Free Will - A More Exhaustive Look

What is Calvinism, I really do not know. I could look it up but you have used it so I will ask you.

I'd spend my time studying the Bible and learning about what God thinks instead of learning about what John Calvin thinks, or thought.

Perseverance of the Saints: This doctrine teaches that man cannot lose his salvation. Since salvation is a work of God, and a gift from God, man cannot do anything to get rid of it. God the Father has chosen who will be saved, God the Son will redeem them by His work on the cross, and the Holy Spirit draws them to salvation and seals them. God has promised to complete the work of salvation that He has started – and the work of salvation can’t be completed until they reach heaven. (John 10:27-28, John 6:47, Romans 8:1, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Philippians 1:6.)
This is why I can not be a calvinist Eternl security is as big a lay as the rapture.

I think it might depend on what someone means by heart circumcision. If we are talking about the status of being saved, then one can't have heart circumcision before one believes, as belief in Jesus is necessary for salvation. But from God's perspective, He foreknew those who would be saved, so it is probably also correct to refer to those He foreknew as the Circumcised of Heart from an eternal perspective (even if they are uncircumcised of heart at the current moment).

There is also sanctification, but I think it is incorrect to refer to sanctification as circumcision of the heart, because sanctification is a process, but circumcision is a singular action.

To clarify, "perseverance" teaches that a believer will not apostatize, but remain in the faith. Yet the Bible clearly teaches that people do cease to believe.

If one understands the "P" in TULIP as "preservation" of the saints, then THAT'S eternal security.

This is what Calvinism has perverted. Yes, God has chosen who will be saved. But it ISN'T "unconditional" as Calvinists claim. It is definitely conditioned upon believing in Jesus Christ. Eph 2:8 and Acts 16:31. The rest of the sentence is unbiblical.

In John 10:28 Jesus said that recipients of eternal life, which is given WHEN a person believes in Christ, that person shall never perish.

How can you read anything OTHER than eternal security in His words? I'd like to know.

Yes, that is certainly a problem, that there are multiple definitions of Spiritual Circumcision. For just as there is only one Faith, there is only one Circumcision of the Heart. Colossians 2:9-15 makes that concept crystal clear, particularly when combining it with Eze 36:25-27, Deut 30:06 (and more).

There is no reason to believe that anyone might have the capacity to believe in Christ until the Curse has been lifted. This is the purpose behind the story of Moses and the Veil. Israel could not understand nor obey until the Veil was lowered. When the Veil was raised, they were once again bound to Spiritual Blindness. When the Veil is lowered, or, when the Curse is removed, THEN understanding is possible. THEN obedience is possible. No one who is Cursed by God is capable of pleasing Him.

Plus, we shouldn't forget that one must be Drawn by the Spirit first. Drawn from what? Drawn from the captivity of the Devil.

John 6:44 NKJV - 44 "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Yes, it makes sense that only those who the Father has known from the beginning would receive Circumcision of Heart, the removal of the Curse that causes Spiritual Blindness. After all this is the Purpose of Christ:

John 9:39 NKJV - "And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."

All of John chapter 9 is critical in understanding the Purpose of Christ. All physical healings are pointing to what Jesus does to our unregenerate hearts. Legs are first healed, then a person walks. Eyes are healed, then they can see. The Bible revolves around Circumcision of the Heart . . . without it, there is no hope.

Today, as we follow the timeline, chronological order of how God moves and controls all of Creation to fulfill His Eternal Plan, we find a most interesting story that again revolves around David. This set of Scripture provides a small challenge, which is interesting on its own, but it is worth the time it takes to review it.

Here, we find that David is caused to perform a census against Israel. The issue is that the 2nd Samuel text says God "moved" David to complete the census. However, the 1st Chronicles version states that Satan caused David to conduct the census. Here are the comparative Scriptures:

2 Samuel 24:1 NKJV – "Again the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah."

1 Chronicles 21:1 NLT – "Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel."

One thing is clear, which is that the choice to perform the census did not originate within the mind of David. Instead, David was either "moved" or "caused" to make the decision he believed he was making. Interestingly, verse three of the Chronicles version shows that Joab said it was David who was responsible, but the Truth is, this was NOT David's personal decision, for he was "caused" and "moved" to do such per Spiritual force.

1 Chronicles 21:3 NLT - 3 But Joab replied, "May the LORD increase the number of his people a hundred times over! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this? Are they not all your servants? Why must you cause Israel to sin?"

Incredibly, verse 8 shows us that David takes responsibility for taking the census, but as the Scriptures point out, God takes responsibility for it.

1 Chronicles 21:8 NLT – "Then David said to God, "I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt for doing this foolish thing."

Below is the short portion of the 1 Chronicles story:

NLT – "Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, "Take a census of all the people of Israel--from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north--and bring me a report so I may know how many there are." But Joab replied, "May the LORD increase the number of his people a hundred times over! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this? Are they not all your servants? Why must you cause Israel to sin?" But the king insisted that they take the census, so Joab traveled throughout all Israel to count the people. Then he returned to Jerusalem and reported the number of people to David. There were 1,100,000 warriors in all Israel who could handle a sword, and 470,000 in Judah. But Joab did not include the tribes of Levi and Benjamin in the census because he was so distressed at what the king had made him do. God was very displeased with the census, and he punished Israel for it. Then David said to God, "I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt for doing this foolish thing."

Recap: Interestingly, the companion verse for this story begins in 2 Sam 24:01, and the 2 Sam passages state that "the anger of the Lord burned against Israel," yet here in 1 Chron, it says that Satan rose against Israel and incited David to take the census. So which one is it? It [would] be fair to say that God was upset with Israel, or perhaps even angry with David himself; however, it seems unfair that when God became angry, He sent an evil Spirit to do the slaying of 70,000 "people."

It appears that the issue is that David might have been caused to [not] trust that all of the fighting men were True Israelites, for Joab makes this case in verse 3, asking David to confirm or deny that all of the men's hearts belonged to David. It seems that David was fearful of "men" and wanted to be certain of who they were, that perhaps there were no enemies amongst them (namely, the abominations that genetically go back to the Seven Nations - Canaanites, Hittites, etc).

Is God looking for a reason to clean house? Does God know that 70,000 people were not True Jews? Is this what God was doing? Was the Lord eliminating those who were not of the True Vine? If so, then why punish David for such a deed? God caused David to perform the census, so why should this "crime" fall upon his shoulders? In fact, the punishment does not go to David but ultimately to the 70,000 who the Lord had killed.

Is there any way that this story reflects the Mysterious Plan of God, in that it is God who leads us into all of these situations and scenarios, only to extend His Grace that much more? The more He uses us in His ways (within the constructs of His Eternal Plan), the more Grace He will extend to us. The more God causes us to sin ("Lead me not into temptations, but deliver me from Evil" - the Lord's Prayer), the more Grace He will provide? - [Rom 05:20-21 NLT] "God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

This is difficult to understand because the Lord Himself states that what David had done was "evil in the sight of God; so He punished Israel." However . . . performing the census was not David's personal choice, yet there is punishment to be allocated?

Consider this: is it possible that we are looking at the image of the unfairness of the Sinful Nature and how it works against us so that we cannot and will not obey God? If this is the case, it is done so that God's Grace will abound!

So in verse 8, David begs God to take away the guilt of His servant (David himself). (This may also be the image of Jesus, for Jesus became a Curse for us, a sin offering.) Nonetheless, David is at least asking to have his guilt removed by God (which is the Plan of God). But why? God takes responsibility for all of this; why should the blame rest upon David's shoulders? David isn't even aware that God caused him to perform this census. Ironically, and by no accident, we see David taking full responsibility for the census.

1 Chronicles 21:17 NLT – "And David said to God, "I am the one who called for the census! I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep--what have they done? O LORD my God, let your anger fall against me and my family, but do not destroy your people."

The Truth? God caused this, and it was [not] the choice, or by the free will of David. This is a prime example of how God used all of Israel to demonstrate and fulfill His Holy Purposes.

Is this fair to David? Clearly, David was "caused" and "moved" to perform the census, yet he, David, believed that this process was from his own mind. So, what do we think of our God now? Does this offend you that God caused all of this unrest and not only holds David responsible, but David feels shame and guilt? Or is this God's way of showing us how the Curse of the Sinful Nature works against us?

Philippians 1:6

Who causes change? Who does the perfecting? We accomplish this task by our own choice? If that is the case, then we don't need a perfecting God to complete His Work within us.

We're getting there . . . Phil 1:6 is from day 351 of the timeline, chronological reading plan. So far, we're on day 143 as we discussed the census of David earlier today.

From Philippians 2

Say what? It is God who "Works" in us TO WILL and TO ACT [in order} to fulfill HIS good purpose?

Day 351 is a great one to show how God causes us to do and be as He would have us do and be . . . and with a Holy Purpose. And that Purpose is to prove His Power.

I pity those who clearly reject obvious Scripture. They don't "hurt my feelings," but rather, I feel sorry for them.

More on David and the census, this time with the companion verse . . .

2 Samuel 24:1-15 NKJV - Again the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah." 2 So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, "Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people." 3 And Joab said to the king, "Now may the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?" 4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Therefore Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel. 5 And they crossed over the Jordan and camped in Aroer, on the right side of the town which is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, and toward Jazer. 6 Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; they came to Dan Jaan and around to Sidon; 7 and they came to the stronghold of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to South Judah as far as Beersheba. 8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9 Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. 10 And David's heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O LORD, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly." 11 Now when David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, 12 "Go and tell David, 'Thus says the LORD: "I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you." ' " 13 So Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, "Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days' plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me." 14 And David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man." 15 So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died."

As clearly stated: God "moved" David against Israel because He was angry with them, both Israel and Judah. He called David to run a census against them. What is so odd about this story is that God is angry with Israel and Judah. Still, David seems to think that it is he who is the problem (verse 10), for he is conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, saying to God, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing."

This process took 9 months and 22 days.

God caused David to perform the census, but verse 10 shows that David blamed himself, prostrating to the Lord that he had sinned. How can David be guilty of sin if he is obeying the Lord? Incredibly, the Lord then becomes angry with David for giving him three options of punishment. Clearly, the Lord placed His Holy Mind Control over David but then caused him to feel terrible as though a sinful, disobedient servant. Does this make sense in any way, shape, or form? In viewing this circumstance, does this seem fair and just? No, it does not, at least not yet. God unfairly does things to us, but He more than makes up for it by saving us, and this is what I believe this represents. And it is this: God placed Israel into a deep sleep. Is this their fault? Of course not, yet God becomes angry with them and even punishes them for what He, the Lord, caused them to do. How is this not a reflection of what took place in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve? This is [all] evidence of: 1. the Power of God and 2. the Mysterious Plan that He has implemented.

The word "Titus" in the Greek means "protected". When you understand the doctrine taught in this book of Titus, you are protected in your mind. Titus was a Greek, meaning he was a Gentile, call by God to help Paul bring His word to the Gentiles. There are several things in this little book that I know will ruffle some feathers but if you take the time to stop and thank, and read you will come to a much deeper understand of Gods word.

Titus was called to purity by Paul. No man no matter who (before you yell except Jesus) is not going to reach that goal. We live in a flesh bod, and we will fall short. We are going to get some training, rules, helps, for Gods elect to come closer to that goal. Paul is encouraging the leaders of the church to keep trying even when they stumble a little here and there.



Verses will be copied from Biblehum.com KJV.

Chapter 1:1Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;



If you do not know Paul was struck down, blinded, by God on his way to Damascus to imprison, torture, and kill Christians. God changed him and used him to do mighty things for him and write most of the New Testament. “According to the faith of God's elect” Gods elect that is a term we need to come to understand. Paul did not choose to become a Christian. There are those that God has chosen for cretin jobs at cretin times. That is where this term “God's elect” comes from.



Verse 2.In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;



In hope “ I would say in a sure hope. “Just me.” This is a hope given to us by God who CAN NOT lie. When did Paul say He gave it to us? Before the world began! Stop and thank about that statement. That was before Genesis 1:2.



Lets stop here and go to 2nd Peter 3 and see just what God had to say through him. 3Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

Notice what it says here: Scoffers will come, they will be walking after there own lust; Saying He promised He was going to come. Where is HE? They are willing ignorant: willingly unlearned or unskilled in the truth of a matter. What are they ignorant about the first world age where the earth was in the water and out of the water; just as it is today. Then what happened.

Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Strong's Concordance

erets: earth, land

Original Word: אֶרֶץ
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: erets
Phonetic Spelling: (eh'-rets)
Definition: earth, land common (1), countries (15), countries and their lands (1), country (44), countryside (1), distance* (3), dust (1), earth (655), earth the ground (1), earth's (1), fail* (1), floor (1), ground (119), land (1581), lands (57), lands have their land (2), open (1), other* (2), piece (1), plateau* (1), region (1), territories (1), wild (1), world (3).

Before you start saying all of that happened during Noah's flood lets look at Gods word: Jeremiah 4:22-27

English Standard Version
“For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.”
Berean Study Bible
“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
King James Bible
For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
English Standard Version
I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light.
Berean Study Bible
I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light.
King James Bible
I beheld the earth, and, lo,it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
English Standard Version
I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro.
Berean Study Bible
I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.
King James Bible
I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
English Standard Version
I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the air had fled.
Berean Study Bible
I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air had fled.
King James Bible
I beheld, and, lo,there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. English Standard Version
I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger.
Berean Study Bible
I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.
King James BibleI beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD,and by his fierce anger.

English Standard Version
For thus says the LORD, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.
Berean Study Bible
For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction.
King James Bible
For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.



Genesis 8 Noah Sends a Raven and a Dove

6And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:7And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.8Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;9But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.10And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;11And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.12And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.

The raven went out and did not come back; we know it did not die because there were only 1 male and 1 female on the ark and we have ravens today. He must have found a patch of dry land some place and landed and stayed so the earth was not completely destroyed in Noah's flood Secondly Noah sent out the dove and it did come back. What did it come back with? A fig branch. That proves that not everything was completely distorted; Why? A fig tree does not grow from a seed, it has to be started from cuttings of a mature tree. So the earth was not completely destroyed.

Ephesians 1:4 According as He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.

Just what does that verse mean? Remember we are still talking about Titus 1:2. In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

He has chose us

Strong's Concordance 1588

eklektos: select, by impl. favorite

Original Word: ἐκλεκτός, ή, όν
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: eklektos
Phonetic Spelling: (ek-lek-tos')
Definition: select, by implication favorite
Usage: chosen out, elect, choice, select, sometimes as subst: of those chosen out by God for the rendering of special service to Him (of the Hebrew race, particular Hebrews, the Messiah, and the Christians).



before the foundation of the world.

Foundation: From Biblehub.com

Strong's Concordance #932

basileia: kingdom, sovereignty, royal power

Original Word: βασιλεία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: basileia
Phonetic Spelling: (bas-il-i'-ah)
Definition: kingdom, sovereignty, royal power
Usage: kingship, sovereignty, authority, rule, especially of God, both in the world, and in the hearts of men; hence: kingdom, in the concrete sense.

World: from Biblehub.com

Strong's Concordance

erets: earth, land

Original Word: אֶרֶץ
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: erets
Phonetic Spelling: (eh'-rets)
Definition: earth, land common (1), countries (15), countries and their lands (1), country (44), countryside (1), distance* (3), dust (1), earth (655), earth the ground (1), earth's (1), fail* (1), floor (1), ground (119), land (1581), lands (57), lands have their land (2), open (1), other* (2), piece (1), plateau* (1), region (1), territories (1), wild (1), world (3).

God has chosen some people (His elect) before this earth age. Before the foundation of this earth; not world same round sphere same core different earth (surface)

What does it mean to be chosen?

First you have to understand that there are 3 different earth ages in the bible. The first earth age man was in a spirit body and did not die. The animals dinosaurs ect lived on earth at that time. Satan was the cherubim that covered the mercy seat. Things went along perfect of millions of years; then Satan got tired of protecting the mercy set and wanted to set in it. So there was a war in heave Satan and a third of the angles rebelled. God had to make a choice kill 1/3 of his children and Satan or destroy that earth age and set up the second earth age and have all the children come throw it one time in the flesh. They would have no recollection of the first earth age.

Hebrews9:27

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

It is important to point out that as we move on with this study we are not talking about reincarnation. Man is born, he dies, and then comes judgment.

This appointing and choosing took place before the foundation of this earth age; for we now live in the second earth age [cosmos].

This is an interesting read. Where do you receive this information?

There is no doubt that in looking at many translations, the NLT words this passage in the manner that it does. That said, virtually all translations suggest that God had Plans and a Purpose for David . . . and David prays that those Plans would be fulfilled. Question: Why wouldn't the Plan of God come to fruition? Is the "free will" of man that powerful and overriding? God controls man; man does not determine and manage the Eternal Plan of the Father.

Psalm 138:8 NLT – "The LORD will work out his plans for my life--for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Don't abandon me, for you made me."

Psalm 138:8 ESV – "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands."

David uses the word "purpose" for the entirety of his life. It is true, David had a chosen purpose just as Pharaoh from Egypt, the same Pharaoh that Moses dealt with . . . Each person has a purpose.

Psalm 23 Verses 1-3 . . . N K J V: – "A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake."

Romans 9 17 . . . N L T: – "For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, "I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth."

Every verse that states the purpose of election is about service. There are NO verses that show election being to salvation.

Continuing with David and the theme of God working out His Plans in David's life:

Psalm 57:2 NLT - "I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me."

In earlier posts, I showed how God prevented king Abimelech from "touching" Abraham's wife in a sexual manner. I have shown how God caused the enemies of Israel to turn and kill one another instead of the Israelite warriors. I have shown a few prayers of David where he requests that God would frustrate the minds and thoughts of his enemies. Over and over I referenced the Eternal Plan of God and how that Plan is purposed in the life of Christ.

The single most important concept that we are to gather from the Bible is that God is Powerful and that we are not. From this vantage point, we SHOULD develop a genuine Fear of the Lord, for where there is True Fear of the Lord, there is Wisdom.

Job 28:28 NLT - "And this is what he says to all humanity: 'The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.'"

Throughout the Old Testament, read of the general phrase, "Then they will know that I am the Lord." This phrase denotes a Powerful Act that not only proves Himself to Israel, but to the entire world. Psalms 57:2 is no exception, for the idea that David is offering is that God is Powerful and that he is not. Yes, we all feel deep within that the things we think and act upon, that those thoughts and actions come from ourselves. But is this True? Didn't we just discover that David felt that it was his decision to complete the census against Israel? Isn't it True that we held the advantage of God's written Word to see and read for ourselves that God Himself took full responsibility for causing David to complete such an action?

How do you know that your thoughts come from your own sense of free will? David certainly wasn't aware that God caused him to think and act in a specific way. Did Shimei realize that God had caused him to curse David and his band of fighting men? David knew that this particular act was directed by God, for David realized that the situation was to fulfill a Purpose.

We all FEEL that we have the free right to choose the things that we do, but how do we really know that our minds and actions are not influenced by God Himself? How else can God work "all things" according to His Will?

Ephesians 1:11 DBY - ". . . in whom we have also obtained an inheritance, being marked out beforehand according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his own will . . ."

Yes, various translations render the Bible in different ways, but don't they all essentially say the same thing?

Psalm 57:2 HNV - "I cry out to El `Elyon, To God who accomplishes my requests for me."

With this alternate translation, we find that David might pray, such as to confuse the minds of his enemies, and it is the Lord who accomplishes these requests, for we actually see this remarkable feat take place more than once.

Psalm 55:9 NLT - "Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans, for I see violence and conflict in the city."

It should be abundantly clear, through this plethora of passages that I am offering, that there is something critical happening, here, regarding this idea of "free will."

This is from a study of the book of Titus that Pastor Murry did several years ago.

I see. I hadn't head of these things before so I thought I would ask.