Walter Egan: "Magnet and Steel"

This song by a one-hit-wonder artist was a refuge for us listeners who hated seventies disco. It's about a man  attracted irresistibly to a woman. Check the song out here.

As any child learns in science class, magnets only attract iron and nickel. Try picking up copper or aluminium and it just won't work.

Because God chose certain people before the dawn of time to be his, we have an affinity to his rule in our lives. As Christ told his disciples, and us too, in John 15:16 (BBE), "You did not take me for yourselves, but I took you for myself; and I gave you the work of going about and producing fruit which will be for ever; so that whatever request you make to the Father in my name he may give it to you."

Paul also pointed out how believers were chosen long before energy and matter were created. Ephesians 1:3 and 4 (BBE) reads, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us every blessing of the Spirit in the heavens in Christ: Even as he made selection of us in him from the first, so that we might be holy and free from all evil before him in love:"

And though Christ said this to his disciples, I believe he meant John 17:24 (BBE) to apply to us too. "Father, it is my desire that these whom you have given to me may be by my side where I am, so that they may see my glory which you have given to me, because you had love for me before the world came into being."

Jesus also said plainly why some people can't come to faith in him while others can. He told the Pharisees in John 6:44 (BBE) that, "No man is able to come to me if the Father who sent me does not give him the desire to come: and I will take him up from the dead on the last day."

Like predestination, those whom the Lord has chosen have iron or nickel properties of faith. Those with other metals, metaphorically speaking, can't be attracted.

If Christ doesn't pull us up like iron filings to a magnet by Christmas Eve, I hope to have a post featuring a virus alert spoof up for all to read

Why is Christ Delaying His Coming?

It's been about two-thousand years since Christ walked on our planet. He promised to return but we haven't seen any sign of his coming. Additionally, the signs Pentecostal denominations  claim to be indications of his return are so vague.

So, when will our Lord return? Scripture indicates that God has a set number of those who will be saved. As Jesus prayed in John 17:24 (BBE), "Father, it is my desire that these whom you have given to me may be by my side where I am, so that they may see my glory which you have given to me, because you had love for me before the world came into being."

I'm sure that some folks will object, saying that Christ was praying only for those disciples gathered with him at that time. But Jesus said in John 17:20 (BBE) that, "My prayer is not for them only, but for all who will have faith in me through their word;"

Some people believe that the offer of salvation is open-ended, meaning that it depends upon us spiritually dead humans to repent and believe on Christ. One scripture they quote is Acts 2:21 (BBE). "And whoever makes his prayer to the Lord will have salvation." But that doesn't mean that there aren't an unlimited number who can be saved.

One word we Christians use to describe this set number of believers is predestination. It means that God picked some folks to be saved before the world was made. As Paul mentioned in 1 Timothy 2:9 (BBE), referring to Christ, "Who gave us salvation, marking us out for his purpose, not on account of our works, but in the measure of his purpose and his grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,"

Even the plan of salvation was decided before time began. As Titus 1:2 (BBE) mentions, "In the hope of eternal life, which was made certain before eternal time, by the word of God who is ever true;"

In one of Christ's parables, he gave an example of how the end of this sinful age will be. Matthew 13:47 and 48 (BBE) reads, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net, which was put into the sea and took in every sort of fish: When it was full, they took it up on the sands; and seated there they put the good into vessels, but the bad they put away." Notice that it was only one cast, not many and all the fish in the net were sorted at that time.

This is one topic I'll tackle in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? None of us knows who's predestined to be saved so we need to tell everybody the good news. Some will repent and some won't. that's just the way it is.

I'll be featuring one of my favourite songs on Saturday. Steve Miller recorded one about humanity leaving the Garden of Eden. I think you'll enjoy it, especially the harmony of the voices.