Dear Tom:
The Lord has been incredibly loyal in granting our requests.
My personal feelings w/o going to the Lets Express our Feelings page is that I was a nobody before I met Christ, my entire identity is in Christ, and without him I would be a nobody again.
I cannot begin to tell you what having my identity in Christ has meant to me. On a childish level it's like " hey you, let me tell you about my Father, I don't think you understand whom you are speaking to.
On a more adult level, God says "touch not my anointed". Very possessive, very jealous over us, God reserves those emotions for Himself. That is why He says love is not possessive or jealous. I know this is a paradox that cannot be easily understood. How can God not desire us to be jealous or possessive yet be that way Himself over His children?
I feel the main difference is in the interpretation of the word. God requires exclusive loyalty. He IS NOT suspicious of our intentions. The last definition is the one commonly thought of while the first definition is rarely used. I guess if I require exclusive loyalty of my wife then in that way I am jealous of her. God requires exclusive loyalty for our own best interests not His.
Again, was it in our's or His best interest to go to the cross. Most definitely our's IMHO. He paid a debt for me I could never pay, and the penalty was eternal fire leaping up around me yet never consuming me.
The scoffers will say I do not believe the Bible; I'll tell them. I would get in a fist fight for you to defend your right to keep that opinion. They look at me ..say what ? And you call yourself a Christian and you would get in a fist fight for me..Yes sure would !
Got their attention ! Right. Next thing I ask is, forget what you believe. This is the most read book in eternity.Do you know how it says you can go to heaven. They will inevitably say keep the ten commandments, go to church, be a good person.etc. I say Boy is this your lucky day. That is not at all what it says on how to go to heaven. Would you like to see a few scriptures on how is says you can go to heaven.
The one about the heathen in Africa is a good one too. Would your loving God send a heathen to hell even if they have never heard about Jesus. My answer is , if it stopped right there and never went further I would agree with you and say NO. But it doesn't stop there.
You have heard about Jesus, who do you think God will go easier on?
In Christ.gregor |
