Me:
Good morning Father!
Good morning Father!
ABBA:
Good morning Jon!
Good morning Jon!
Me:
We watched an old movie last night: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I found it disturbing, the inmates of the insane asylum stripped of their fundamental human rights by their keepers and afforded no dignity as those made in Your image. It would have been different if the authorities running the institution were actually trying to help those afflicted. But, not only that, it highlighted the ravages of Satan’s work on the mind and heart – on both sides of the institutional hierarchy. Of course You know my attempts to help my own brother and how that has worked out. I don’t know now whether he is even alive. But I can surely understand his fierce desire to remain independent, even if he doesn’t eat.
ABBA:
Yes, the film did not whitewash how Satan’s schemes play out in the lives of My children. It saddens me that it is so. That is why Jesus came to redeem.
Yes, the film did not whitewash how Satan’s schemes play out in the lives of My children. It saddens me that it is so. That is why Jesus came to redeem.
Me:
Even though the Lamb of God has paid the price for sins, it still seems to prove unlikely that the deceived will put their faith in Him. Except You cause them to hear and cause them to see, it seems they remain unaware of the Gift. Maybe not unaware, in many cases, more that they are unwilling.
Even though the Lamb of God has paid the price for sins, it still seems to prove unlikely that the deceived will put their faith in Him. Except You cause them to hear and cause them to see, it seems they remain unaware of the Gift. Maybe not unaware, in many cases, more that they are unwilling.
ABBA:
Consider this passage:
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand;
You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
15 For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they would see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.’ (Quoted from Isaiah 6.)
Consider this passage:
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand;
You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
15 For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they would see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.’ (Quoted from Isaiah 6.)
16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Matthew 13)
Me:
Why, Lord? Why has it not been granted for them to know the mysteries of the kingdom? How do I reconcile this with the scripture that says You are not willing that any should perish? (2 Peter 3:9)
Why, Lord? Why has it not been granted for them to know the mysteries of the kingdom? How do I reconcile this with the scripture that says You are not willing that any should perish? (2 Peter 3:9)
ABBA:
If I make all the Truth obviously and irrefutably plain to those who have not already chosen to embrace Me, you could not say they actually had a choice in the matter. The plain explanations to the disciples show what it is like for those who have already decided to follow Me. The choice comes first, then the revelation. I Am not willing that any should perish. But I choose to keep My desire subjugated to the choice of the individual. I do know the end from the beginning. I could have chosen to give you no choice. I desired that those who love Me do so of their own free will. Nothing short of that actually fits My definition of love.As far as reconciling the scripture, if your foundation is the knowledge that I Am the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, you will suspect that the passage in the Greek is much more nuanced than the English translation shows. Isaiah’s prophecy sheds more light. The people do not hear because of their hearts. They close their eyes. Is that not a voluntary act?
Me:
Thank You Father! I am grateful for Your patient explanations! I love you!
Thank You Father! I am grateful for Your patient explanations! I love you!
ABBA:
You are welcome! I love you!
You are welcome! I love you!
Missionary Sojourn 
I enjoy your dialogue style. It reminds me of a tv program that posed a similar conversation with Father God. God’s response to the snarky teen’s laborious but insincere questions stuck with me, “Free will. Look it up.” Good post, Sir.
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