my time with Him this morning very sobering, but needed...
spending time daily in the Word never gets old.. living in this society where everything is okay, as long as you feel it is, to read the truth, black and white is very refreshing..
as a professed follower of Christ I CANNOT buy into the culture of this day.
I have to stick closely to what the Bible tells me, and, like it is for children, it is better to have clear boundaries,
it definitely helps with feeling safe.. knowing what is right and what is not.
we cannot be falling into the category that Paul writes about to Timothy..
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. ( 2 Timothy 4: 3+4)
when asked today, many people will say they believe in God... many say they are spiritual...
I personally know many that will claim that "their" God is not like mine.. their God is okay with revenge, wouldn't want them to stay and suffer in a marriage that just didn't work.. their God wouldn't be that narrow-minded and be against so many things that just felt so right...
truth is, they have made a God up in their own minds, from things they have heard or read, things that have been passed down and things that make sense to them... things that will "tickle their ears" because it allows them to do whatever they want...
I am very thankful to "my" God, that He did not let me settle for any of "these" gods... because, let's face it, if everyone can make up their own, there are gazillion "gods" out there..
which one is right, or which set of rules is, or what is their assurance of spending eternity with that god?
My God has revealed Himself throughout "His Story" , He revealed Himself by living on this earth in human form, becoming the ultimate sacrifice for us... I do not have to be a "good" person... because, what is good enough to be a good person? how many "bad" things can I do before I am not good anymore?
All my God wants from me is to believe that He is the One and Only God and that by His Son dying on the cross for my sins ( and there are many... and sadly I will be adding more and more during the rest of my time here on earth.. hopefully less and less as He grows me up and I surrender myself to His will daily) I am now forgiven, not good, but forgiven... through that my relationship with Him is restored and I am enjoying closeness with Him that can never be taken away... it is an eternal relationship that has already begun... it actually began 17 and half years ago....
I am glad that He has also revealed Himself through His Word, I am glad that it is the eldest, published in most languages, widely read book today... but it is not just a book, it is alive and sharper than a double edged sword.... I encountered that truth again this morning... and it was my loving Father, Jesus, the Lover of my soul who spoke His truth into my life... He, the all knowing God knows exactly what I need, He knows my heart and He cares enough about me to let me know where I need to be careful...
like a mother who makes sure her kids don't eat too many candies... not because she wants to be mean and spoil the fun of her children but because she loves them and wants the best for them..
I am so glad He loves me like this and is not a distant, absent father, but is intimately involved in every aspect of my life...
still at the airport in Nashville, the sun is still shining.... getting home a bit later than planned... still blessed beyond all measure ....
