I felt that the Lord answered the questions simmering in my head for the last few weeks this Sunday morning. Our pastor's message hit the nail on the spot, so to speak and I feel quite relieved. I have been wondering a lot lately about the 'gray areas' of life and such and such...about how God can be just to each and everyone of us and yet He stays just to His own word. Sounds a bit contradictory huh? and yet He is that way.
God looks at the intent and desires of our hearts.
He does not look at us the way common men do because even the most righteous man on earth (if there is one...) will make wrong assumptions every now and again, but Jesus looks beyond the veil of flesh.
He looks straight to the heart and He knows if that soul beareth His seed or not and He will deliver that soul from death.
And so, based on predestination there is no worry at all because whatever happens, whatever will happen you are already sealed into His kingdom. You were born to carry that seed and to manifest it in God's appointed time. And sometimes that truth takes time to settle in, because we think we can 'contribute' to our salvation but let me tell you friend,it is all, purely by God's grace and mercy that we will make it to eternity. It is only by the tender hand of Jehovah that we will pass from death to life.
There begins the dilemma- what about my faith? what about my virtues of being a kind and honest person? what about my sacrifices of going to church every Sunday? giving my tithes? helping those in need? etcetera...?
I will have to ask you back- what about them?
These things are all good and well, I hope I don't get misinterpreted here but these acts of righteousness can be done without God. They can simply be reduced to religion.
Because it is God who stirs our hearts unto repentance, He stirs us unto goodness, He stirs us into obedience to His word. We cannot own it because He has done it for us in the first place. The flesh is cursed from the day Eve disobeyed and so it resists and will continue to resist things that are holy because of it's sinful nature. But the blood of Christ redeemed us...His blood washed all our sins away. He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us grow more and more into His likeness, word upon word- and which may not happen straight away, which for some, may take some time...but remember His ways are not your ways, He knows when the right time is for you and me. And He keeps His promises...
So do not doubt yourself, fellow warrior in Christ because the Lord is true to His word, He is faithful. He will see you through- to the end.
I have read, discussed, and learned plenty regarding people's ideas about God and in retrospect-and I'm not being arrogant but for want of a proper term to use- it all seemed like childish blabber to me. People will always attempt to intellectualize, discredit or partially accept the concept of God and christianity. But to someone who has experienced the Lord himself ? God goes beyond being a concept but He becomes the living word. The be-all and end- all of your life, the greatest, sweetest presence one will ever get to know. Jesus Christ.
