2.22.26 | God's Chosen | Elder Carl Stith

Devotional

Day 1: God is the one who does the choosing.

The concept of being chosen is not based on our own merit or decision. It is a divine act of grace initiated by the Creator. He alone holds the authority and wisdom to select a people for Himself. This truth humbles us and shifts our focus from our own qualifications to His sovereign will. Our identity is found in His selection, not our own. [01:54]

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16 ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you still trying to earn God's favor or prove your worth, rather than resting in the truth that He has already chosen and appointed you?

Day 2: Obedience is the pathway to God's blessing.

God’s instructions are not arbitrary restrictions but a loving guide for our protection and freedom. They are the roadmap He provides for a life that flourishes under His care. When He calls us to step out in faith, He often reveals the promise that follows our obedience. The story of Abram illustrates that simple, trusting obedience unlocks the covenant blessings of God. [10:36]

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.’” (Genesis 12:1-2 ESV)

Reflection: Where is God currently inviting you to take a step of obedient faith, even if the full picture isn't clear, trusting that His promise is connected to your obedience?

Day 3: Struggle often leads to a transformed identity.

Our internal battles frequently revolve around our own nature and past mistakes. True transformation begins when we honestly confess who we have been and acknowledge our inability to change on our own. In that place of surrender, God meets us and grants a new identity. He is more concerned with our future in Him than with our past failures. [24:07]

Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (Genesis 32:28 ESV)

Reflection: What is one aspect of your old nature or a past mistake that you need to honestly bring before God, asking Him to give you a new name and a new identity in that area?

Day 4: We are called to be a set-apart people for God.

The call of God is a call to be distinct, a holy people who represent Him to the world. This involves a process of purification, where we consciously rid ourselves of the filth of the world to approach Him. As a priesthood, we are to intercede for others and model a life of devotion. This high calling requires a conscious decision to live differently. [30:33]

“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5-6 ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical way you can "cleanse yourself" this week—setting aside a worldly habit or influence—to more fully embrace your calling as part of God's holy nation?

Day 5: Love for God is the foundation of all obedience.

The command to love God completely is the first and greatest instruction. It is the essential starting point from which all other obedience flows. This love is not merely an emotion but a commitment of the entire being—heart, soul, and mind. When this love is genuine, following His ways becomes a natural response of devotion, not a burdensome duty. [33:34]

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5 ESV)

Reflection: How does your daily life—your schedule, your priorities, your conversations—reflect that loving God with your entire being is your first and greatest commitment?

Sermon Summary

God chooses a people and extends that choosing into a covenantal relationship that demands obedience, purity, and faithful love. Free will exists so genuine love and trust can occur; turning away from God opens the door for deception and self-rule, as illustrated by the fall in Eden. The law functions not as mere restriction but as teaching—a roadmap that protects and leads toward freedom when followed. Abraham received a clear call: leave, obey, and God will bless and make a great nation; obedience aligned Abraham with God’s purposes and opened him to covenantal favor.

The “blessing of the first” carries weight throughout the narrative. Firstborn status and promised favor provoke conflict, deceit, and striving, yet divine choice and grace can reassign blessing when a person confronts personal sin and submits. Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek highlights divine blessing confirmed and tested by worldly offers; earthly power will try to bargain, but holy allegiance requires refusal of compromise. Jacob’s life traces a trajectory from deception to confession; wrestling with God forced honest self-knowledge, produced a new identity, and made the blessing functional rather than stolen.

Israel receives a priestly calling: a chosen, called-out people meant to mediate God’s presence to the world. Within Israel God forms a remnant, purifies mediators like the Levites, and requires ritual cleansing before access to the holy. Holiness matters; irreverent approach brings danger, and true approach requires internal surrender, not just outward ritual. Deuteronomy calls for wholehearted love—heart, mind, and soul—and situates obedience as the path to generational blessing. The narrative warns that hostile powers will attempt generational destruction, so stewardship of faith across generations carries grave moral weight.

The final summons centers on transforming mind and practice: adopt Christ’s mind, choose obedience over ease, and train the next generation in truth. The life of faith unfolds as a series of choices—who to listen to, whom to serve, and whether to confess and be changed. Choosing God proves costly and countercultural, but it aligns identity, grants purpose, and secures the blessing that endures beyond circumstance.

Key Takeaways

1. God alone does the choosing God’s election originates in divine will, not human merit or birth order. This truth reframes insecurity into stewardship: belonging becomes a commission to live under God’s authority, not a trophy to protect. The hard work lies in receiving selection as responsibility rather than entitlement. [01:06]
2. The blessing of the first matters Firstborn blessing structures honor, inheritance, and destiny; its promise stirs both devotion and illicit grasping. When blessing gets stolen, the resulting life trips over self-deception until confession forces recalibration. True possession of blessing requires interior transformation, not merely outward claim. [05:04]
3. Refuse compromise; guard holy allegiance Worldly offers will press immediately after divine favor; money and power aim to reroute loyalty through exchange. Maintaining covenant integrity means saying no to shortcuts that demand servitude in return. The test of blessing shows whether allegiance rests with the King of kings or with temporary rulers. [17:44]
4. Confession unlocks true blessing Honest admission of moral failure strips away false identity and opens space for divine renaming and reordering. Wrestling with truth produces humility, reconstitutes authority, and converts stolen gain into legitimate stewardship. A confessed life receives blessing that actually transforms capacity and purpose. [23:43]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:16] - Transition to Tabernacle of Prayer
[01:06] - Who Chosen? God Chooses
[05:04] - The Blessing of the First
[09:14] - Abram’s Call and Covenant
[16:21] - Abraham Meets Melchizedek
[17:44] - Rejecting Compromise
[23:43] - Jacob’s Confession and Change
[26:47] - Israel: Priests and Remnant
[32:23] - Love God; Teach Generations
[36:08] - Final Charge: Mind of Christ

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
*Deuteronomy 6:4–9 (ESV)*
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

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Observation questions

What does God command Israel to do with all their heart, soul, and might?
How are God’s words to be passed on to the next generation according to these verses?
In the sermon, what example was given of someone who received a clear call from God and obeyed it? [09:14]
What happened when Aaron’s sons approached God’s presence without proper cleansing? [31:22]

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Interpretation questions

Why is loving God with everything we have the foundation for everything else in our relationship with Him?
How does obedience open the way for God’s blessing, as seen in the life of Abraham? [11:30]
The law is referred to not as restriction but as a guide and protection. How does this change the way we view God’s commands? [08:30]
Jacob wrestled with God and had to confess who he truly was before receiving a new identity. Why was honest confession necessary for the blessing to become functional in his life? [23:43]

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Application questions

In what area of your life is God asking you to “step out” and obey Him even when it doesn’t make complete sense? What would that look like this week?
Where have you been tempted to compromise your allegiance to God for the sake of convenience, approval, or temporary gain? [17:44] What would it mean to refuse that compromise today?
Is there a “stolen blessing” in your life—something you’ve taken control of through manipulation or fear rather than trusting God’s timing? What would it look like to confess that and surrender it to Him? [23:43]
How are you intentionally teaching the next generation—whether your children, grandchildren, or spiritual family—what it means to love and obey God? [32:23]
The enemy tries to destroy generational faith. What specific step can you take this month to strengthen your family’s spiritual foundation? [34:31]
Holiness matters. How do you prepare your heart before coming into God’s presence, both personally and corporately? [30:33]
What would it look like to “do the opposite” the next time you’re tempted to choose your own way over God’s? [35:47]

Sermon Clips

So I knew which one of y'all is of god, and I know which one of y'all is not. So, again, Satan again, trying, but what are you asking for? The enemy said, give me the people. You can hide the spoils. I want the people. Again, what do we what's the enemy fighting us for? You can have the money, but bow to me. Serve me. Be my slave. [00:18:36] (32 seconds) #PeopleOverPossessions

The teachings? Well, we again, a play on words, they like to call it law. So we know that the person who named it probably didn't like them because law is a constraint. A law is something I can't do. Why would I be upset about something I can't do unless I wanted to do it? But if you understand the law, it's no longer something you can't do. It's a guide. It's a road map. [00:08:18] (32 seconds) #LawIsAGuide

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2.22.26 | God's Chosen | Elder Carl Stith

Devotional

Day 1: God is the one who does the choosing.

Day 2: Obedience is the pathway to God's blessing.

Day 3: Struggle often leads to a transformed identity.

Day 4: We are called to be a set-apart people for God.

Day 5: Love for God is the foundation of all obedience.

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

2.22.26 | God's Chosen | Elder Carl Stith

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