It seems the constant theme for my life these days is obedience. "It's great to say that we are Christian but if we aren't doing what Jesus told us to do then we aren't who we say we are." "Go ahead and say that you love Jesus but prove it in living his commands." These are the sort of things I have been dealing with for the past month, in the Word, in meditation, in relationships, in work. Obey.
If we are willing to examine it, most of our problems come down to disobedience, whether on purpose or through ignorance. We cause ourselves a lot of grief by not knowing and obeying the instructions Jesus gave us. Most people I see quoting Scripture verses and passing on good thoughts to others know almost nothing about what Jesus taught. But obedience didn't start with Jesus. It is something Yahweh has required of his people since the beginning.
He demanded it from Adam and Eve.
He demanded it from Noah.
He demanded it from Abraham.
He demanded it from Moses.
He demanded it from Israel.
In fact, he laid out all of his expectations to the people of Israel; he taught them his Law. He told them that they were free to go on their way, but if they chose to be his people then he would hold them accountable to the Law. Obedience was not optional and disobedience would be punished. Those are the simple facts.
It isn't that Yahweh is being mean about this. If we want a proper, intimate and blessed relationship with him, obedience must be a given. But this is not a reluctant obedience. It doesn't work with reluctance because Yahweh is looking for a people who will chose to obey because they love him. Jesus said it plainly, "If you love me, you will keep my commands." (John 14:15) And a little further on: "Whoever loves me will keep my word." (v. 23) No wiggle room there. Obey out of love.
Disobedience is a battle in us. It disturbs our peace. It causes problems. It makes us stumble. It keeps us dissatisfied, with an unfulfilled longing. But obedience allows for Yahweh's blessings to flow:
Everyone who honors the Lord,
who walks in God’s ways, is truly happy!
You will definitely enjoy what you’ve worked hard for—
you’ll be happy; and things will go well for you. (Psalm 128:1-2)
That's just a sample of the many Scriptures that lift up the benefits of a right relationship with Yahweh. The simple truth is that Father wants to flood our lives with his blessings but no parent can bless disobedience. Disobedience interrupts the flow of relationship, of growing together, of oneness. Obedience creates an atmosphere that allows this relationship to flourish.
If we want to walk in the ways of our God, memorizing the Law will not help, because you can't do it. That's why Jesus had to die in our place. He had to fulfill the requirements of the Law. Instead, concentrate on developing a love for the Lord which will allow for intimacy. This love will provoke you to obey because you want to please the one you love not because you are trying to manipulate him with your actions. As the old chorus goes: "Trust and obey, because there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, then to trust and obey."
Showing posts with label choice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label choice. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Monday, June 29, 2015
The Choice Is Clear
Good day my friends, God is good all the time. You may not always feel like it but we don't go by our feelings, we live by the facts of the Word and our experience. Today may be difficult and I may have lots of questions but Jesus has proved himself faithful in the past and he will continue to prove to be faithful today. I know this because the Spirit of God testifies to my spirit of this truth. But what do people do who do not have the Spirit of God or who shut out the Spirit?
Those of us who live through Jesus scratch our heads and ask ourselves, why can't the world see it. In fact, we ask that about parts of the Church as well, because there are those who have the appearance of godliness but lack the power, which is the power that transforms and allows us to understand Yahweh, his revelation and his plan. This is what is written:
The god of this age has blinded the minds of those who don’t have faith so they couldn’t see the light of the gospel that reveals Christ’s glory. Christ is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
So if people don't understand why you do what you do, you should know why. There are so many Scriptures that explain this that we should not be surprised when the world says good is bad and bad is good. Scripture says:
But people who are unspiritual don’t accept the things from God’s Spirit. They are foolishness to them and can’t be understood, because they can only be comprehended in a spiritual way. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
However, Paul wasn't addressing struggles with the world, because it is obvious that the world is in rebellion to God, but he was addressing Christians who lacked the ability to understand. They had not progressed in their spiritual maturity, had not learned to rely on the Spirit and were still relying on the wisdom of the world:
Brothers and sisters, I couldn’t talk to you like spiritual people but like unspiritual people, like babies in Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:1)
And again:
Now you are still not up to it because you are still unspiritual. When jealousy and fighting exist between you, aren’t you unspiritual and living by human standards? (3:3)
Certainly things are getting worse in the world but what is disheartening is the confusion it is causing in the Church. God is still God. Jesus is still Lord. The Holy Spirit is still the power of God in us. The Church is still the Body of Christ. The holy is still holy and the common is still common. Nothing has changed for us, just the lostness of the world is more clear, and gets clearer with each passing day. But in the Church it is also becoming clear to us who are controlled by the Spirit and who are controlled by the patterns of this world.
This fact should also be clear to us, Jesus told us we cannot have it both ways. We cannot be friends with the world and be friends with him:
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (Matthew 6:24)
James explained it with no uncertain terms:
You unfaithful people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world's friend becomes God's enemy. (James 4:4)
It used to be that people could fudge the lines but now the distinction is clear. And now for us the choice is clear. As Joshua told Israel, we have to make a clear decision concerning who we will serve. Will it be the Lord? Then let us serve him wholeheartedly, seeking his righteousness. If it be the world, then stop calling yourself Christian.
Those of us who live through Jesus scratch our heads and ask ourselves, why can't the world see it. In fact, we ask that about parts of the Church as well, because there are those who have the appearance of godliness but lack the power, which is the power that transforms and allows us to understand Yahweh, his revelation and his plan. This is what is written:
The god of this age has blinded the minds of those who don’t have faith so they couldn’t see the light of the gospel that reveals Christ’s glory. Christ is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
So if people don't understand why you do what you do, you should know why. There are so many Scriptures that explain this that we should not be surprised when the world says good is bad and bad is good. Scripture says:
But people who are unspiritual don’t accept the things from God’s Spirit. They are foolishness to them and can’t be understood, because they can only be comprehended in a spiritual way. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
However, Paul wasn't addressing struggles with the world, because it is obvious that the world is in rebellion to God, but he was addressing Christians who lacked the ability to understand. They had not progressed in their spiritual maturity, had not learned to rely on the Spirit and were still relying on the wisdom of the world:
Brothers and sisters, I couldn’t talk to you like spiritual people but like unspiritual people, like babies in Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:1)
And again:
Now you are still not up to it because you are still unspiritual. When jealousy and fighting exist between you, aren’t you unspiritual and living by human standards? (3:3)
Certainly things are getting worse in the world but what is disheartening is the confusion it is causing in the Church. God is still God. Jesus is still Lord. The Holy Spirit is still the power of God in us. The Church is still the Body of Christ. The holy is still holy and the common is still common. Nothing has changed for us, just the lostness of the world is more clear, and gets clearer with each passing day. But in the Church it is also becoming clear to us who are controlled by the Spirit and who are controlled by the patterns of this world.
This fact should also be clear to us, Jesus told us we cannot have it both ways. We cannot be friends with the world and be friends with him:
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (Matthew 6:24)
James explained it with no uncertain terms:
You unfaithful people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world's friend becomes God's enemy. (James 4:4)
It used to be that people could fudge the lines but now the distinction is clear. And now for us the choice is clear. As Joshua told Israel, we have to make a clear decision concerning who we will serve. Will it be the Lord? Then let us serve him wholeheartedly, seeking his righteousness. If it be the world, then stop calling yourself Christian.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
I Was Dying But I Decided to Live
I almost died two weeks ago but I made a choice to live.
I've been wanting to tell my story for a while but there hasn't been much time so I am attempting to tell it today.
Two weeks ago I woke on a Monday morning. It started like any other morning as the alarm went off and I turned to my phone to read my Bible before getting out of bed. But as I was reading, the screen suddenly changed. It confused me at first until I noticed my thumb was touching the screen. But I couldn't feel it touching the screen. Then the screen changed again.
I figured my arm had gone to sleep so I switched the phone to my left hand but as I did my right arm fell by my side, lifeless. I could not move it. I couldn't even feel it. Then a wave of strangeness washed over me and I knew I was in trouble. I didn't know what was wrong but I knew it was something terrible.
I nudged my wife and told her I was feeling strange. She rolled over and looked at me. She quickly sprung up and said "Something is wrong with your face." Fear and panic was all over hers. I realized that I couldn't feel the right side of my face and talking suddenly took a great deal of effort. Everything suddenly seemed to go into slow motion and took on an alien feeling. It all looked and felt unfamiliar. That's when my brain turned to mush and my thinking became muddled.
I managed to get out the words, "Call 9-1-1".
I couldn't believe the words that were coming out of my mouth. Did I really need help? Yes I did. Panic started to grip me.
I turned to get out of bed and promptly fell into my nightstand and slid onto the floor. Where I fell is where I stayed. I couldn't move, even though I could tell it was awkward and painful I could not will my body to get into a more comfortable position. Not only couldn't I will my body to move, I didn't care to move.
As my wife was talking to the 9-1-1 operator a strange realization hit me: I was dying. In that instant I was overwhelmed by the presence of Jesus. Words describe it have yet to be invented. To describe it poorly, my whole being was flooded by peace and joy. I started to sing, if that is what it could be called with half my mouth paralyzed. I was overwhelmed with a desire to proclaim the name of Jesus and to tell him I loved him. I just kept saying over and over again, "I love you Jesus" because he was right there holding me.
I didn't see him. There was no bright light or tunnel. There was only the comforting presence of my Lord, pushing away all fear, worry, concern and anxiety. There was only peace, joy, and gladness.
As this was happening I was also telling my wife how much I loved her and that it was okay. I told her that I was going now and that I wanted to say good-bye to my children. Things were beginning to fade and the presence of Jesus grew stronger. This life was fading away, the world was behind me, there wasn't any desire in me but to go. I wanted to go. I was longing to go. Everything of this earth was passing away, my mind and heart were filled only with a desire for Jesus.
I turned to my wife to say a final good-bye and to again express my love, but I was struck by what I saw. It was her tears that caused me to turn away from what I was feeling and desiring, to realize her situation. Her reality began to penetrate the peace and joy that enveloped me. Suddenly I felt selfish as images of what she would be left with came flooding into my mind. My heart welled up with love, compassion and concern for this woman who I loved so dearly. I saw the children, the store, the finances, her loneliness and I knew I couldn't leave her like that.
Something changed. I had a desire to stay. I asked to stay. I fought against my own will in order to stay. And I told my wife as much as she continued dealing with the 9-1-1 operator. I started telling her "I'm fighting. I'm fighting." Unfortunately, due to the paralysis of my face what came out was "I'm farting," but somehow she understood. I refused to close my eyes and I started thanking Jesus for my life.
The Scripture that kept going through my head and heart was:
"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me." (Philippians 1:20-26)
By the time the paramedics arrived my brain was functioning as if I was drunk. I was enveloped by peace and joy due to the presence of the Lord but I knew I wasn't going to die. I knew I had a choice and I made it for the sake of my wife. Oh, I wanted to go. I wanted to enter into rest. I was more than content to leave the burdens of this world behind but for the sake of my wife I decided to stay and the Lord honoured the desire of my heart.
The paramedics and fire fighters managed to pick me up off the floor and strap me into a chair to get me down the stairs. I was frustrated I couldn't help them, having no strength in the functioning part of my body. I remember apologizing that I weighed so much ( I am a tall man) but they politely ignored me. As they wheeled me out of the bedroom my daughter Jennifer looked on with great concern. I tried my best to convey to her that I loved her and that everything was going to be okay. But there was no waiting now. Those paramedics thought they had 3 hours to save my life, they had no idea what the Lord was already doing. The power of our God was about to manifest.
Wait until you read what miracle happened next. Part two.
I've been wanting to tell my story for a while but there hasn't been much time so I am attempting to tell it today.
Two weeks ago I woke on a Monday morning. It started like any other morning as the alarm went off and I turned to my phone to read my Bible before getting out of bed. But as I was reading, the screen suddenly changed. It confused me at first until I noticed my thumb was touching the screen. But I couldn't feel it touching the screen. Then the screen changed again.
I figured my arm had gone to sleep so I switched the phone to my left hand but as I did my right arm fell by my side, lifeless. I could not move it. I couldn't even feel it. Then a wave of strangeness washed over me and I knew I was in trouble. I didn't know what was wrong but I knew it was something terrible.
I nudged my wife and told her I was feeling strange. She rolled over and looked at me. She quickly sprung up and said "Something is wrong with your face." Fear and panic was all over hers. I realized that I couldn't feel the right side of my face and talking suddenly took a great deal of effort. Everything suddenly seemed to go into slow motion and took on an alien feeling. It all looked and felt unfamiliar. That's when my brain turned to mush and my thinking became muddled.
I managed to get out the words, "Call 9-1-1".
I couldn't believe the words that were coming out of my mouth. Did I really need help? Yes I did. Panic started to grip me.
I turned to get out of bed and promptly fell into my nightstand and slid onto the floor. Where I fell is where I stayed. I couldn't move, even though I could tell it was awkward and painful I could not will my body to get into a more comfortable position. Not only couldn't I will my body to move, I didn't care to move.
As my wife was talking to the 9-1-1 operator a strange realization hit me: I was dying. In that instant I was overwhelmed by the presence of Jesus. Words describe it have yet to be invented. To describe it poorly, my whole being was flooded by peace and joy. I started to sing, if that is what it could be called with half my mouth paralyzed. I was overwhelmed with a desire to proclaim the name of Jesus and to tell him I loved him. I just kept saying over and over again, "I love you Jesus" because he was right there holding me.
I didn't see him. There was no bright light or tunnel. There was only the comforting presence of my Lord, pushing away all fear, worry, concern and anxiety. There was only peace, joy, and gladness.
As this was happening I was also telling my wife how much I loved her and that it was okay. I told her that I was going now and that I wanted to say good-bye to my children. Things were beginning to fade and the presence of Jesus grew stronger. This life was fading away, the world was behind me, there wasn't any desire in me but to go. I wanted to go. I was longing to go. Everything of this earth was passing away, my mind and heart were filled only with a desire for Jesus.
I turned to my wife to say a final good-bye and to again express my love, but I was struck by what I saw. It was her tears that caused me to turn away from what I was feeling and desiring, to realize her situation. Her reality began to penetrate the peace and joy that enveloped me. Suddenly I felt selfish as images of what she would be left with came flooding into my mind. My heart welled up with love, compassion and concern for this woman who I loved so dearly. I saw the children, the store, the finances, her loneliness and I knew I couldn't leave her like that.
Something changed. I had a desire to stay. I asked to stay. I fought against my own will in order to stay. And I told my wife as much as she continued dealing with the 9-1-1 operator. I started telling her "I'm fighting. I'm fighting." Unfortunately, due to the paralysis of my face what came out was "I'm farting," but somehow she understood. I refused to close my eyes and I started thanking Jesus for my life.
The Scripture that kept going through my head and heart was:
"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me." (Philippians 1:20-26)
By the time the paramedics arrived my brain was functioning as if I was drunk. I was enveloped by peace and joy due to the presence of the Lord but I knew I wasn't going to die. I knew I had a choice and I made it for the sake of my wife. Oh, I wanted to go. I wanted to enter into rest. I was more than content to leave the burdens of this world behind but for the sake of my wife I decided to stay and the Lord honoured the desire of my heart.
The paramedics and fire fighters managed to pick me up off the floor and strap me into a chair to get me down the stairs. I was frustrated I couldn't help them, having no strength in the functioning part of my body. I remember apologizing that I weighed so much ( I am a tall man) but they politely ignored me. As they wheeled me out of the bedroom my daughter Jennifer looked on with great concern. I tried my best to convey to her that I loved her and that everything was going to be okay. But there was no waiting now. Those paramedics thought they had 3 hours to save my life, they had no idea what the Lord was already doing. The power of our God was about to manifest.
Wait until you read what miracle happened next. Part two.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Let's Get It Right
There is a difference between trying to love Jesus by obeying him and obeying him because you love him. We misunderstand this all the time. We hear Jesus say, "If you love me you will obey my commandments" and what we end up hearing is "Obey me to love me". What Jesus was doing was giving us a means to measure our heart condition: If we love him our great desire will be to obey him. If it is not our desire then we know something is wrong.
What we often end up doing is trying to conform our behaviour to Jesus' commandments instead of allowing our heart to be transformed by his love. It is always about the heart condition. It is always about love. Jesus stated that he who has been forgiven much will love much and this is really the starting premise to the most incredible relationship you could ever experience. If we realize the wonder and depth of his forgiveness, we will not have to try to love Jesus, it will flow abundantly from us. If we do not realize the amount we have been forgiven, we will try hard but always fail to love as he desires us to love, and will will be mere actors in our obedience.
Obedience always comes from a heart changed by love, it is never a matter of obedience changing the heart. Jesus taught a lot about this:
"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." (John 14:21)
Don't rush that verse; read it over a few times. In fact, it would do you well to hide it in your heart by memorizing it today. It is another key foundational understanding in our journey of faith. Obedience is not a means to an end but a measuring post to the condition of our heart. Obedience to Yahweh tells us all is well, that our love is authentic. Don't miss the results of a surrendered heart of love: We are loved by the Father and Jesus, and Jesus reveals himself to us.
It is simple, true and too often misunderstood. Don't obey Jesus because he is King and you feel forced. Yahweh doesn't force us to do anything and everything acceptable to him must come from our free choice. Instead, learn to love him so that your obedience is a fruit of that love and you will discover greater truths and more exciting things than you thought possible. Let's get it right.
What we often end up doing is trying to conform our behaviour to Jesus' commandments instead of allowing our heart to be transformed by his love. It is always about the heart condition. It is always about love. Jesus stated that he who has been forgiven much will love much and this is really the starting premise to the most incredible relationship you could ever experience. If we realize the wonder and depth of his forgiveness, we will not have to try to love Jesus, it will flow abundantly from us. If we do not realize the amount we have been forgiven, we will try hard but always fail to love as he desires us to love, and will will be mere actors in our obedience.
Obedience always comes from a heart changed by love, it is never a matter of obedience changing the heart. Jesus taught a lot about this:
"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." (John 14:21)
Don't rush that verse; read it over a few times. In fact, it would do you well to hide it in your heart by memorizing it today. It is another key foundational understanding in our journey of faith. Obedience is not a means to an end but a measuring post to the condition of our heart. Obedience to Yahweh tells us all is well, that our love is authentic. Don't miss the results of a surrendered heart of love: We are loved by the Father and Jesus, and Jesus reveals himself to us.
It is simple, true and too often misunderstood. Don't obey Jesus because he is King and you feel forced. Yahweh doesn't force us to do anything and everything acceptable to him must come from our free choice. Instead, learn to love him so that your obedience is a fruit of that love and you will discover greater truths and more exciting things than you thought possible. Let's get it right.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Love Must Always Be A Choice
How much freedom is too much? We like to imagine ourselves to be free but our freedom has limitations. We can't do whatever we want whenever we want because we live in a society where certain freedoms must be limited in order to protect other members of the same society. If we ever get to the place of complete freedom we will have arrived at anarchy, and I don't think any of us really want to experience such complete freedom. Yet, this is the freedom that our Creator gave to us.
Yahweh desires true love and love is not true if it is coerced, manipulated or forced. If you want to go out and murder someone he is not going to stop you, even though he has expressed how he is against it. His desire is for intimacy with you, to walk and talk with you, to be your support, helper, encourager, enabler, Father; but you have the freedom to completely reject him and run in the opposite direction. That is the risk of love.
Like everything else, there are always consequences to freedoms acted upon. Very few of us truly understand what we become without our Creator. We were created to be complete in fellowship with him. Without him we do not have what we need and there is a lack for proper understanding and perspective. When we reject him he leaves us to ourselves and that is never good:
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:24-25)
We need our Creator. We need our Father. We need him and are dependent on him. True freedom is found in him through Jesus Christ; freedom to be everything he intended us to be. We have this mistaken notion that we give up our freedom when we follow Jesus Christ but the fact is we are slaves to our nature without Jesus. We can't do the things our spirit desires to do because our nature keeps us down, oppressed and limits our ability to grow as we were intended.
The world thinks it is free. People think they are doing what they want to do. They don't always understand their distorted desires but they know they can pursue them if they want. If only they knew that those desires are like a cancer eating away at their healthy tissue. They are being deformed, destroyed, and pushed toward death all the while thinking this is their choice, their freedom.
Our challenge is to not fall back into this deception while trying to reveal it to the people we meet. People don't want to hear it; they don't want to believe they have been deceived, that everything is a deformed image of the real beauty that Yahweh created. It is hard to tell a deaf man that he is deaf or to tell a blind man the colour of the sky. But nothing is impossible with Jesus; nothing!
Jesus came to free us up to make a choice because before him we had no choice; we were enslaved to our nature. He cast out demons so people were free to hear his message. He destroyed the power of sin over us so that we were free to hear and to choose. Love dictates that we must have the freedom to choose him or to reject him, and that is the choice that rests in front of all of us. The Church has sinned in the past by trying to force people to love Yahweh but thankfully that is no longer the problem. However, because the Church no longer tries to control people, we see in society the results of the choices that are being made. But this should also mean that the light is as light as the dark is dark. I hope you can understand.
Yahweh desires true love and love is not true if it is coerced, manipulated or forced. If you want to go out and murder someone he is not going to stop you, even though he has expressed how he is against it. His desire is for intimacy with you, to walk and talk with you, to be your support, helper, encourager, enabler, Father; but you have the freedom to completely reject him and run in the opposite direction. That is the risk of love.
Like everything else, there are always consequences to freedoms acted upon. Very few of us truly understand what we become without our Creator. We were created to be complete in fellowship with him. Without him we do not have what we need and there is a lack for proper understanding and perspective. When we reject him he leaves us to ourselves and that is never good:
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:24-25)
We need our Creator. We need our Father. We need him and are dependent on him. True freedom is found in him through Jesus Christ; freedom to be everything he intended us to be. We have this mistaken notion that we give up our freedom when we follow Jesus Christ but the fact is we are slaves to our nature without Jesus. We can't do the things our spirit desires to do because our nature keeps us down, oppressed and limits our ability to grow as we were intended.
The world thinks it is free. People think they are doing what they want to do. They don't always understand their distorted desires but they know they can pursue them if they want. If only they knew that those desires are like a cancer eating away at their healthy tissue. They are being deformed, destroyed, and pushed toward death all the while thinking this is their choice, their freedom.
Our challenge is to not fall back into this deception while trying to reveal it to the people we meet. People don't want to hear it; they don't want to believe they have been deceived, that everything is a deformed image of the real beauty that Yahweh created. It is hard to tell a deaf man that he is deaf or to tell a blind man the colour of the sky. But nothing is impossible with Jesus; nothing!
Jesus came to free us up to make a choice because before him we had no choice; we were enslaved to our nature. He cast out demons so people were free to hear his message. He destroyed the power of sin over us so that we were free to hear and to choose. Love dictates that we must have the freedom to choose him or to reject him, and that is the choice that rests in front of all of us. The Church has sinned in the past by trying to force people to love Yahweh but thankfully that is no longer the problem. However, because the Church no longer tries to control people, we see in society the results of the choices that are being made. But this should also mean that the light is as light as the dark is dark. I hope you can understand.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Ignorance Will Never Be An Excuse
A person would have to choose to be ignorant to say there is no God, and there are reasons why some choose to be ignorant. Evidence of his existence and character are all around us, in creation and in people themselves. The Word says that in order to see him we have to be willing to see him. It says that we need to seek him but that doesn't mean there is no evidence until we do:
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead. (Romans 1:20)
Anyone who cares to reflect on nature itself, even just observable nature, will conclude that there is something far great than us at play. We may have the intelligence to be able to manipulate and use, even tame, some of the elements of creation but much of it is beyond our power. Yahweh loves beauty and diversity. Even in a fallen state we can see grace and compassion in the animal Kingdom. There are elements so powerful that man will never be able to tame them. We can see the nature and character of our Creator all around us if we would take an honest look. But we aren't honest.
We aren't honest because if we were we would be accountable for what we admitted and we certainly do not want to be accountable to something that will not let us do what we want to do. I really think that is part of the problem for those who choose to deny Jesus; they don't want to give up control. Unfortunately for them there is no excuse. Ignorance is no excuse. If we keep reading this same passage but switching in from NKJV to the CEV:
That’s why those people don’t have any excuse. They know about God, but they don’t honor him or even thank him. Their thoughts are useless, and their stupid minds are in the dark. They claim to be wise, but they are fools. (v. 20-22)
No excuses because there is plenty of evidence to get people curious enough to go looking, and he promised that if we seek him we will find him. Those who choose to ignore the evidence often do so because they don't want to lose control so instead they "worship" nature itself. They substitute Yahweh, who keeps us accountable, for creation which cannot keep us accountable. They even give creation a name: Mother Nature. They will not acknowledge Yahweh but they will personify nature:
So God let these people go their own way. They did what they wanted to do, and their filthy thoughts made them do shameful things with their bodies. They gave up the truth about God for a lie, and they worshiped God’s creation instead of God, who will be praised forever. Amen. (v. 24-25)
I share this because we need to understand where we are, who we live with and how difficult our task can be trying to convince people to open their eyes and take a look. In order to see, people must be willing to become vulnerable and to give up control. That is why it is often in moments of crisis, at the point when a person realizes they have no control, that they finally see the beauty and love of Jesus. Helplessness has a wonderful ability to strip away pride and leave us open to the truth.
But as for us, my fellow believer, I pray our eyes are always wide open as we worship him with thankful hearts today. We know him to be good, loving, compassionate, slow to anger, filled with grace, self-sacrificing, wise, powerful, always with us. Remember:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5)
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead. (Romans 1:20)
Anyone who cares to reflect on nature itself, even just observable nature, will conclude that there is something far great than us at play. We may have the intelligence to be able to manipulate and use, even tame, some of the elements of creation but much of it is beyond our power. Yahweh loves beauty and diversity. Even in a fallen state we can see grace and compassion in the animal Kingdom. There are elements so powerful that man will never be able to tame them. We can see the nature and character of our Creator all around us if we would take an honest look. But we aren't honest.
We aren't honest because if we were we would be accountable for what we admitted and we certainly do not want to be accountable to something that will not let us do what we want to do. I really think that is part of the problem for those who choose to deny Jesus; they don't want to give up control. Unfortunately for them there is no excuse. Ignorance is no excuse. If we keep reading this same passage but switching in from NKJV to the CEV:
That’s why those people don’t have any excuse. They know about God, but they don’t honor him or even thank him. Their thoughts are useless, and their stupid minds are in the dark. They claim to be wise, but they are fools. (v. 20-22)
No excuses because there is plenty of evidence to get people curious enough to go looking, and he promised that if we seek him we will find him. Those who choose to ignore the evidence often do so because they don't want to lose control so instead they "worship" nature itself. They substitute Yahweh, who keeps us accountable, for creation which cannot keep us accountable. They even give creation a name: Mother Nature. They will not acknowledge Yahweh but they will personify nature:
So God let these people go their own way. They did what they wanted to do, and their filthy thoughts made them do shameful things with their bodies. They gave up the truth about God for a lie, and they worshiped God’s creation instead of God, who will be praised forever. Amen. (v. 24-25)
I share this because we need to understand where we are, who we live with and how difficult our task can be trying to convince people to open their eyes and take a look. In order to see, people must be willing to become vulnerable and to give up control. That is why it is often in moments of crisis, at the point when a person realizes they have no control, that they finally see the beauty and love of Jesus. Helplessness has a wonderful ability to strip away pride and leave us open to the truth.
But as for us, my fellow believer, I pray our eyes are always wide open as we worship him with thankful hearts today. We know him to be good, loving, compassionate, slow to anger, filled with grace, self-sacrificing, wise, powerful, always with us. Remember:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5)
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Does Your Skill Set Need To Be Suitable To Your Calling?
What is your worth? When I had the responsibility for educating a good number of students I was constantly battling against their apathy. There was no vision, no understanding of the importance of education. We know that when a person is involved in something that they have not grasped the importance of, there is a lack of interest and energy put into the activity. I figured if I could not inspire them with the joy of learning I could at least help them grasp the value of it.
I told them that they needed to see themselves as a commodity. In their future, when they would approach a potential employee, that person, representing the company, was going to size up their potential value to the company. If they had the correct skills to fit in with their company they would be hired; if they are missing skills, they would be overlooked. Their responsibility, as a commodity, was to add value to themselves. Finishing High School would add value to them and would make them eligible to apply for basic jobs. If they knew which companies they were interested in working for then they could discover what skills they needed to add to themselves, to gain value. Of course this did not just include education so they needed to understand which direction to go in and what steps they had to take to increase their value. However, sometimes Christians make the mistake of applying this principle to the Kingdom of Jesus.
The Kingdom of Jesus works on difference principles. First, the greatest value that you have is that Yahweh loves you. It is opposite to the principles of the world. What skills and knowledge you have do not play into the relationship we have with Jesus. Yahweh made the decision to love us, with all the cost that comes with loving us, and that gives us value beyond our imagining. Of course there is more to us than just being the object of Father's affection. He has also left us here with purpose. We are his workers, warriors, servants and our great desire is to live each day in his will. But his will for us is not limited to our skills and abilities. Remember, our value is not what we have gained from knowledge but is found in relationship. In this relationship we desire his will and his will is obedience in what he instructs and the direction he sends. The clear fact is, Jesus equips us for that which he calls us.
Let's look at the simple example of Daniel. We could chose any example. We could look at Peter, Paul, John but I like using Daniel. He and his friends were in captivity but the ruling king liked to take the best educated of each conquered land, train them in his society and surround himself with their knowledge and wisdom. Yahweh wanted to take advantage of this so he could influence the king and protect his people so he needed to equip these four men to be the best, to have the greatest influence.
Now people consider Daniel and his friends and figure that they were simply men of knowledge who Yahweh moved into place but that is not what scripture says. It says that Yahweh took these four and he gave them the skills he needed them to have in this place in which they found themselves:
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. (Daniel 1:17)
Too often we dismiss Yahweh's will and calling for us because we measure ourselves against our past abilities and skills, but it doesn't work that way. We are not a set of tools that are designed for one purpose. We are a lump of clay that Yahweh fashions with his will for his purpose. We may be in that purpose for a life time or he may change our purpose from time to time, according to what he needs. We can never limit Jesus to our inabilities or lack of skills. We can never say no to the vision he gives us. We cannot shut the door on his purpose and calling because we think we are not qualified. Jesus qualifies and equips us.
When Jesus calls us he does not do it according to some aptitude test he gives us. He doesn't do a skills survey. He doesn't do it according to our intelligence or temperament. According to this world our temperament makes us better suitable to some things than to others. The Kingdom does not work this way. The only things Jesus is looking for is willingness, availability and obedience. He chooses who he wants for what he wants and we have no right to limit his choices by our limitations. He chooses. He qualifies. He equips. So think on that for a little bit before saying no to Jesus.
I told them that they needed to see themselves as a commodity. In their future, when they would approach a potential employee, that person, representing the company, was going to size up their potential value to the company. If they had the correct skills to fit in with their company they would be hired; if they are missing skills, they would be overlooked. Their responsibility, as a commodity, was to add value to themselves. Finishing High School would add value to them and would make them eligible to apply for basic jobs. If they knew which companies they were interested in working for then they could discover what skills they needed to add to themselves, to gain value. Of course this did not just include education so they needed to understand which direction to go in and what steps they had to take to increase their value. However, sometimes Christians make the mistake of applying this principle to the Kingdom of Jesus.
The Kingdom of Jesus works on difference principles. First, the greatest value that you have is that Yahweh loves you. It is opposite to the principles of the world. What skills and knowledge you have do not play into the relationship we have with Jesus. Yahweh made the decision to love us, with all the cost that comes with loving us, and that gives us value beyond our imagining. Of course there is more to us than just being the object of Father's affection. He has also left us here with purpose. We are his workers, warriors, servants and our great desire is to live each day in his will. But his will for us is not limited to our skills and abilities. Remember, our value is not what we have gained from knowledge but is found in relationship. In this relationship we desire his will and his will is obedience in what he instructs and the direction he sends. The clear fact is, Jesus equips us for that which he calls us.
Let's look at the simple example of Daniel. We could chose any example. We could look at Peter, Paul, John but I like using Daniel. He and his friends were in captivity but the ruling king liked to take the best educated of each conquered land, train them in his society and surround himself with their knowledge and wisdom. Yahweh wanted to take advantage of this so he could influence the king and protect his people so he needed to equip these four men to be the best, to have the greatest influence.
Now people consider Daniel and his friends and figure that they were simply men of knowledge who Yahweh moved into place but that is not what scripture says. It says that Yahweh took these four and he gave them the skills he needed them to have in this place in which they found themselves:
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. (Daniel 1:17)
Too often we dismiss Yahweh's will and calling for us because we measure ourselves against our past abilities and skills, but it doesn't work that way. We are not a set of tools that are designed for one purpose. We are a lump of clay that Yahweh fashions with his will for his purpose. We may be in that purpose for a life time or he may change our purpose from time to time, according to what he needs. We can never limit Jesus to our inabilities or lack of skills. We can never say no to the vision he gives us. We cannot shut the door on his purpose and calling because we think we are not qualified. Jesus qualifies and equips us.
When Jesus calls us he does not do it according to some aptitude test he gives us. He doesn't do a skills survey. He doesn't do it according to our intelligence or temperament. According to this world our temperament makes us better suitable to some things than to others. The Kingdom does not work this way. The only things Jesus is looking for is willingness, availability and obedience. He chooses who he wants for what he wants and we have no right to limit his choices by our limitations. He chooses. He qualifies. He equips. So think on that for a little bit before saying no to Jesus.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Who Is Killing The Christmas Spirit?
To call people skeptical today is putting it rather mildly. We live in a tangible world where people claim to only believe what they can see and what they can put their hands on. We all think we are intelligent and trust that science will show us the way. But hold on. I am actually only describing a small portion of our society. Most people actually believe there is more than what they see.
Just consider some of the more popular shows on television that deal with ghosts, mediums and other spiritual matters. Why are these shows so popular? Because people want to believe in more than the physical world. There is part of us that we know is missing, that is not being fed, that we are not dealing with, and so we search.
There is always going to be part of us that struggles with believing what we cannot see or making assumptions about what we do see. There is so much about Jesus that people can not get past because of the skepticism that is so prevalent in us. We would rather believe in evil demons, vampires and werewolves then in a God of grace who wants to transform us into what he always intended us to be. People dismiss the Christmas story because of something as simple as this:
Therefore, the Lord will give you a sign. The young woman is pregnant and is about to give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
Only, this isn't found in the gospels but in the old prophecies. But people scoff at the idea of the virgin birth. They scoff at the baby in the manger. They scoff at the cross, the empty grave and the giving of the Holy Spirit. But behind their scoffing I think there is a bit of fear that they could be wrong. So they fight harder against it, attacking it and putting down the people who do believe, just to encourage themselves. Why is it so hard to believe in a Father, Creator, who loved us enough to go through all this trouble to rescue us from ourselves?
I actually don't think it is hard for them to believe as much as it is a desire to keep their independence. That is what the whole rebellion is about; us wanting to be our own gods. We want to be the master of our own destinies. We want to write our own stories. We want to call the shots. But that's because we don't know that we are already slaves. We think we are calling the shots but we are actually trapped by our sinful nature which never allows us to live up to our full potential. We can't live up to that potential except through the one who came to set us free.
So yes, it is getting harder to convince people to consider the goodness of God when they don't consider God to have any relevancy any more in our society. We will accept all other forms of spirituality but not that of a Creator who tells us we have to do it his way in order to have life in its fullest. People will accept the "magic" of Christmas but they will not bring themselves to actually believe in the one who we celebrate. Me thinks the end is approaching as hearts are hardened, eyes grow blind and ears are plugged. These are the things we were told to watch for, that would be obvious to those who choose to believe but hidden from this who choose themselves.
Skepticism is killing more than Christmas spirit.
Just consider some of the more popular shows on television that deal with ghosts, mediums and other spiritual matters. Why are these shows so popular? Because people want to believe in more than the physical world. There is part of us that we know is missing, that is not being fed, that we are not dealing with, and so we search.
There is always going to be part of us that struggles with believing what we cannot see or making assumptions about what we do see. There is so much about Jesus that people can not get past because of the skepticism that is so prevalent in us. We would rather believe in evil demons, vampires and werewolves then in a God of grace who wants to transform us into what he always intended us to be. People dismiss the Christmas story because of something as simple as this:
Therefore, the Lord will give you a sign. The young woman is pregnant and is about to give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
Only, this isn't found in the gospels but in the old prophecies. But people scoff at the idea of the virgin birth. They scoff at the baby in the manger. They scoff at the cross, the empty grave and the giving of the Holy Spirit. But behind their scoffing I think there is a bit of fear that they could be wrong. So they fight harder against it, attacking it and putting down the people who do believe, just to encourage themselves. Why is it so hard to believe in a Father, Creator, who loved us enough to go through all this trouble to rescue us from ourselves?
I actually don't think it is hard for them to believe as much as it is a desire to keep their independence. That is what the whole rebellion is about; us wanting to be our own gods. We want to be the master of our own destinies. We want to write our own stories. We want to call the shots. But that's because we don't know that we are already slaves. We think we are calling the shots but we are actually trapped by our sinful nature which never allows us to live up to our full potential. We can't live up to that potential except through the one who came to set us free.
So yes, it is getting harder to convince people to consider the goodness of God when they don't consider God to have any relevancy any more in our society. We will accept all other forms of spirituality but not that of a Creator who tells us we have to do it his way in order to have life in its fullest. People will accept the "magic" of Christmas but they will not bring themselves to actually believe in the one who we celebrate. Me thinks the end is approaching as hearts are hardened, eyes grow blind and ears are plugged. These are the things we were told to watch for, that would be obvious to those who choose to believe but hidden from this who choose themselves.
Skepticism is killing more than Christmas spirit.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Must We Sin?
Do we have to sin?
That depends if you are speaking of sins we are aware of or things we do that offend God of which we are not aware. Praise our Lord Jesus Christ that his grace covers all things we are blissfully unaware of so the question then is, are we able to avoid sins we do on purpose. The answer to that is, yes.
People mistakenly misuse the scripture where Paul stated what his struggle was with sin before accepting Jesus:
I know that my selfish desires won’t let me do anything that is good. Even when I want to do right, I cannot. Instead of doing what I know is right, I do wrong. And so, if I don’t do what I know is right, I am no longer the one doing these evil things. The sin that lives in me is what does them. (Romans 7:18-20)
Paul is describing what it is to be a slave to sin, the sin that is revealed by the perfect Law of God. But earlier Paul also wrote:
Don’t you know that you are slaves of anyone you obey? You can be slaves of sin and die, or you can be obedient slaves of God and be acceptable to him. You used to be slaves of sin. But I thank God that with all your heart you obeyed the teaching you received from me. Now you are set free from sin and are slaves who please God. (Romans 6:16-18)
So why is it that so often we fall back into sin? Why is it that we end up so weak? For the answer to that I think we need to consider king David.
In some ways this is comparing apples and oranges because we are now indwelt by the Holy Spirit and David was not. God applied a lot of grace to David in the same way he did to Abraham but today we live in a constant state of grace because of the blood of Jesus. However, there are certain behaviours that are similar that still get us in trouble.
The big difference between David and us is that David had no choice in his sin; he was a slave to it. His best chance was to avoid situations that would cause him to fall. As he stood on the roof top looking down on a bathing Bathsheba, David was a slave to his desires, but he shouldn't have been there. When you read the scriptures you discover that it was the time when kings went off to war, but David was not where he was suppose to be. He sent off his army and he stayed home, bored. Boredom is never a good thing. If David had been fulfilling his duties he would never have sinned and an innocent man would not have had to die.
Too often we decide to sin because we are not where we are suppose to be. And yes, I chose the word "decide"on purpose. In this age of grace, with the indwelling of the Spirit and the broken bonds of sin, we have to make a conscience decision to sin. We know what we are doing and decide to do it any way. It is not as Paul described what it was like before Jesus. We know him, have been freed by him, have the ability to decide for ourselves and are strengthened by the Spirit to do the right thing.
If we are where we are suppose to be in the Spirit, doing what we have been called to do, serving our Lord Jesus, then no temptation could ever overwhelm us. There is no reason why we must give in to sin, but we can make the decision to do it. When we are weak in our relationship temptation is strong. When we are strong in our relationship, temptation is weak.
Are we where we are suppose to be? Are we bored? Are we lending power to temptations? Then turn back as quickly as you can to Jesus. Who the Son has set free is free indeed.
That depends if you are speaking of sins we are aware of or things we do that offend God of which we are not aware. Praise our Lord Jesus Christ that his grace covers all things we are blissfully unaware of so the question then is, are we able to avoid sins we do on purpose. The answer to that is, yes.
People mistakenly misuse the scripture where Paul stated what his struggle was with sin before accepting Jesus:
I know that my selfish desires won’t let me do anything that is good. Even when I want to do right, I cannot. Instead of doing what I know is right, I do wrong. And so, if I don’t do what I know is right, I am no longer the one doing these evil things. The sin that lives in me is what does them. (Romans 7:18-20)
Paul is describing what it is to be a slave to sin, the sin that is revealed by the perfect Law of God. But earlier Paul also wrote:
Don’t you know that you are slaves of anyone you obey? You can be slaves of sin and die, or you can be obedient slaves of God and be acceptable to him. You used to be slaves of sin. But I thank God that with all your heart you obeyed the teaching you received from me. Now you are set free from sin and are slaves who please God. (Romans 6:16-18)
So why is it that so often we fall back into sin? Why is it that we end up so weak? For the answer to that I think we need to consider king David.
In some ways this is comparing apples and oranges because we are now indwelt by the Holy Spirit and David was not. God applied a lot of grace to David in the same way he did to Abraham but today we live in a constant state of grace because of the blood of Jesus. However, there are certain behaviours that are similar that still get us in trouble.
The big difference between David and us is that David had no choice in his sin; he was a slave to it. His best chance was to avoid situations that would cause him to fall. As he stood on the roof top looking down on a bathing Bathsheba, David was a slave to his desires, but he shouldn't have been there. When you read the scriptures you discover that it was the time when kings went off to war, but David was not where he was suppose to be. He sent off his army and he stayed home, bored. Boredom is never a good thing. If David had been fulfilling his duties he would never have sinned and an innocent man would not have had to die.
Too often we decide to sin because we are not where we are suppose to be. And yes, I chose the word "decide"on purpose. In this age of grace, with the indwelling of the Spirit and the broken bonds of sin, we have to make a conscience decision to sin. We know what we are doing and decide to do it any way. It is not as Paul described what it was like before Jesus. We know him, have been freed by him, have the ability to decide for ourselves and are strengthened by the Spirit to do the right thing.
If we are where we are suppose to be in the Spirit, doing what we have been called to do, serving our Lord Jesus, then no temptation could ever overwhelm us. There is no reason why we must give in to sin, but we can make the decision to do it. When we are weak in our relationship temptation is strong. When we are strong in our relationship, temptation is weak.
Are we where we are suppose to be? Are we bored? Are we lending power to temptations? Then turn back as quickly as you can to Jesus. Who the Son has set free is free indeed.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Who Does God Hate?
Who does God hate?
No one!
But that doesn't mean he will not judge those who are in rebellion to him. That is the tragedy in this whole thing: God's love is so great it has produced a grace that will cover any sin, but most people reject this love. Listen to these words and understand the depth of the love from which they come:
‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die?' (Ezekiel 33:11)
Who does God hate?
No one!
Is there a day of judgement for those who chose themselves over God?
Sadly, yes.
And God's heart will break on that day as it breaks every day we choose wickedness over life. But there will be judgement. And, listen to these words that came from the most beautiful lips, words that speak of grace and death in the same breath:
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:17-18)
Those who stand and preach that there will be no hell because in the end God's love will win out are calling Jesus a liar. Oh, it can be our desire that everyone on the face of this planet will realize the brilliance of God and his great love for us and will make the right decision, but the decision over heaven and hell is entirely ours.
Who does God hate?
Absolutely no one!
He went to the cross for us. He spilt his blood for us. His love drove him to pay the ultimate price for us. But even that wasn't enough because he has planned more for us. The grave is empty for a reason. He has called us to him for eternity. He has even given us a taste of that by sending us his Holy Spirit; a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. But there is still a choice to be made.
Understand fully what it means to make that choice. It means being crucified on the cross with Jesus. It means dying to yourself. It means rejecting anything that is not from God. It means not pursuing your selfish desires but the will of God. Too often we use the love and grace of God to mask our selfish desires and sins, but it is still rebellion and a decision against Jesus. Those who advocate the acceptance of sin, the rebellious acts of the unsaved, calling the holy common and the common holy, need to wake up to this fact. God's judgement is as real as his love and grace.
Who does God hate?
No one.
Now the decision is ours.
No one!
But that doesn't mean he will not judge those who are in rebellion to him. That is the tragedy in this whole thing: God's love is so great it has produced a grace that will cover any sin, but most people reject this love. Listen to these words and understand the depth of the love from which they come:
‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die?' (Ezekiel 33:11)
Who does God hate?
No one!
Is there a day of judgement for those who chose themselves over God?
Sadly, yes.
And God's heart will break on that day as it breaks every day we choose wickedness over life. But there will be judgement. And, listen to these words that came from the most beautiful lips, words that speak of grace and death in the same breath:
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:17-18)
Those who stand and preach that there will be no hell because in the end God's love will win out are calling Jesus a liar. Oh, it can be our desire that everyone on the face of this planet will realize the brilliance of God and his great love for us and will make the right decision, but the decision over heaven and hell is entirely ours.
Who does God hate?
Absolutely no one!
He went to the cross for us. He spilt his blood for us. His love drove him to pay the ultimate price for us. But even that wasn't enough because he has planned more for us. The grave is empty for a reason. He has called us to him for eternity. He has even given us a taste of that by sending us his Holy Spirit; a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. But there is still a choice to be made.
Understand fully what it means to make that choice. It means being crucified on the cross with Jesus. It means dying to yourself. It means rejecting anything that is not from God. It means not pursuing your selfish desires but the will of God. Too often we use the love and grace of God to mask our selfish desires and sins, but it is still rebellion and a decision against Jesus. Those who advocate the acceptance of sin, the rebellious acts of the unsaved, calling the holy common and the common holy, need to wake up to this fact. God's judgement is as real as his love and grace.
Who does God hate?
No one.
Now the decision is ours.
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