"God Doesn't Make Junk" Part 2

From Part One:

"In the post to follow I'll explore the contrasts the Bible gives of people that are headed for hell, and those whom the Lord restores by the power of His might, myself being one of the latter. He didn't have to save me, He could have let me continue to follow the piper happily dancing my way to a hell that I fully and truly deserve. However His grace stopped me from continuing on that path, and He provided me with the wisdom that had me put down my fleshy philosophizing, and all my worldly arrogance, and seek Him with my whole heart though at times I thought I would die from the horrid things I had to face about myself as His Spirit revealed what He had to clean up in me...."

Contrasts are quite revealing, and there are many in the Bible. Today I took a page of printer paper, folded it in half, and listed the traits

On Being Thankful

When I think of being thankful I honestly know that I am never, NEVER, thankful enough. I've seen bloggers have "thankful Thursdays", and there is nothing wrong with that, however it just serves to remind me how meager the thanks offerings we offer up are, and rarely do I see people talk about how thankful they are for being made new in Christ having the awful deep gross stain of sin removed. People often talk about

"God Doesn't Make Junk" Part One

This is a quote I've heard often...and it is true, yet and however, the Bible does tell us that the good that God created had a potential for becoming bad, and as we can see, it did.

The things of this world, including you and I, are decaying and dying. Yet God made a way to infuse us with His Spirit, but it is done under His conditions, and He causes the healthy changes, not our will...not our religion, not our goodness...His power, His will and done His way.

I've done quite a few posts on the topic of falling away on my other blog I wanted to have this blog to focus more on the Bible, mostly on refreshing and uplifting topics...

The "god" of This World

The devil is deceitful, everyone knows that, right? Well, maybe with the exception of outright satanists, who in a sense have it the most correct of the worldly religions. The satanists worship Lucifer, satan, as "god". Everyone who worships any other god  than the "God of the Bible" worships satan. This world's false religions include The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddhism, Mohammedism, Roman Catholicism, the Sikh religion, Shintoism, Seventh day Adventism, secularism, humanism, and even Judaism, just to name some of the more common ones, and ALL OF THESE worship satan, whether they know it, or believe it.....or not. The truth remains what it is no matter who wants to believe whatever they may want to believe. Their god that they worship (even if it is themselves that they worship---truthfully it usually is) well, this "god" is the god of this world, and he (satan) is powerless to save them. He (satan) can only keep them deceived and worshiping himself to their complete destruction and downfall. How do I know this? The Bible tells me this.

2Co 4:2  But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.
2Co 4:3  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.
2Co 4:4  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.(ESV)

Street Preaching Part 8

Street preaching is tough, no doubt, and I applaud ANYONE who attempts to go out and "make a fool of themselves" for Christ, because this has to be one of the most thankless things you can do, especially these days.

However, I do think there are things, suggestions, that might be helpful in honing this activity and doing it so that it can have the most benefit. Of course first and foremost one should be scripturally sound in doctrine being presented.

This article lists some additional helpful suggestions if one feels led to preach on the streets:

http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2013/09/thoughts-on-street-preaching.php

The Vision

Habakkuk 2:3  For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end--it will not lie.

 If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come;
it will not delay. 

Habakkuk 2:4  "Behold, his soul is puffed up;

 it is not upright within him,

 but the righteous shall live by his faith. (KJV)

We must if we truly believe the Lord, wait on Him, wait on His timing. A true belief doesn't one day say "Ok, it wasn't ever true"...it hangs on through thick and thin because the Holy Spirit within him/her is true and He won't ever let go of His own.

If anyone ever says God is untrue, he/she is deceived, and trying to get others to join him/her in his/her deception. Don't let such a one recruit you into their delusion but hold fast to what the Lord says, through His power, by His Spirit, and prove to yourself that your election is true.

A Wretch Like Me

"Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I'm found; was blind but now I see"

How many "Christians" say those words without accepting the truth of them? How many truly believe that they are a "wretch" (utterly depraved person headed for hell) who needs saving grace?

From what I can see, there are many that don't accept or believe they are truly "that bad". If that was the case, then Jesus died for nothing, because then everyone would enter into His kingdom.

From Such Withdraw Yourself

 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;  He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.  But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:3-6 (KJV)

Faith and Trust

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (KJV)

I was thinking about these two words today. They go together, don't they? The faith that we have in Jesus comes from developing a relationship of trusting Him. It is the belief that what He says is true, whether other people believe Him or not, whether it seems to make sense to us or not, an assurance and a conviction that He is and does all the things that are written about Him and more. He is more real and true than anything we now experience as real and true in this world of shadows though we only "see" Him in what He does for us...IF we have the eyes to see. He provides for all that we need, and even those in deepest poverty have all that they truly need in Him because the suffering that they now have to suffer will be turned to joy as they are the first and most honored of His brothers and sisters in His kingdom though at this time, in this world, they are the last, the bottom of the barrel. He asks those who have more to show their trust and devotion to Him by providing food and raiment to those who don't have much here. That is how we "the bride" care for His home on earth, to care for His children in need...to pray for those who are lost, and blind, and needy.

God's Outlaw

Last weekend my husband and I watched a video I purchased at our nearby Christian bookstore entitled: "God's Outlaw; The Story of William Tyndale"

As the story unfolds it brings up the Roman Catholic argument that it is dangerous for the laity to read the Bible because they lack the education to be able to do so, and that it takes men who are well trained to be able to explain what is needful for us to know from God's word. It was the means by which the RCC kept control of it's members. In William Tyndale's time the English speaking people had to hear the scriptures read in Latin, and it was a crime punishable by death to even pray in English.

The Saddest Words in the Bible

 John 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (KJV)

 To me those are the saddest words in the whole Bible. There are several methods to "walk no more with Him", they involve rejecting what He said, to follow some other teacher who has a "better message". They stopped following because they believed not.

 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.   And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.   Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?   He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. John 6:64-71 (KJV)

Truth

Do we, as Christians, believe Jesus words? Is God's word true? Or are the philosophies that say "There are distortions" or "There are contradictions" or "The Bible's message changed throughout the ages, hell was added later" are these the ones telling the truth?

What did Jesus say?

Jesus said "there WILL BE weeping and gnashing of teeth"  5 times recorded in the gospels.

Matthew 8:12

Matthew 22:13

Matthew 24:51

Matthew 25:30

Luke 13:28

Regarding the sheep and the goats, Jesus said:

Matthew 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.(KJV)

He couldn't really have meant EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT could He? That's probably a mistranslation...or probably that was added later by a monk who was having a bad day...either we believe the Bible, or we will want to change it and believe those who say "it couldn't really have meant it the way it is being exegeted, it must have changed over time or mistranslated". Jesus is "too loving" to allow for this, isn't He?

What about this famous passage:

Matthew 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Matthew 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (KJV)


The way that leads to Jesus is narrow and few find it...what? How unfair! No that cannot be true. The Bible must be lying. It actually says "EVERYONE GOES TO HEAVEN, THERE IS NO HELL" doesn't it? I heard a college professor tell people so when she explained how the Bible's message added hell after the time of Daniel. That's probably where Jesus got the idea, right? Then do you also not believe that Jesus is God and was with the Father from the beginning? Do you also not believe that He raised Lazarus from the dead and that He Himself is raised from the dead?

Jesus said:

Luke 16:31  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (KJV)

So who shall we believe? Jesus? Or shall we change things around a bit so that we will "feel better" about ourselves and get around those sticky verses that make us uncomfortable. Let's just make it that EVERYONE goes to heaven. Forget about what Jesus said, that stuff about the straight and narrow that not many will find. Who needs it? Too depressing. Everyone can go, because all we have to do is change what we believe and then all is well. Who cares where such philosophies will lead to because everyone will go to heaven. Period. End of discussion. You can talk all you want to, but now that I have my mind made up, no one, not even Jesus, can change it.

REALLY?

Matthew 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Matthew 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Matthew 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Matthew 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. (KJV)


What foundation do you have your ideas based on? Feelings? Theories? Someone's new religion? Or is it based on what Jesus said?

The only sin that can keep us from truly being born again is rejecting the truth and filling ourselves up with vain doctrines of men. Jesus said to enter into His kingdom we must be born again. It has to be all of Him in our lives, to be regenerated by His Spirit.

 Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Romans 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Romans 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (KJV)


and remember:

 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,  
 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.   
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.  
 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 
 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 
 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.  
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.   
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.   
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Matthew 5:2-13 (KJV)

Don't believe the lies. There are many of them "out there". Some do it to make a profit. Some do it to get around the truth of God's word because they think it is "too hard"...it's impossible without the Spirit...you must be born again. There's no way around it. Is that unfair? Is that mean and unloving? No. It just is the way it is. Those who reject it are the unloving ones, because they reject the way of Truth, the way of our merciful and loving God.

The Root of the Problem

In Monday's blog entry I included an excerpt by C.H. Spurgeon that had this quote:

"Piety produced by the damps of sorrow and the heats of terror is of mushroom growth; it is rapid in its springing up—"they enquired early after God"—but it is a mere unsubstantial fungus of unabiding excitement."

It reminds me of this from Jesus:


 Luke 8:6  And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.


Luke 8:9  And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
Luke 8:10  And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

 Luke 8:13  They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

There are a few things to notice in this passage:

!. In this soil-type (rock) Jesus first says as soon as it was sprung up it withered away "because it lacked moisture" but in His explanation He says "these have no root".

Think about this for a moment...if a plant has "no root", how can it draw up moisture into the plant? How can it draw up "living water" into the plant?

There is a depth and quality to the plant that is in healthy soil which is lacking in this plant, which only grows "on the surface". Something deep where other people do not see, but Jesus sees, is not happening in these "plants" (converts). The book of Matthew (Matthew 13:21) adds that it is as persecution arises, they are offended. They want all of the goodies with none of the bother and difficulties. When they hear about hell, or suffering, they think "A God who truly loves me wouldn't put me through all of that. This isn't for me".

2. Notice that the disciples didn't understand the parable, and Jesus says to them that others have not been given, but they are given  to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Why? Because they confessed that they didn't understand, and they ASKED HIM to explain the meaning to them. They didn't go to a secular or "secular Christian" source to understand the meaning, the sought the answer from Jesus.

3. In the parable Jesus first says the seedlings on the rocky soil "sprang up", giving the picture that they rose quickly, and in His explanation He says that they receive the word with joy, and that they believe "for a while" What a sad commentary on what we see all around us. I can turn on TBN or other televised "Christian shows" which have people jumping up and down and crying or laughing and swaying with their hands up in the air. You would think this land is in full revival, and yet....where are these people in real life? What happens to them once they exit their pews? Will such "converts" still "love the Lord" when the heavy persecution comes? I hope so, but according to Jesus words, they have no real root. It is all on the surface for show. Their is no real depth to their love.

I too confess that this was something that I sought the Lord over. I didn't want to be a false convert, who only wanted to look pious so that others would admire me for "my goodness" because that is what Jesus rejected the Pharisees over. I knew that I had to be better than that, and saw from the scriptures if I relied on myself to understand the Lord, I would be "ever learning and never coming to a knowledge of the truth", even if I studied only the Bible every day of my life but never turned to Jesus to understand what I was reading, it would all be for nothing. He has to be the One to explain it, to give life and root to His word. Otherwise we become like the Greeks or the Pharisees and Sadducees in their vain philosophies and empty traditions. But Jesus brings true life to His word, and nourishes from the ground up in our inner being where no one but He can see our true development into members of His true kingdom.

I pray for more seed to fall on "good ground" that has deep roots into the truth of God's word, instead of shallow "Christians" that love all the vain philosophies that abound.

More on Flattery, From One of the Best Preachers Ever

  I tend to think that things were much much better in the 1800's. I love reading books that were written prior to 1930 because they seem to have real substance compared to what I see written today. It is hard for me to imagine it being "that bad" in Spurgeon's day. I wonder how he would view what he would see today if he were here today. When I read this (following excerpt) at Lyn's blog  I couldn't help but see this very thing still going on today, and of course it has always been there, we always have the problems of the flesh to deal with in our fallen state, and of course many in the church in each generation believes their generation is much worse than the one previous to the current one (my hubby keeps reminding me of the fact that I'm getting old this being one of the evidences for it). I cannot stand falseness, and it seems I used to have much more patience or rather I should say TOLERANCE for falseness and flattery and weakness being interpreted as being "loving". So what follows is for me a breath of fresh air break from the current atmosphere of caustic false fumes of false love:

False flattery

 From Psalm 78...

Verse 36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth. Bad were they at their best. False on their knees, liars in their prayers. Mouth worship must be very detestable to God when dissociated from the heart: other kings love flattery, but the King of kings abhors it. Since the sharpest afflictions only extort from carnal men a feigned submission to God, there is proof positive that the heart is desperately set on mischief, and that sin is ingrained in our very nature. If you beat a tiger with many stripes you cannot turn him into a sheep. The devil cannot be whipped out of human nature, though another devil, namely, hypocrisy may be whipped into it. Piety produced by the damps of sorrow and the heats of terror is of mushroom growth; it is rapid in its springing up—"they enquired early after God"—but it is a mere unsubstantial fungus of unabiding excitement. And they lied unto him with their tongues. Their godly speech was cant, their praise mere wind, their prayer a fraud. Their skin deep repentance was a film too thin to conceal the deadly wound of sin. This teaches us to place small reliance upon professions of repentance made by dying men, or upon such even when the basis is evidently slavish fear, and nothing more. Any thief will whine out repentance if he thinks the judge will thereby be moved to let him go scot free.

Verse 37. For their heart was not right with him. There was no depth in their repentance, it was not heart work. They were fickle as a weathercock, every wind turned them, their mind was not settled upon God. Neither were they stedfast in his covenant. Their promises were no sooner made than broken, as if only made in mockery. Good resolutions called at their hearts as men do at inns; they tarried awhile, and then took their leave. They were hot today for holiness, but cold towards it tomorrow. Variable as the hues of the dolphin, they changed from reverence to rebellion, from thankfulness to murmuring. One day they gave their gold to build a tabernacle for Jehovah, and the next they plucked off their earrings to make a golden calf. Surely the heart is a chameleon. Proteus had not so many changes. As in the ague we both burn and freeze, so do inconstant natures in their religion.
Verse 38. But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not. Though they were full of flattery, he was full of mercy, and for this cause he had pity on them. Not because of their pitiful and hypocritical pretensions to penitence, but because of his own real compassion for them he overlooked their provocations. Yea, many a time turned he his anger away. When he had grown angry with them he withdrew his displeasure. Even unto seventy times seven did he forgive their offences. He was slow, very slow, to anger. The sword was uplifted and flashed in midair, but it was sheathed again, and the nation yet lived. Though not mentioned in the text, we know from the history that a mediator interposed, the man Moses stood in the gap; even so at this hour the Lord Jesus pleads for sinners, and averts the divine wrath. Many a barren tree is left standing because the dresser of the vineyard cries, "let it alone this year also." And did not stir up all his wrath. Had he done so they must have perished in a moment. When his wrath is kindled but a little men are burned up as chaff; but were he to let loose his indignation, the solid earth itself would melt, and hell would engulf every rebel. Who knoweth the power of thine anger, O Lord? We see the fulness of God's compassion, but we never see all his wrath.
Verse 39. For he remembered that they were but flesh. They were forgetful of God, but he was mindful of them. He knew that they were made of earthy, frail, corruptible material, and therefore he dealt leniently with them. Though in this he saw no excuse for their sin, yet he constrained it into a reason for mercy; the Lord is ever ready to discover some plea or other upon which he may have compassion. A wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. Man is but a breath, gone never to return. Spirit and wind are in this alike, so far as our humanity is concerned; they pass and cannot be recalled. What a nothing is our life. How gracious on the Lord's part to make man's insignificance an argument for staying his wrath.
Verse 40. How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness. Times enough did they rebel: they were as constant in provocation as he was in his patience. In our own case, who can count his errors? In what book could all our perverse rebellions be recorded? The wilderness was a place of manifest dependence, where the tribes were helpless without divine supplies, yet they wounded the hand which fed them while it was in the act of feeding them. Is there no likeness between us and them? Does it bring no tears into our eyes, while as in a glass, we see our own selves? And grieve him in the desert. Their provocations had an effect; God was not insensible to them, he is said to have been grieved. His holiness could not find pleasure in their sin, his justice in their unjust treatment, or his truth in their falsehood. What must it be to grieve the Lord of love! Yet we also have vexed the Holy Spirit, and he would long ago have withdrawn himself from us, were it not that he is God and not man. We are in the desert where we need our God, let us not make it a wilderness of sin by grieving him.

C.H. Spurgeon, from the Treasury of David

I edited to highlight all the good parts...I might as well have highlighted every word. Oh how I pray the Lord will pour out His spirit so people will stop all their bogus philosophizing and actually learn from the Lord Himself...and I'm not talking about people crediting their own vanity to the Holy Spirit, but actually begin speaking the truth of what the Bible actually says, and supporting what the Lord says to us with expounding on the truth, not all the silly "new" information we now have to suffer through. 

Flattery? Or Truth? Which Shall it Be?

This has been on my mind for several months now. I notice within myself this tendency to want to flatter others because it gets me (((((((((hugs))))))))) and KUDOS back. Who doesn't "love" that? Our flesh loves flattery, both to give it and to receive it. Empty, fluffy, sweet nothings, like empty calories, that give you a momentary "buzz".

There's a difference between "encouraging" and "flattering". How can we tell the difference? When someone wears a really terrible looking dress, too low cut revealing a bit too much cleavage, too short revealing the undergarments, and you say "You look lovely! I love that dress on you!"....what's the harm right? A little "white lie" never hurt anyone, did it?

What about the "white lies" regarding the truth of God's word? It's so much easier to agree with error, and to encourage people in their delusions than to have to break it to them that the Gospel includes repentance, which means acknowledgment of the fact that even our righteousness appears to God like used menstrual pads (according to Isaiah)...so imagine what the rest looks like, if that is our "righteousness". Much easier to say "God loves you just as you are"....actually that is not quite what the Bible reveals. We come just as we are, He died for sinners so that He can redeem them (us) from sin.

The worst of all sins is pride, because that was the sin that caused satan to fall from God's grace. Pride keeps us from acknowledging our sin, keeps us from coming to Christ for true cleansing. It keeps us thinking that we aren't as bad as some people, so God must think we are alright. Judas was prideful, and he thought Jesus was getting it all wrong. Judas looked down on the woman who broke costly ointment on Jesus' feet because that money could have gone to feed the poor. That sounds righteous, doesn't it? I could just see the other disciples agreeing with Judas and telling Jesus "What a waste!".

When confronted with whether to stand for or against perversion, such as homosexuality, it is so much easier, and seems so much more loving too, to say "It's just a preference, there's nothing wrong with it, it's between consenting adults so live and let live".... except the Bible tells us that those who do not repent of it go to hell, so "encouraging" (flattering) people in this is encouraging them straight to hell.

The truth, on the other hand, is considered "harsh" and "unloving". To encourage someone truly, we should tell them about the cleansing fountain that is available to those who repent of their sins...even that "little sin" called pride. Pride says we know more than God, and that a little sin shouldn't  send anyone to hell...and that God is very wrong to set things up this way. Pride says the God of the Bible is an angry and vindictive being who loves to send people to hell.

Jesus showed the truth about who God really is. He is humble. He is loving. He healed all who asked Him for healing. He raised the dead. He raised Himself. He loved us enough to even lay down His humble earthen vessel on our behalf...but those who say He is hateful, vindictive, angry, etc, are those very things that they accuse God of. God is holding a mirror to their face because truly they are worshiping themselves, so their "god" truly is all that they say. But beware, if you tell them the truth, they won't love you for it. Their claws and fangs will come out all the more. Jesus had the same thing happen with the chief priests and Pharisees. The people who thought they were the most (self)righteous were also the most hateful when it was pointed out to them.

But we who are of the truth, must speak the truth, in love, because if we do not tell them they will go to hell unwarned. If you warn them and they say all manner of hateful stuff to you, REJOICE, because the same thing happened to the OT prophets and to Jesus Himself.

Let us not be flatterers. Let's tell the truth, God has given us the authority to do so, and thereby we also risk losing brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, and friends, because some of them might realize the truth, and then escape the destiny that we all deserve.

Heaven or Hell?

How can a loving God send countless people to hell?

Have you heard that one before? Yeah, plenty of times, eh? It goes along with "How can a loving God allow war?" or "How can a loving God allow starving children in Africa to go on starving and dying horrible deaths?" or "How can a loving God who is all knowing create a devil?"

The bottomline is God is Creator, and His ways are not our ways... and that may seem like a "cop out" or hiding one's head in the sand and not being realistic...to the way of the flesh, that is.

1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1Co 2:15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (KJV)

The ways of God are foolishness to those who are after the flesh. Worldly wisdom may seem wise, it has a "form of godliness" but it is minus His power.

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2Ti 3:6  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (KJV)

The way of the world does have a "godliness" about it, but it is a fleshy godliness that still needs to be submitted to a holy God. It is not true godliness, and it denies His power because it is still relying on the power of itself, it's own fleshy wisdom and it's own fleshy "goodness" instead of surrendering all completely as a lowly beggar that has nothing to offer God, begging for His mercy to transform what seems good into what is truly good, through His power, His blood, His forgiveness of sin. It is a narrow way because most people want to find another way that doesn't require giving up their own sense of self-righteousness. I know it because that flesh still tugs at me too, wanting to be something when I know it is nothing. This shell, this bag of bones, I will one day lay down, and anything that is not "of Christ" will die with it. Everything that God has done in me and through me through the forgiveness of sins by His blood sacrifice, whatever is to be found in me that is from HIM alone, not from me and my flesh, will be brought to Himself to be with Him in glory. My flesh would not be able to stand the purity of His presence, the fire of holiness would be too much for me, but by His grace, He offers the ability to enter boldly to His throne, the extreme holiness of His presence, that purges away all sin, that burns away all self-love, and every prideful thing, piercing us with His penetrating gaze that sees everything that is not of Him, knocking us to our knees crying "Lord don't look on me, I am but a sinner!" because His powerful holiness is too much for us to bear in our flesh...but such knowledge is from God, and through such admission of guilt He has mercy and gives us what we cannot and do not deserve. It goes against our pride. It goes against our human logic. It goes against worldly wisdom. It purges it all out, and if we are found in Him we know it is because of what He has done, and not of ourselves. We are garbage. We are worse than garbage. And yet He loves us even when we are worse than the worst stinking garbage you can imagine. If you don't accept that, you are not His, because those who are His know the truth about ourselves, and cry for mercy for real...and not that faked acting I have seen which many do to try to earn His holy acceptance. Those who worship God worship Him TRULY, not holding anything back for themselves but giving it all up to be purged of sin.

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (KJV)

What do you have right now that is worth eternity in hell? What do you want to hold on to that is worth more than forgiveness of your sin? What pride? What self-worth? What self-knowledge or worldly wisdom? Give it all up. Repent. Look at yourself honestly as the Lord sees you. See that the flesh is nothing but dirt with life breathed into it from God, and if it is from God we have nothing to boast of. Whatever we boast or think is more important than what God has determined, is garbage, and filth, and worthy of hell. Give it up so God will remove it far from you.

What is grace if it is deserved? Is it still grace? No. Grace is grace because we do not deserve it, not even a tiny bit.

If there is no hell, what are we saved from? Yes there is a hell, believe it or not, it matters not whether you believe in it because whether we want to believe or not believe does not change the truth of it. The truth remains whether you want to believe it or not. Reject the truth at your own peril. Hold on to your worldly wisdom and your pride in your own knowledge that leads to nothing but your own undoing and you have no one to blame but yourself. You can try to blame others, but the truth is before you.

The kingdom of God is at hand, and Jesus has made the way, the straight and narrow way that most people in their pride and love of this world will decide is not good enough. He will redeem His own, and His own love Him more than this world and more than self-love, and more than the love of this world. His own will love Him with the love He gives to them, and will not love their own lives even unto death, even unto martyrdom, as He loved us, so we will love Him.

Choose this day whom you will serve; yourself, or reject all that is yourself in favor of the love of the Lord, laying down your life and your pride, just as He did when He died..... for those who are His.

If you have done this, given it all up, surrendered it all at the alter of God's forgiveness and grace, then the questions at the top of this post no longer hold any relevance to you. They are questions that only have merit if you still regard this world as something that we must redeem completely. If you think that this world and everything in it must be brought to heaven by hook or by crook, and if that is impossible, then God is somehow defective, the truth is not in you. But when you have rejected all such worldly wisdom as part of the junk, the trash, realizing that nothing in this world is "deserving" of anything but the trash-heap, then you see how merciful God truly is, because He sent His own Son to redeem what He will out of it, making something out of what was nothing, taking trash and making a treasure out of it.

What love is this? The kind of love the world has rejected. The kind of love the world will call hateful, because it (the world) is hateful, but it (the world) sees not it's own hatefulness. That is the kind of love God has, completely undeserved, completely true, completely holy and pure, not like this world is: selfish, boastful, hateful...yet telling itself it is NOT selfish, boastful and hateful.

We fool ourselves, unless the Lord sets us straight, and He does this out of mercy and grace, not because He HAS TO, but because He desires to.

The Book of Acts

I just completed reading the book of Acts of the Apostles...again....and it was great to read it anew. There is so much packed into every verse in every book of the Bible that you cannot "get it" all in one reading, and often on the first reading you may focus on minor points that have no bearing on the main thrust of the message, and link various of these minor points together incorrectly and make a mess of the message, lol. That is why it takes years and several readings, and the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit, Who doesn't give us everything in one dose.

On reading it this time, I focused in on what the apostles were saying. What was their message? They were telling the people what they had witnessed in Jesus the Messiah, and that they were direct witnesses of His resurrection from the dead.

Here is a video of a young minister (he looks like a kid to me) expounding on the book of Acts. One thing that I enjoy from his message is the fact that many (just like the people of Jesus and Paul's day) were only interested in miracles and signs. This young minister, Caleb Schaller, says (24 minutes in) "the miracles were to confirm the message" (Acts ch 16) and "Christianity with no miracles would still have the message of sins forgiven through Christ, Christianity with miracles but no message would have very little to offer." Excellent point.