"He Is Not Out To Get You"

"She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." John 8:11

Many have a misconception about God. They see Him as some being who sits high upon a throne in heaven looking down upon them just waiting for them to mess up or make a mistake so that He can "get them". They think that He is always looking for opportunities to "let them have it". (How far that is from a true picture of God.)

When Jesus was on earth, He showed us what Father God was like, and what He was like in His dealings with mankind. When the woman was caught in the act of adultery, Jesus did not condemn her, He did not pick up a stone and throw it at her. Though under the Law He could have legally put her to death, instead He forgave her. When the woman came and anointed His feet with the oil in the alabaster box and wiped them with her tears, Jesus did not rebuke her, He did not turn her away, He did not belittle and ridicule her, He did not condemn her, instead He allowed her to do it. He also defended her before her accusers and affirmed her in their sight.

Let me ask you a question. Do either of those encounters with these sinful women sound like God was "out to get them"? If He just waits for the opportunity to let us have it, then there was His opportunity. He could have taken it then but He didn't. As little children one of the first verses we learned was John 3:16- "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." I think we should also learn John 3:17- "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." Again, I ask you, "Does this sound like God is out to "get us"?

If God was out to "get us", if He sits up in heaven and waits for us to make a mistake so that He can punish us or condemn us then why would He send His Son to earth to save us? Why would He provide a way for us to have forgiveness from our sins? Why would He go to such great lengths as to shed His blood and die upon the cross? If that is how God really feels toward us, why would He do anything for us, He had us where He "wanted" us if that were the case? (Because we were already "messed up" and making mistakes is all we could do.)

But that is not a true picture of who He is. Jesus corrected that by demonstrating the love, grace, patience and mercy of God to those He encountered while upon earth. I hope that you don't have this misconception of who He is. He is not out to "get you". He is not out to destroy you. He isn't looking for opportunities to "let you have it". Instead He is looking for opportunities to express and lavish His love on you. He proved that by sending His Son Jesus to earth to tell you and ultimately show you that He loves you.

Have a great day. God is not out to get you. He proved that through Jesus.

For further reading:
John 8:1-11
Luke 7:36-50
Romans 5:8

"Stand In Faith"

"For we walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7

There are times in my walk with the Lord where I am constantly aware of His presence with me. I feel His tremendous peace. Every where I look I am seeing His power being revealed. I am hearing His voice clearly and continually. The lines of communication between me and Him are wide open. The refreshing rain of His Spirit is falling on me in abundance. The insights into His word just keep coming. My praises for Him can't be contained. I am on the mountaintop and it is a wonderful time. But then, for apparently no reason, everything seems to change. I don't "feel" His presence like I did. The revelations aren't coming. I am hearing "nothing" from Him. I can't see His hand moving and working in my life. I feel so dry. It feels as if He has left me and I am alone in a desert place. (Where are you, Lord?)

Am I the only one who experiences this? So, what do we do during these times? We stand in faith. The Bible says that we walk by faith not by sight. We don't live in our relationship with the Lord by feelings. I may not feel His presence sometimes like I do at other times, but He is still there. He hasn't left me; He hasn't forsaken me; I am not alone. Therefore, I don't need to stop doing what I am doing. I need to continue and persevere. I need to continue to press in into His presence. I don't quit and give up because I am not "feeling" Him. My faith is being put to the test. My faith muscles are being exercised. My hunger for the sense of His presence is growing. I am learning what it means to truly seek after the Lord. My desire and hunger for Him is becoming greater and being strengthened. I am getting more desperate from Him- not just for His blessings.

If you are in this "dry" place unable to sense that His presence is with you, don't give into those feelings. Don't quit doing what you are doing-- continue on in your relationship with Him. Keep seeking Him, keep praising Him, keep talking to Him, keep studying His word, keep fellowshipping with other believers, don't go by your feelings, but stand in faith.

Have a great day. When we don't feel His presence, we have to continue by faith to live as if we do.

For further reading:
Matthew 28:20
Hebrews 10:38
1 Peter 1:7-9
Hebrews 11

"I've Got A Mansion"

"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. " John 14:2

I woke up this morning with the old hymn, "Mansion Over The Hilltop", repeating over and over in my mind. In case you aren't familiar with it, the chorus says: "I've got a mansion just over the hilltop, in that bright land where we'll never grow old; and someday yonder we will never more wander, but walk the streets that are purest gold."

What a wonderful thought- a mansion in heaven, forever in the presence of the Lord, living and dwelling with Him, never growing old, never in darkness, never wandering around in confusion seeking for direction, and walking on streets of pure gold. How glorious! I can't comprehend just how wonderful it will be. But this kind of eternal existence is only promised to those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ and have their sins washed away by faith in His blood that was shed at the cross. For the rest it will not be so wonderful. Instead, it will be an eternal existence that is too horrible to even imagine.

In talking to people about the state of their eternal soul, I find that so many are too "busy" making a life for themselves that they don't have time to think about what will happen to them after they die. Some are more interested in their material status now instead of what awaits them then. There are those who don't want to acknowledge Jesus, much less have a relationship with Him, because they are more desirous of enjoying the "pleasures" of this present life. They are trading the eternal treasures for temporary pleasures.

This life is not all there is. There is something that awaits us once we leave planet earth through death. And what awaits us last forever and forever. Are you ready for the forever? There are only two places where the eternal soul can go- and just because you don't believe in the existence of one or either, doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.

The desire of the Lord God is that you live with Him forever in one of those mansions. He loves you and desires to prepare a place for you in His eternal presence. He sent His only begotten Son Jesus to provide the way and "pay" for the privilege of living with Him forever. Will you take time from this temporary life to enter into a relationship with the Lord God through His Son Jesus so that one day you can occupy a mansion forever?

Have a great day. Don't exchange eternal treasures for temporary pleasures.

For further reading:
Hebrews 11:25; 9:22
Romans 6:23
John 14:1-3; 3:16
Matthew 6:19-21
2 Corinthians 6:2

"Not Ashamed - Part 2"

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16

Yesterday we talked about how our conversations contain a wide variety of subjects but for many Christians sharing their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is not one of them. Many believe they don't have to be public or open with it because, like we said yesterday, the Lord knows their hearts. That is true He knows your heart, but that is not why we share our faith. We share it so that others will know about Him.

The Bible says, "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?" (Romans 10:14) In other words, how are the lost going to hear the good news that Jesus saves if no one tells them? Someone told you, and someone told me.

When something good happens to us, we can't help telling others about it. If you were to win ten million dollars today, I have no doubt that you would be on the telephone today telling everyone you knew. You couldn't wait to tell someone. So why aren't you telling others about this as well? Receiving the gift of eternal life is better than winning money, or anything else. The security of your eternal soul is priceless. It is the greatest treasure and it is the most valuable thing you have.

People need the salvation that only Jesus Christ can give. They need to have peace with God. They need to have their sins forgiven and washed away from their lives. They need to have a heart transformation. They need to be born again. But if someone doesn't tell them how will they know? You can't depend on the church to tell them- they may never enter a church. You can't depend of the television preachers to tell them- they may never watch them. You can't depend on anything else. As a matter of fact, God is depending on us to reach them with the good news of salvation. This is why Jesus' last instructions before leaving earth were to, "Go and tell".

Have a great day. Are you going and telling others about the good news that Jesus saves?

For further reading:
Mark 16:15
Matthew 28:19; 10:7
Romans 10:15
1 Corinthians 4:3
Isaiah 52:7

"Not Ashamed "

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16

It is amazing the variety of conversations that people (Christian people) will carry on. They will talk about everything from the weather to politics, from sports to what they saw on television. They will talk about what others are doing, the latest trends, what is going on at their jobs, how their children are doing, and so on. Yet when it comes to talking about their faith in Jesus Christ, they seem to get silent.

Oh, you will have many that say something like, "The Lord has been good to me", but that is pretty much the extent of it. Very seldom do they share their faith in Jesus, very seldom do they witness of His saving grace and what He has done in their lives by saving their soul. Some believe that they don't have to be public and open with it because the Lord knows their hearts.

Sure He knows your heart, you aren't being open with it just for the sake of being open with it. There is a reason why we testify and witness. First, when it is in your heart- truly in your heart- sometimes you can't help it "coming out". The Bible tells us that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks". Whatever is going on in your life and has filled your heart, automatically comes out of your mouth. I know people who are expecting a child, or have just had a baby, or just got married, or going through a job change, or involved in some sort of activity and that is what the topic of their conversation revolves around. It just comes out of their mouth before they know it.

So, when you are filled with the love of Jesus, and the love for Jesus, when you are filled with His word and He is your life, it just can't stay "bottled up" within you. If it does, perhaps you need to "check" your heart and see what is filling it. Yes, I know there are times to speak and not to speak, but when you do speak, if He is never your topic of conversation, then something is not right. And it is not right in your heart because that is where your conversation originates.

Have a great day. Whatever fills your heart comes out of your mouth- does Jesus' wonderful love and saving grace ever come out of your mouth?

For further reading:
Matthew 12:34
Jeremiah 20:9
Psalm 34:1; 69:1; 109:30