for such a time as this?” Meaning what if God has you set aside from eternity past for this task? You see our call and our being separated from others always has a divine purpose attached to it.

Not only for fellowship with Him in all holiness, but to be used of Him in complete justice. Vessels like Joseph husband of Mary ofNazareth were men whose life is not mentioned in the scriptures in details, but they were mighty vessels prepared by Him for His great purposes in the accomplishment of His eternal plans.

The word calls you and me God’s own peculiar people . What does this word Peculiar mean to us ?

Apostle Peter explains it in this way….
“But you are a chosen generation of people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and His own special people that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

(1 Peter 2:9 )

Just these identifying words make us a distinct people among many others.

Again not in ourselves, but in Him who has called us for such a setting apart from the rest of His creation.

Apostle Paul also in his letter to the Galatians church about his call  says it in this way “When it pleased  God  Who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace to reveal His Son in Me to preach to the gentiles”.  Paul traced all his hopes of eternal life, and all the good influences which had ever borne upon his mind, to God.

Who separated him, that is, who destined him; or who purposed from his very birth that he should be a preacher and an apostle. The meaning is, that God had in his secret purposes set him apart to be an apostle. Jeremiah too as we read in Jer 1:5 was thus set apart, and John the Baptist was thus early designated for the work which they afterward performed. In all these we learn that God had us in his mind for greater purposes than you and I could ever imagine. Therefore we need to give more heed to our positioning in Him as His chosen vessels and by this we must make ourselves ready to hear His call in our lives at all times.