Fending off Suicidal Thoughts

By Waltere A Koti

How do you get into the mind of a mass shooter? For that matter, how do you get into the mind of anyone who's dealing with suicidal thoughts? And how much can we learn about the thought processes of regular people by studying those who are most violent toward themselves and others?

Uncovering the mystery of emotional and psyc

• Language: English
• Publisher: Waltere Koti
• Release date: Aug 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9781088040072

Book preview

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You are Elected

The Joy of

being Chosen

Waltere Koti

DEDICATION

The pages are dedicated to the widows and orphans in the world but particularly, those in Cameroon. We are currently sponsoring several orphan children in Cameroon, where we provide monthly support for accommodation, tuition, feeding, clothing and medical care. The story of one family stands out: A single young mother died suddenly and left three young children to fend

for themselves.

Another died and left four kids and the youngest was six. No mom or Dad. In the Western world, there is a welfare system in place to care for abandoned children but in most other countries, such a system is non-existent. According to a UN report, as of about 2019, Cameroon has about 900,000 displaced persons and of which 51% are children. Without family, children as young as six are on their own. Proceeds from this work will be used to support more orphan children.

The issue of orphanage is global. Currently, the war Ukraine has left millions of children homeless and abandoned.

Introduction

The biblical doctrine of election is arguably, the most despised doctrinal issue by many people in the world at large, in the church in particular and for good reason. This doctrine hits at the core of human pride and the desire to be in-charge and in control of one’s destiny. The very idea that God, from the foundation of creation, sovereignly elected or chosen some people to be with Him

in heaven for ever and the rest were non-elect, passed over and even rejected, is an affront to the natural person.

While serving as associate pastor in a local church in the Maryland area, I was physically and verbally assaulted for mentioning a word that many in and outside the church find reprehensible. While at a church event some years back, I was having a conversation with a fellow pastor, and somewhere along the line, this forbidden word came up and I presented a biblical defense to him and my fellow pastor was red hot and fuming. We were in a parking lot and he was all up in my face as he could be heard from about a mile away. Next time be careful mentioning the word election in a church bible study because it may certainly get you excommunicated from that local church.

As we are currently faced with electing a President in this country now and every four years, the candidate for President will be presented with the opportunity to choose or elect a running mate. He or she will be presented with a large number of candidates as potential running mates and these potential running mates lack the ability and power to influence the outcome of the process. The outcome is entirely dependent on the independent and sovereign choice of the candidate for President.

The concept of an independent choice exercised by the candidate for president is crucial in understanding election. The running mate cannot cooperate in any way shape or form and even lacks the ability to do so and cannot influence the outcome of the process. The running mate is a passive participant in the choice being made by the candidate for president. This is fundamentally a question of authority and power between the greater and lesser.

The concept of authority and power between the greater and the lesser is intricately intertwine in the concept of election. In this human analogy, the emphasis is in, simply the greater in authority and power and not necessarily in essence of being. Let’s say that someone decides to travel to a foreign country to adopt a one year old baby. The adopter, sovereignly elects the adoptee out of billions of children in the cosmos into his family. The greater (adopter) exercise authority over the lesser (adoptee) and the lesser lacks ability and or authority to influence or coerce the election powers of the adopter.

Can anyone imagine a scenario where the adoptee could possibly resist the election powers of the adopter? certainly not! Unless someone else acts on their behave but the adoptee cannot resist and lacks the desire and ability to do so.

So why then do many find the biblical doctrine of election so reprehensible? I am perplexed thinking about this but yet I am not. The very idea that we are not in control as much as we think is troubling to many. This is one area where the lesser seeks to exert authority over the greater. The one with no power seeks to exert power over the all powerful one. The human desire to be in control is not new. And from biblical times to present day, humans have found the idea that God looks down from eternity past to eternity future and sovereignly elects or chooses those that will believe in Him to be abominable and reprehensible.

Now, what about those that He passed over? Whose fault is it if they believe not? Your eternal destiny hangs in the balance as you ponder these questions. This may be your first time ever being confronted with these question but these questions have been debated for as long as humans have occupied the earth. Those that argue that God chose humans to believe in Him, favor (election) and those that believe humans have the ability and capacity to chose God, independent of any action taken by God, advocate for the free will of man.

These issues are so huge, that churches split over them. At the heart of the reformation, more than five hundred years ago, was the issue of control. On one side was the Roman Catholic Church that advocated that the church and ultimately, man was in control and on the other side was Martin Luther, who split from that same church and passionately advocated that God alone was and is in control

and not man or the church.

As we are faced every two or four years with electing people for public office, from Mayor, Governor, Congress Man and President, etc, I remind you of a much more important election taking place right now and every day across the globe. God has elected or chosen you to be with Him in heaven forever and is electing men , women, children and infants from every nation, tribe and tongue right now as you are reading and you could be an elect of God.

Chapter 1

Human Complete Inability

The doctrine of human complete inability (HCI) cannot be fully understood and appreciated in a vacuum but has to be fully grasped in the context of election. In other words, if someone rejects election then it is because they also reject HCI. The idea that human beings are completely unwilling and incapable of choosing God is at the heart of understanding election. Let’s take a closer look at the word, ability.

Merriam’s dictionary defines ability as, the quality or state of being able. This is a very interesting definition as it ties quality or state to ability. One’s ability to act or take any action is directly correlated to their quality and state of being. The quality and state of our being is intrinsically tied to our essence and character. Merriam’s dictionary defines, quality, as peculiar and essential character. Any action or inaction on our part is dependent on the quality or state of our being and hence our ability.

The word, ability is often translated in the bible as can, and so when reading the bible and you come across the word can, you are almost certain that the word should have been better translated as ability or power. The word translated as can has done irreparable damage in almost every sentence in which it is found in the bible. The word can as seen in mostly the New Testament, has been translated from the Greek word, dunamai, from where we get our English word, dynamite, meaning, powerful explosives. This word is translated in the Thayer lexicon as to be able, have power. So then when you read the word can in the bible but particularly in the New Testament, you are better off reading it as ability or power.

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent Me draws them, John 6:44. As I have already established the fact that this verse and many like it, should be better translated as, no one has the ability or the power to come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws or drags them. And so the logical question to ask, is why could they not come? I have already defined ability as the quality or state of being able. This verse is clearly stating that our lack of ability or power to come is related to the quality of our being which is defined as our peculiar and essential character.

And you who were dead in your trespasses and sins, Ephesians 2:1. This verse clearly states that our deadness which is our essence of being and hence our quality is defective and therefore we posses no ability and or power because we are dead. One of the clearest portrait of human complete inability and hence the quality and state of our being is found in John 11, where Lazarus was dead and was buried and on the fourth day Jesus came and spoke to a dead stinking corps and he came back to life.

So when Ephesians 2:1 say you were dead, it is saying that you were dead spiritually just as Lazarus was dead physically. Lacking ability and will to respond to the call of Christ unless God makes sinner alive and compels them to come to him. So then how do some come when John 6:44 clearly states that no one posses the ability and or power to come? The clue is in the key word in text, unless, and that introduces a condition (conditional ability as opposed to absolute ability) that God Himself has to change the quality of the being and infuse in them the ability to come to Him.

This infused ability is necessary and vital to change our natural quality or state of being. Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it not subject to the law of God, for it is not