God is in control (part 2)

God-In-In-Control If you have ever thought about God being in control or even whether He is or not, the earlier post should give you some insight into His presence and persistent control.

Satan has to ask permission to touch or otherwise trouble Christians, but the rest of the world he can get into their lives as easy as walking in the door. The entirety of Creation is God’s possession and His responsibility but He loves mankind above all. It is a mystery to most regarding His love for us, especially the angels because no other created-being gets His attention like mankind has had in all of Creation.

God has always protected and watched over those who He calls to do His work on Earth. Some of them have had a “pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night“, others have had “ravens to feed thee” in Elijah’s time of persecution, but all of this is because of God’s love for us and His people Israel.

Don’t think that because these two instances were in the Old Testament that God won’t do things similar today. He does and He will do this and more, but we won’t hear about it because the media ignores most “good news” today. Especially if it seems that it may have a miraculous component to it and one which can’t be explained away. God provides us with air and water and many other things which are needed for living and yet we take all of them for granted.

Why do we do this? Because much of the world’s population doesn’t really believe in God or in His power to keep us safe and protect us. Most of the world thinks that our protection is due to natural forces which can be scientifically explained. How did the physical laws in the universe come into being? They didn’t just magically appear as evolutionists say! That kind of thinking requires more faith in an accidental process than I can muster.

God is in control and He isn’t made up of “dark matter” or quarks or any of those particles which show up when atomic nuclei are smashed into each other at near the speed of light. He created all of them and they do as they are told to do in this universe because He is in control.

Seek out His Word and His wisdom which is contained within its pages because it is only there where the Truth of everything which is needed for each of us is found. Jesus gave His life for your soul, surely you can give your heart and your life to Him for your own salvation and that of your family as well!

God is in control

31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison and to death. 34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. Luke 22:31-34

Job 1:8-12

8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? 9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for naught? 10 Hast, not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

Job 2:1-6

1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. 4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. 5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand, but save his life.

I have placed these scriptures here because many people, it seems, do not believe that God is in control of our world today. It seems that there are quite a number of people who believe that if God created the Earth, He has left us alone in it and He has nothing to do with our lives today. The passages above prove that is NOT true. Satan wants to hurt and even destroy anyone who is a follower of God or a servant of Him, but God is in control of him even though Satan rebelled against God.

In these instances in the above paragraphs, Satan had to ask permission to afflict any sort of hurt or trouble on Peter and on Job. Jesus prayed for Peter to be able to withstand the temptation but He added; “when you are converted (restored, changed) strengthen thy brethren”. Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him and that it would break his heart. But, He also knew that after His resurrection Peter would be stronger in his faith than ever before!

Christians are watched over by God and Jesus even closer than any other people on Earth because of the temptations which Satan and his demons and principalities can inflict on us, especially young (new) Christians. Their faith in their conversion and in their Lord is not very strong because they haven’t studied His Word enough and learned how to stand in their faith on a daily basis!

Why do I mention that we have to stand in our faith on a daily basis? Because your faith grows and you become stronger in it as you learn more about God and His love for you. I will continue this post in a separate entry under the same name but continued.

We cannot be separated

Nothing can separate us

With God, nothing is impossible!

For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Luke 1:37 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/luk.1.37.KJV

Child-like faith

Jesus said to “suffer the little children to come unto Me for of such as these are those who will enter the Kingdom of Heaven“. I know that I didn’t write His words verbatim, but you get the idea. We are to have the same trusting faith in Him that children have in their parents who love them. Child-like faith is the type of faith which hasn’t been dulled by the cares of life and even though adults usually do have many “cares” to handle we should still trust in our Lord and Savior like a child.

God loves us more deeply than we can ever imagine although there are many who will not give their lives to Him out of stubborn pride or anger for some wrong which they lay at God’s hands. It is not God Who brings challenges into our lives, whatever they may be. It is usually our own stubborn pride or Satan’s demons who are allowed to bring suffering into our lives. Many times this suffering is brought to our doorstep not because God is angry with us but because it may be the only way to get our attention!

We are the ones who turn away from Him. God is always near and available to us in prayer and in our troubles yet many people will not bow their head or bend their knees to ask Him for healing or help in situations where it is sorely needed. A child trusts their parents and grandparents because they know that no harm will come to them as long as they are loved. There are exceptions to this because some children live in a home where they are not wanted or they are seen as a burden more than a blessing from God.

Jesus_Loves_U These exceptions should not exist but they do in our fallen world. The entirety of Creation groans in anticipation of the return of Jesus and the restoration of order to its fallen state just as we do. He will return and restore our world and its order when His Kingdom reigns on this Earth one day, so keep your faith in Him until that event comes to fruition!

It is our faith in Him which Jesus was speaking of when He said that we must come in child-like faith to Him. Trusting in Him completely and knowing that He has always got our life in His hands and we are under His protection. Never doubt that He is completely in charge and in control of every good thing which happens in our lives. Seek Him like a child and in that complete faith, give your heart to Him because He gave His life for yours.

Jesus loves us because He gave His life for ours. All that we owe Him is that we should give our lives to Him in return and serve Him in all areas of our life until we go to Him one day.

Work in everything as for the Lord!

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:23‭-‬24 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/col.3.23-24.KJV

Light of the World

This phrase is used many times in the gospels when Jesus is speaking about Himself and about the salvation which comes to those who believe in Him for their salvation. But…what does it mean? “Light of the World“; Jesus said that we, as His followers, are to be the light to a dark world. So why isn’t the church trying harder to be that light? Are we afraid of making people angry or of not being politically correct?

Jesus wasn’t politically correct in His day so why should we be in ours? The world around us needs to hear His message of love and compassion today…right now! Why? Because the other parts of the world and the other religions aren’t providing that light! As Christians, we are supposed to expose the darkness to His LIght and His Love and for the past fifty years or so much of Christendom has dropped that ball. We proclaim it to the crowds in concerts and congregations but what about those in places where darkness reigns today?

IamtheWay Do they hear about Jesus and His love for them? Have we made sure that the message is getting to those places or maybe we are just sitting in church praying that someone will tell them? Have we put feet to our faith or do we neglect to take the message outside the church because it’s too much trouble? What if Paul had said no and decided not to take the message of Christ to the Gentiles, like us, much of the world at the time would never have heard of the love of Jesus!

Jesus confronted Saul in such a way that he couldn’t deny Who had touched his heart and he could not have turned away from such a mission field because Jesus gave His blood and His life for us in order to save us from hell! The grace and love of God came down to us and wore human flesh for the time of His ministry. He went through all of the pain and suffering willingly in order to bring salvation to all who believe in Him for their salvation!

Since Jesus did this, why can’t we tell others about His love for them, especially if they don’t know about Him!? God loves each of us! Whether we suffer from a disease or from persecution or from poverty, He is still with us in our suffering. God may allow Satan to cause suffering, which he does very well, but God’s purpose and His love for you will never fail you, no matter what you are going through.

The love and grace of our Lord, Jesus the Christ, will always be near you and He will strengthen you in whatever you may be going through. His Spirit will be closer to you than anyone can be since He lives in your heart! There is no distance between you and God when you are a born-again Christian. He hears your prayers and He knows the pain that you have for your family in whatever situation they may be in. God loves you and even though you aren’t required to love Him in return, you will learn to love Him when you give your heart to Jesus!

Being a Christian and a follower of Jesus is a process. You can feel Him touching your heart and drawing you to Himself, convicting you of your sins but it is your decision to accept Him as your Savior. When you do, the process begins and it doesn’t end until you are in His Presence!

Jesus_Loves_U

The Love of the Lord is faithful!

It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22‭-‬23 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/lam.3.22-23.KJV

God’s persuit of mankind

I read C.S. Lewis’ books off and on for the past few years and one entry that the man included in one was a reference to the fact that he was an atheist at first. I will let you be the judge of his writing:

C.S. Lewis said he remembered this, “…night after night, feeling whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all of England.”

God pursues those people which He knows can make a difference in the world and He does it even when they don’t believe in Him at the time. He knows the impact that each of us can have whether it is through writing books or blogs, the seeds of a relationship or the possibility of one can be planted and He will make sure those seeds grow into the relationship that He wants with that person.

GodsBlessing There is no place that you can go to get away from God so there is no reason to try to escape Him. If you have been denying His existence over your lifetime but He sees that you could have an influence in the lives of others for the good of their salvation, then He will cause something to bring you to Himself. Even if He has to do it through a dream or a vision or a book or even a blog! He knows each person in this world and He knows what they are capable of doing, whether it is for good and for His Kingdom or for evil and to their destruction one day.

God does NOT send you to hell for the least of your sins or even the worst of them. You sentence yourself to hell by refusing to give your heart and life to Jesus and believe in Him for your salvation. When God’s Spirit is seeking you, He will find you. Don’t push His love away from your life because your life and your soul is more precious to Him than all of the gold and silver in the entire world! Even if you were the only person that Jesus had to die for in order to bring salvation to you, He would’ve gone through it just for you!

Why would God want me?

For the same reason that He spent time with Adam in the garden of Eden, fellowship. God knows each of us intimately because He is our Creator. He knew us in the womb before the world even began not just before our birth! He knows what your talents and the gifts which He has given to you so He knows what you can do even better than you do. Your life will be more valuable to Him if you have given your life to Him through Jesus Christ.

IAMComingBack Why? Because unless you are working through the Spirit of God with His power and love in your life and heart, much of what you do in this world is only for your benefit and not for others. If you don’t believe me, ask someone why they do their job or anything that they do in this life. Google it even. You will see that much of the world is concerned with only me, myself and I. Occasionally you will hear of some good-hearted souls who do things for others but they are in the minority these days.

Why am I so cynical about “human nature”? Because those who have left the church or those who do not believe in God have caused me to be this way. Their lives don’t reflect Him or His Presence in them. Even Satan believes in God but he doesn’t serve Him, and that is where much of the world stands today.

Sacrifice

Does anyone think about this word or what it entails at all these days? What is a sacrifice for you today? Do you even consider a sacrifice in your daily living?

To be truthful about it most of us don’t consider it at all. Sacrifice is something which is just not considered in any part of our society, not just in America but in many parts of the world. Although in some countries sacrifice is a daily part of life because that is just how life is in those countries. It is something which many young people have no concept of at all, particularly today.

Our Lord sacrificed His deity and His Life to ransom our souls and our sins to rescue us from an eternity in hell. It is only fitting that we should sacrifice some things in this life in order to serve Him as well. The Christians from the beginning of the church at Jerusalem sacrificed their lives many times during the past two thousand years. Many were burned at the stake or crucified or fed to lions and other beasts because of their faith in Jesus.

While it is true that we are not being persecuted in that way today, at least in America, in some countries Christians are being killed for their beliefs. As many as 1,000 every day. This will only get worse in the coming years, particularly after the church is taken up to Heaven. During the Tribulation there will be millions killed for not worshiping the one who is in power at the time, the antichrist. Life will be harder than it is now and there won’t be a church to turn to for prayer or help in those days, at least not like we have now.

I pray that anyone who reads this will seek out Jesus and give your life and your heart to Him. Pray for your salvation now while there is yet time to do so.