ATTENTION: This is a charge to all fellow believers in Christ.
A man of peace must soon arise. The wars between nations will not cease until that time. Christ is finishing the details of His return for His bride and all who believe in Him will soon be by His side. So prepare yourself. Ready your hearts. Repent for redemption is soon to save us out of this terrible place. Rid yourself from the cares of this world for soon they will be no more.
In the height of all the hatred we are surrounded by love is here. It is and should be abounding within us for this lost world. We do not preach a message of condemnation...but the message is still the same. We are to continue to offer his saving grace to those who are so blinded by their sin.
It has never been more vital to be the exact replica of who Jesus is no matter what the agenda, race, sex, age and, I cannot stress any More than this....even the sexual orientation. His grace and love is for everyone and his gospel should not be withheld from anyone.
To all Christians...stand up for the truth in love, remaining firm in the truth while never giving into compromise. Share your faith without fear. Speak out, speak up...don't shut up!! The world will try to stop you. With God we are an unstoppable, undefeated force!
"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, now is our salvation nearer then when we first believed" Romans 12:11
As you read this chapter,pay attention to all of the times it says, "He makes, 'He wraps',' He sets', 'You covered','He waters', and so forth. I love how the writer is constantly talking about what God does because nothing in creation would have come about if it were not for God. Nothing would know how to move or work without God.
Just as God created it, He set the rules for it's order. He set the time, the pace and the place for everything. He sets the boundaries and makes known it's limits. Nothing happens, nothing moves outside of the will of God. He has made all of creation to work together so that each part plays a role in providing for one another. It all serves a purpose.
Also, note that writer add all of the steps of creation into this chapter. vs. 1-2/ Gen 1:3 => Day 1 God created light vs.2-3/ Gen 1: 6 => Day 2 God created the heavens and water Vs.6-18/Gen 1:9-13 => Day 3 He created land and vegetation vs.19-23/Gen 1:14-16 => Day 4 God created the sun, moon and stars vs.25-62/ Gen 1:20-23 => Day 5 He made fish and birds vs. 21-24 and 27-30/ Gen 1:24-31 Day 6 he made animals and man, and food to sustain them.
I love how it says in verse 24, "in wisdom you made them all". Everything created is full of God's personality and character. You are made in God's image and his fingerprints are all over you! Isn't that amazing!?! Every detail of creation is specifically thought out and put together by God. Unlike evolution, creation is a masterpiece!. The theory of evolution and its disarray and chaos is ridiculous compared to God's marvelous work, and the efforts of it's proof are a waist of time.
If you read the story in Luke 15:11-32, you will find a young man full of selfishness, greed and irresponsibility born of a graceful father. The father in the story shows an image of God and his response to sin. It starts out with an obvious knowledge that there was something to be had. There was a wealthy inheritance to be divided among the two young men. The eldest one replicates a life of responsibility, patience and a pretty well rounded idea of what was good for him. It appears that his half of the inheritance had already been invested for good and greater things. The younger son was eager to have his share. I can just imagine how excited he was just thinking about all of the money that his father would give him. He was probably in his room packing as he was thinking about all of the things he would buy, all of the parties he would go to and all the self loathing he would do. Meanwhile, his father is gathering the young one's inheritance. He was probably questioning himself "should I do this? I don't know if I should do this. Maybe I should refuse to give him his half of the estate until I feel he is responsible enough". But he does something that is hard for all of us parents to do. While realizing that he could only hold onto his son so much, that he could only control very little at this point...he gives over the inheritance. He had to give his son the freedom to make mistakes and to learn from them. He hoped for the best but was uneasy at what might be the worst.
His son went out and lived it up lavishly. As you read on in the story, the money runs out, the "friends" fade away, the partying stops...and soon he has a need to work to fill his stomach. Now that he had nothing...everyone looked at him as nothing. The guy he probably got drunk with the night before had nothing better for him to do than to work with his pigs. As he starved, the people he once relied on for a good time would not even give him anything to eat!!
So the young son is working in the mud pits with a growling stomach and begins to wonder...."what am I doing here? I am such an idiot!!! The people that work for my own father have it better off than me and I threw everything away to lay in the mud with the pigs!" He probably reminisced over how life used to be and how good he had it. Something began to change in him. His sinful lifestyle had exhausted him and left him ashamed. He had self acknowledgement that he had sinned against his father and against God.
So he came up with plan. He decided he was going to go home and make peace with his father. There was no reasoning as to what he should say to his father. It was simple for him.There were no excuses or justifications for his actions. Just pure and simple recognition of his sin, and his need for forgiveness. He picked himself up and went home to meet his father. In his mind he must have imagined that he would walk down the long path that led to his fathers house and that he would have to initiate the greeting between him and his father. He must have thought that he would have to beg for forgiveness and a helping hand. He probably went as far to fear that his father might just reject him because of his sinful ways. But,pay close attention to hat happens next. Take a second to help me set of the scene in modern times. The father is sitting on the porch. Its hot, and bright from the sun. He sees someone,almost like a mirage, walking down the long path to the house. He stands up in disbelief and unsure doubt that this person walking his way just might be his long lost son. He realizes it is his wayward son!!!
In verse 20 it says "when he saw him, he was filled with compassion for him". Sometimes our idea of forgiveness is when we encounter someone for the first time in a long time who has wronged us,we wait to see what their reaction is because we know that the sin they committed had to have instantly come to mind when being graced with our presence! We wait for the apology before we are willing to converse about anything else. But that is not the case in this story. He did not wait for his son to apologize. He did not wait for his son to explain decisions before reaching out his arms to him. If you want to to know what I think...I think the father forgave his son long before this sudden encounter. because it as upon seeing his son that he felt compassion. He didn't have to think about what his reaction would be. He was not worried about trying to play it off. He did not have to gather his thoughts before meeting him face to face. He was filled with immediate goodness. It was the recognition of sin, the heartfelt repentance and desired recompense that instantly began to heal their wounded relationship. But it was the natural love of the father that put all of the pieces of his sons life back together.
So he sees his son from a good distance, he is filled with all goodness and compassion for his son. I can imagine he must have either got teary eyed or started crying! But he does not wait for his son to reach him. Yet, he takes off running after his son. His son must have been excited, confused and deeply touched to receive such a forgiving welcome. But he soaks it all in as his father wraps his arms around him despite the possibility that he might have been covered in dried mud and that he smelled like the bad end of a pig! He kissed his dirty face and welcomed him home. But the prodigal would not have any peace if he did not tell his father exactly hat he intended to say. He says "Father, I have sinned against God and I have sinned against you. I do not deserve to be called your son" (The Message). And here is where we see a sad view of what he thought of himself. He felt so unworthy of his fathers grace. He had a hard time comprehending his fathers forgiveness towards him. In his mind he was a disgrace, he was shamed. His actions were inappropriate beyond repair and his deeds were inexcusable. He was so down on himself that he could not even lift his head. His eyes were so full of tears that he could not see. He offers his father a proposition by asking him to hire him as one of his servants, to repay him for the pain he caused. In reading the fathers response, I would say it went much like this..." 'Are you kidding!', he says with a laugh. Don't be ridiculous!' ". So he throws his arm around his sons neck and leads him up the path to the house while telling his servants "Bring the best robe and a ring to put on his finger and sandals for his feet! get the fattest calf so we can feast and celebrate! For my son has returned home!"
Verse 24 says "he was dead and now he is alive". What an amazing recognition of his son's repentance! He did not shrug off his son's contriteness to forget about the past and move on. But he accepted it because he knew his son meant it. He made known his son's decision to be dead in sin, but praised the 180 buy now exclaiming that his son is now dead to sin and is alive again!
There is another part of recognition here. The oldest son heard of his brother coming home and the great celebration that was about to take place because of it and he became angry and resentful. His father pleads with him to be just as he was towards his rebel kin and to join them in this joyous occasion....but I can see where the eldest son felt preceded and unrecognized. He felt left out and wanted to know from his father why his brother receives this big celebration while he seems to have no credit for his faithfulness, trustworthiness and hard work. But his father reassures him that everything he owns is no his. He assured his son that because of his faithfulness to him that he is his right hand man. But he also tries to get his older son to understand the great transformation that took place....and that is always something to be celebrated. Although the father knew that the trust would have to be rebuilt, he knew that forgiveness was key to their relationship and mending their family.
The example of the father's grace towards his son was not so great that it lessened the severity of his sin. When it comes to sin it is very important to remember that it is never about hate or pointing fingers. It is about the effectiveness of the gospel and love for the person in sin. It is also about the compromise of sin. Looking at the story of the prodigal son, it is so captivating to open our arms as God does, which is pictured by the father in this story. But here is the condition that makes this story so great. It is the penitence and the sorrow over his sin. He did not bring his sin home with him with an "accept me as I am or don't" attitude. It does not matter how long he was away in his life of sin, the moral of the story and the force behind it's atonement is that he realizes the severity of his mistakes and leaves them behind him in the pig pen. he then comes back and does not even expect to be given the same position he had when he left.. And yet we see the effectiveness and meaning behind God's love and forgiveness because he is given everything back and plus some.
Don't miss the point that he new the importance before hand of repenting, lamenting or being sorrowful for his sin. Its urged that we as Christians embrace the world with loving arms, but that we do not go soft and compromise when it comes to the matter of sin. Truth remains and cannot be changed. And sometimes its fact is harsh and should not be compromised.
As you go through the bible you will come upon many stories of Jesus or God calling people out of their sin. They came out of it with all seriousness and did not return to their sin. It's one thing to recall your life and how you lived it in comparison to your redeemed life currently to give praise to God for it. But it is another to look back on sin wishing you were still in it. When Jesus called Mary Magdalene and the women at the well out of their lives of dirt and prostitution, they left their old life behind them.
It is so important to stand up for the truth in love. Speaking of the women at the well (John 4:1-42), she did not even know Jesus. This was their first interaction. But Jesus met her where she was in her life at that moment, an adulterer...a whore if you will. And he spoke to her about her conduction in life. He knew it all and forgave her. He did not lessen the severity of her sin, but called it for what it was. He said "Now, go and get your husband". The woman replied "but I don't have a husband". Jesus already knew this. He exclaimed, "I know you are trying to make yourself look better, but you have had 5 husbands and the man you are with now is not your husband.". He brought her to the place of recognition and love with a lack of judgement.
God's arms are open wide for anyone who will come to him, and we praise Him for that. But that only comes by repentance without justification. It is NOT holding on to sin hoping that God will change his mind or misconstrue the definition of sin. His opinion of Sin is not as minor as our opinions of whether we like bacon or not. Romans 1:18-19 says "But God's angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is!" (The Message).
When we give our lives over to Christ, our sin no longer holds us captive. We are freed due to the redemption of Jesus Christ. It is by His grace that we receive the remission of sins and are still loved by home and taken in as children of God. We receive a new identity as well as an abundance from his inheritance. What we have done before does not change who we are before the eyes of God. We were once deemed unfit, unjust and unworthy. But he has held us up. He has made us worthy.
A common phrase in society is to just "follow your heart" or "do whatever feels right". If everybody followed their heart the world would be depressed about 95 % of the time. Because the thing about the heart and its emotions is that they cannot always be trusted. Emotions waver all of the time. Sometimes we love people that are not good for us. Our minds know it, but out hearts do not. Feelings can be so full of sin such as hate, bitterness, lust, envy and so on (Matthew 15:19)...so for something to include such negativity should not always be trusted. Something that can waiver and go up and down like a roller coaster should not always be trusted. Like that saying "go with your gut feeling". Well, that gut feeling is not always what we should do. I leave some room in there for optimism because our emotions and feelings are not always bad...especially when they are GOD DIRECTED.
A heart not directed by God will often pull you in any and every direction that our desires wish to lead us. Keep in mind, I do not write this to condemn but to show you OUR need for Jesus in OUR lives...and I exemplify the word "our" because I am human and I do fall into this mistake many times.
To say "follow your heart" sounds romantic, exciting and bold to be taking such risk. But ultimately it merely means to chase after whatever feels right at the moment even if it may not be right at all. To trust in your feelings and your emotions is to accept danger while throwing warning and cautiousness out the window. Proverbs 28:26 says "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but He who walks wisely will be delivered".
Feelings are unreliable because they fluctuate on circumstance which, mind you, is not safe at all. What feels right at the peak of beautiful emotion can feel like an ugly mistake a few years later.
Jeremiah 17:9 says "the heart is more deceitful than all else and it desperately sick.Who can understand it?" - the heart is corrupt.
Ecclesiastes 10:2 says "A wise man's heart directs him towards the right, but the foolish man's heart directs him towards the left". Just as your heart can lead you to love, peace, kindness, grace and so on it can also lead you to hatred, murder, adultery, selfishness and deceit. Don't be deceived and allow the world and your self gratifying feelings to lead you into things that are ready to ensnare you.
Psalm 37:4 says "delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart". That does not mean to say that you love God is to gain everything that you want. yet it means if we are living for Him and seeking out his will daily then His desires become our own and it is His will and His desires being played out in our lives.
What does the Bible say about "following your heart"? It actually does not tell you to do that at all. The Bible presents an even greater challenge, and that is to LEAD your heart. You can lead it by taking full responsibility for its status and path.
So you might ask,"how do I LEAD my heart". Here is the instructions. 1. Proverbs 23:17 “Do not let your heart envy sinners.” 2. Proverbs 23:19 “Direct your heart in the way.” 3. Proverbs 23:26 “Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes delight in my ways.” 4. 1 Kings 8:61 “Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the Lord our God.” 5. John 14:27 “Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” 6. James 4:8 “Purify your hearts.” 7. James 5:8 “Strengthen your hearts.”
- Check your heart - Do you know where it is? - Guard your heart - Proverbs 4:23, Proverbs 6:25, Psalm 62:10 - Set your heart - above where Christ is seated. Colossians 3:1 you can choose to take your heart off of the wrong things and set them on the right things. - Invest in your heart - because your heart is worth it. Don't wait until you FEEL like doing the right thing.
I dont pretend to know everything, but I can tell you that I know the difference of "Following your heart" and "leading your heart". Ive been in the painful places where my heart has led me. And I have been in the place of peace where God has led me.
Do you desire the things of God? Are you seeking out His will for your life, or are you going by the "seat of your pants" or "going wherever the wind blows"? It is impossible for your heart to be led by the spirit of God if you are not daily seeking him, serving him and relying on Him.
You have to make your own decisions. I tell you out of love what you need to know, while the world implores you to "just do it". God has a plan for you that is not your own. But, like you, I have had to find out the hard way. I was once led by feelings and emotions and my heart became like a rock in which hurt me so much. I pray that you will one day experience what it is like to be so blessed by God that you KNOW the direction in which you should take.
A heart that is led displays confidence, assurance and a definite lack of fear.
