In the business world, people are taught to develop a plan and then work the plan to accomplish a goal.  This is in contrast to having no plan and letting happen whatever happens.  We are told that God had a plan for the world and mankind that he made before the foundation of the world and he has been working that plan ever since.  Eph 1:4-12 “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth — in Him.  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.”

Space here does not allow me to fully detail and explain this plan that God has for mankind and that has been revealed to us.  God wanted a group of people that would be to the praise of His glory.  Knowing that the people He would create would have a sin nature, in His wisdom and prudence He predestined or predetermined that He would redeem them with the blood of Christ, forgive their sins, adopt them as his children and that they would be holy and without blame before Him.  In His love and grace He would then give them a wonderful inheritance where they would be with Him and serve Him forever.  Everything in heaven and on earth would be brought under Christ.  Give glory to God for his marvelous plan!

In His plan, how did He choose who would be His people?  Did He, from the foundation of the world, pick certain people by name and reject others?  No, “For there is no partiality with God” (Rom 2:11).  Instead, we are told in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Rom 10:13-15 “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’”  He chose “whoever believes in Him and calls on the name of the Lord”.   So it is your and my task to tell others the gospel so that they might believe and become part of God’s predestined people.