Friday

Is finally here!!!

I was thinking of something I call the chain of events or Doors that open as a result of our actions or actions of others. I don't mean our destiny or that our destiny is predetermined. If it was already mapped out, that would conflict with freedom of choice that was given to us by Jehovah.

How unloving and unjust Jehovah would be if before we were born, he predetermined the course we would take and then held us responsible for our actions! He does not do this, for God is love, and all his ways are justice.

The Bible clearly shows that the choices we make will alter our destiny. For example, God appeals to wrongdoers, saying: Turn back, please, every one from his bad way and from the badness of your dealings that I may not cause calamity to you.

This appeal would be pointless if God had already fixed each individual’s destiny. Moreover, God’s Word states: Repent, therefore, and turn around so as to get your sins blotted out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the person of Jehovah. Why would Jehovah ask people to repent and turn around if he knew beforehand that they could do absolutely nothing to change their destiny?

So I don't believe that our lives are mapped out. Our choices in life is what leads to the chain of events I mentioned. For example:


Jiminy ( not the cricket ) sits in jail. How did he get there? He didn't wake up in jail but he sits in jail now. Think about what causes one to go to jail. His actions caused him to go to jail. If Jiminy listened to himself, he wouldn't be sitting in jail. Those chain of events based on his choice got him in trouble.

A. Woke up
B. Called a Friend
C. Maybe Friend and Jiminy robbed a place
D. Police chased them
E. Caught and now sits in Jail.

Those Events placed Jiminy and his friend in jail but it was still based on choices he made. In life we all have choices which leads to the Chain of Events!!!

Some who believe in predestination reason basically as follows: God is omniscient. He knows everything, even what is going to happen in the future. He knows what each person is going to do with his life, and he already knows the exact moment and manner of each person’s death.

So, according to their thinking, when the time comes for an individual to make a decision, his choice cannot be other than the way God has foreseen and foreordained it; otherwise, God would not be all-knowing. Does this reasoning seem sound to you?

Consider what its logical consequences would be. If some force has already determined your future, then trying to take care of yourself is useless. Choosing to smoke or not to smoke would make no difference to your health or that of your children. Wearing a seat belt while riding in an car would have no effect on your safety. But this is faulty logic.

If God chooses to foreknow everything, then even before he made Adam and Eve, he would have known that they would disobey him. But when God told Adam that he must not eat from “the tree of the knowledge of good and bad” or he would die, did God already know that Adam would eat from it?

When God told the first couple: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth,” did he know that their wonderful prospect of life in a paradise was doomed to failure? Of course not.

Taken to its logical conclusion, the idea that God foreknows all decisions would mean that he is responsible for all that happens—including wars, injustices, and suffering. Is that possible? A clear answer is provided by what God says about himself.

The Scriptures state that God is love and that he is a lover of justice. He has always urged his people to Hate what is bad, and love what is good. On numerous occasions he encouraged his loyal ones to choose a virtuous course.

For example, when Jehovah concluded a covenant with the ancient nation of Israel, he said to them, through Moses: I do take the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you today, that I have put life and death before you, the blessing and the malediction; and you must choose life in order that you may keep alive, you and your offspring. Did God establish ahead of time the choice that those individuals would make? Evidently not.

So when good or bad things happen in your life, it is not because these events are inevitable. Very often, unforeseen occurrences are simply the consequences of other people’s decisions whether wise or unwise. Your future is not planned out before you, and your own decisions determine what your everlasting future will be. Makes sense doesn't it?

So we are talking about the choices that we make and it's chain of events. Tragedy and it's chain of events. The doors that open because of choices made or doors that open because of tragedy. This is what I mean.

My wife when she was younger lived on Sanchez with her parents of course. Her father who was saving money to purchase a house wanted to purchase a house out in the country. He loved and wanted that kind of life for his family but then my Wife's mother got sick. I mean really sick. She ended up in the hospital. My wife's father who's name is Joesph spent most if not all of his money on medical bills for Evelyn my Wife's mother.

The dream home in the country was now gone. They ended up moving to Lexington street in San Francisco. At that time I lived on 16th and Mission in San Francisco but we pretty much lived in the Mission all our lives but ended up on Capp Street. My mother had this friend Josie. Both went to Mission High school as teenagers. Josie's son Thomas and I were great friends. So when we moved to Capp street, I was closer to them. They lived only a few blocks away.

Thomas introduced me to Anthony. Who introduced me to VJ. We all became friends. During this time my wife's father died. Because Evelyn was getting better they were going to move from Lexington. That changed because he died. He had died in his sleep. Although looking healthy the night before and showing no signs at all that something was wrong.

Because of his death my wife stayed in the same house. She often would ride her bike getting to know those in the area. She met this kid who also enjoyed riding bikes. His name was Apollo. Apollo happen to be VJ's brother whom I met through Anthony who I met through Thomas who I grew up with.

If you read several posts ago you would know that I said it was pretty much love at first site. Sounds like a Disney movie I know but it's true and we have remained together till today. I was 15 years old and she was 12 but the chain of events again comes into play and it included Jehovah.

1. She was going to move but her mother got sick.
2. Mother got sick, moved to Lexington
3. Mother got better was going to move but father died.
4. She met Apollo.

Me

1. Grew up with Thomas
2. Thomas introduced me to Anthony
3. Anthony introduced me to VJ.
4. VJ is the brother of Apollo.

Our relationship was going through issues plus we had other issues which I posted before, there was a knock at the door which turned about to be our spiritual mother who planted and Jehovah made it grow. Through the truth we were introduced to this book called " Two keys to family happiness " which we applied and because of Jehovah I can truly say that he helped my relationship.

If the Chain of Events never took place. If those doors never opened then the children I have today wouldn't be here. Maybe my wife and I would have been dead. Notice this:

Because my wife and I got together. I was introduced to James who lived right across the street from my wife. He help me get a job in the same company I am in this very day and have been for 14 years now.

It wasn't destiny. It was the Chain of Events....

Folks, we have a long weekend. I know I have said this before, I've said it many times but I must repeat myself. Please be wise this weekend. Don't drink and drive. Don't get yourself in trouble. Remember that Jehovah gave you life and our lives are like precious china that can be broken if mishandled or dropped. Remember those that love you and remember those you love.

Till Tuesday. Have a wonderful and safe weekend.