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Redemption by God’s Hand

Redemption by God’s Hand

God is love. God is righteous. He isn’t one or the other. He is both ALL the time; He is righteous love. When you know God, then you know this love and you begin to see it in ALL His ways; and certainly in His plan of salvation for mankind.

The spirit of rebellion in each of us leading to sin thus death first revealed itself in the Garden of Eden. At its appearance, God foretold His salvation. Genesis 3:15 A Seed (Christ) of the woman, would defeat such a spirit forever. God, the perfect Father and Creator, set out to develop His creation into a people who could abide with Him forever in perfect righteous love. He is love and for a true bond of love to exist, love is given and received in its purest truest form. Mark 12:30 He had the love; and His creation would to.

With the choice of following self in the Garden of Eden, mankind showed their weakness; their ability to go against God’s will of perfect love. They demonstrated that without being governed by the Spirit of God from within, they would go their own way forsaking God’s, thus severing the bond of perfect love. When Adam and Eve received as truth the lie based in fear that they were “missing out,” fear and lies were brought into this creation. Genesis 3:1-8 They chose to go against God’s instructions, which kept them in perfect love with God, one another and creation. Now they were no longer governed by pure love, but fear, and not by truth, but lies. Thus sin existed in them and in creation. Adam and Eve didn’t understand the consequences of going their own way for they only knew God’s perfection, until the moment they went astray in their hearts. This was the first time they were exposed to anything related to death and death itself.

Now all of God’s children are born in pain. Genesis 3:16, 3:20 Eve is the mother of all living. And because of sin, her children, us, are born in pain (sin). All have to come through death/sin then into true life. Hebrews 9:27 This journey teaches us the consequences of going our own way, (an understanding Adam and Eve originally didn’t possess) and our need to have the mind of Christ to truly discern between good and evil, right and wrong. Even Christ, as our forerunner, learned obedience (righteousness) through the things He suffered. Hebrews 5:7-8 God took their transgression and thus ours, and used it to teach mankind an very important lesson for life to exist eternally: only God’s will is good, thus we have to be a part of Him. He put creation on a path of salvation in which He would give us His spirit with the mind of Christ so we would always walk in righteous love with Him. 1 Corin 1:30

Challenge: To Really Believe in God

As we saw in the OT, people will not believe in God; that His ways are better, He forgives and He is love. When He laid it all out they wouldn’t follow Him. Isaiah 48:18, Deuteronomy 28 They wouldn’t receive His forgiveness and repent. When their sin manifested terrible consequences, they kept rebelling. When He spoke from heaven, did amazing miracles, and showed His power, they still strayed. Finally in Christ, He showed the depth of His love and forgiveness, people still would not believe so He would be Lord of their lives. (True belief is walking in God’s truths because you know and love Him; not simply acknowledging His existence, who He is or what He does.)

Consider your own life, how often do you look to your understanding instead of following God? No matter what we learn or know, following self is like a cancer we can’t rid ourselves of. We can’t believe God to wholly follow Him. Luke 16:30-31, Romans 7:24-25 (If we truly believed, we would follow wholeheartedly.) As Adam and Eve did, we’ve done the same. The difference in our relationship with God now verses the Old Testament, is that now Christ is preparing His vessels (our souls), which He purchased by His blood, to fill them with His righteous, so we can abide with God forever as eternal creations.

Victory of Christ

Christ did for us what we couldn’t; became our faith. Hebrews 12:2 By His spirit in us, we are able to believe and follow; to possess a spirit having the mind of Christ which is being poured out on all flesh. Ezekiel 39:29, Ezekiel 11:19-20, Hebrews 8:9-11, Acts 2:17 Christ had to die and resurrect to be the seed of life; a seed that once it died could be raised in many. John 12:23-25 He had to die so His spirit could be resurrected in many, because no one would truly believe God or follow Him unless they were a part of Him. 2 Peter 1:4 No one comes to Christ unless God calls Him. John 6:44 No one can come to the Father expect through Christ. John 14:6 It’s all God’s work by His spirit. Something dead can’t bring itself to life. Something unborn can’t birth itself. For us to believe, really believe, we need His spirit and this is what He is giving us in abundance.

Becoming a new creation who can abide with God forever is the purpose and victory of Christ. 1 Corin 15:55 Without God’s spirit living in us in such a fullness as Christ, there will always be sin and death. Ephesians 4:13, 1:10, 3:19 For us to be God’s creation who can abide with Him for eternity, we have to have the mind of Christ and this is exactly what He is giving us in these days, though some are rejecting that voice, wisdom, and good conscience to their own destruction.  1 Timothy 1:19-20

Our sin is harsh; it is death. When we see what it creates in the Old Testament; death, destruction, stoning … it is horrific. Thus, in His love God destroyed it in Christ. He destroyed the seed of death. He destroyed the self-will in all of us through Christ’s death and resurrection. Being birthed in pain, we learn the death nature of self-will. By God’s grace in Christ, the self-will dies and souls are married to Christ and transition into eternal life. Though dead, He resurrects to us to life and starts to mold us into eternal creations.

 Romans 7:24-25 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God–through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.


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Chastening By God PART 1

Chastening By God PART 1

 

Talking about the chastening of God for the purpose of establishing His kingdom on this earth. All will learn righteousness .. and I talk a bit about that process.

 


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The Path of Salvation

The Path of Salvation

God’s plan of salvation is far bigger and more loving that what is commonly taught. Here I share what God has been showing me in His Word about the perfection of His plan for mankind to do what they can’t for themselves, bring them into eternal life. It is a fulfillment of His holiness, righteousness and perfect love that drives out all fear.


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Worshipping False Images of God

Worshipping False Images of God

If you are worshipping a God who torments souls forever, you are worshipping a false image of God crafted by Satan.  This is a WAKE UP call to not be deceived into believing a false image of God and to seek to know God in truth and spirit.  Christ is at the door, and no one wants to be as one in the verse below who thought he/she was worshipping Him, but wasn’t, but instead was serving a false image of the lawless one…

“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:22-23

Seek God face to face outside the church system ways and doctrine, which proliferates this false images, and you will find a different God; a God of true, powerful, and righteous love. Not one who says, worship me or torment forever. But One who gave His life that you might be purified, sanctified and abide with Him in holy, righteous love forever.

False Images of Religions

Throughout religions there are an abundance of false images of God. And yes, the religion of Christianity has them too. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 One of the main ones is this concept of God torturing souls for eternity. It’s monstrous. It’s a doctrine/belief grounded in fear, torment, pain, and suffering. It’s used to scare people into “accepting Christ”. It’s the goodness of God that leads to repentance, not fear. Romans 2:4 Perfect love, which is God, drives out all fear. 1 John 4:18 Satan is of fear. God is of love. They are on opposite sides.

This image along with others is why believers are leaving the church system. The churches are worshipping false images of God. Why would you worship at a pagan temple? You wouldn’t. That’s why they leave. Lamentations 2:7, Matthew 24:5, 2 Corinthians 6:14

Satan’s Image of God

Satan makes himself to be as God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 He creates images which people worship, thus they are worshipping him. Revelation 13 As for the image of a false God in Christianity, we see it illustrated in Daniel 3 in the story of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, where all people were commanded, for it was law, to worship the image of him, he set up. If they didn’t they were thrown into a fiery furnace. Daniel 3:6-7 Sound familiar? Mainstream Christianity teaches a strikingly similar thing; if you don’t worship their God, then you thrown in the fiery furnace of eternal torment. This has been a prevailing “gospel” in much of Christianity; worship Christ or be eternally tormented. Is this the Christ, or an anti-Christ, standing where he shouldn’t and showing himself to be God?

Satan is far more shrewd than mere humans. He knows the scriptures and twists them so those who are who untaught by the Holy Spirit aren’t able to discern but believe his lies. 2 Peter 3:16 He is a roaring lion of fear.

Satan is the Father of lies and a murder from the beginning and many have fallen for his lies; as testified by this world of depravity.

John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

The description of a God of eternal torment ISN’T who the true living God of love is. This isn’t who Christ Jesus showed God to be at all! But the opposite. He came and demonstrated His love, mercy and compassion on a deceived, lost, broken and fallen humanity. Christ came to show us the love of the Father; His forgiveness of us while we were dead in our trespasses. Colossians 2:13 The message of His salvation for mankind and the message of eternal torment are in opposition to each other. Christ came to redeem souls; souls that can’t save themselves. He conquered death. His salvation plan entails restoration, regeneration and abundant love and mercy. If you deny what He did, you don’t know Him, and you deny Him.

1 John 2:22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.

God’s Judgment

Yes there will be a judgment of flaming fire as our God is a consuming fire. 2 Thess 1:7-8 People are judged for their works, their beliefs.  But it’s of love because it destroys the wickedness that destroys us, and brings in His kingdom’s reign of righteousness and love. His judgment brings correction which leads the world learning righteousness. Isaiah 26:9 God’s plan of salvation is to save this lost world where no one sought Him. Isisah 53:6 It’s to train and establish their hearts in righteousness so they can walk in His ways and abide with Him in love for eternity. Hebrews 8:9-11 God loves us. In that love, He destroys wickedness that torments our souls; He doesn’t proliferate it for eternity. Wickedness will perish and all will know Him and praise Him for His abundant mercy on mankind.

Imagine living for an eternity knowing that your neighbor is being tortured for eternity. This is contrary to God, His character, and His plan of salvation that is the fulfillment of His righteousness, holiness, and love.

Be clear about the huge distinction between a god of fear, Satan, and a God of love, the One True God.  The veil is being lifted on the images that Satan has set up; the anti-Christ who shows himself to be Christ, yet the opposite. Don’t give into the delusion. If you deny that Christ came to deliver this world from death .. then you are denying the true Christ, for this is who He is. 1 Corin 15:55 He is the victor. He is life. He will be all and in all.


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Response to Hell Series

Response to Videos

on Hell as Eternal Torment

This post is in response to the videos I posted last week on hell which challenged the wide-spread belief that hell is eternal torment. I scripturally demonstrated the righteous love and mercy of God, which knows no bounds. Romans 8:38-39 God’s love will prevail, nothing less till He fills all, for He is love.

Over the years of seeking to know God in truth and spirit, God has revealed Himself to me to be far more merciful and loving than I ever imagined; a different God from what I learned in the church system. I realized what I previously held was an image of God taught to me by others as I never truly sought with all my heart, soul and mind to know the true living God. God is beyond all religions and mankind’s imaginations. He is life. He is love. He is. Religions, though each holds an aspect of truth thus their appeal, craft false images of God. This is why Christ didn’t establish a religion, but gave us two commandments. Mark 12:30-31 He removed any “system” and gave us Himself.

As I’ve sought to know God as He is, His righteous love and grace have astounded me, and it continues to. We dwell in the shadow of death, when you get glimpses of life, it’s far more beautiful, pure and of righteous love than anything on this earth. The god of eternal torment isn’t God, but the God who gave His very life so that all torment in a deceived mankind would come to an end. 1 Corinthians 15:55

In the videos, I presented some aspects of what God has taught me thus far about His amazing plan of salvation, far bigger and more perfect than mainstream philosophies. What I found exciting in the perfect righteous love it contained, other professing Christians strongly rejected because it didn’t include their understanding of hell as eternal torment. They weren’t willing to consider the scriptural reasons opposing the concept of eternal torment. They held tight to their doctrine rejecting anything contrary, even a message of eternal mercy and love.  Some cut me off so that they would no longer “buy and sell” with me, because I didn’t bear the mark (belief) of a god who torments souls forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34 It was an eye opening experience, and thus this post.

God has shown us throughout history how easily deceived and misled mankind can be, even His people. He has shown how people are trapped in death and lies and can’t see true life, even when He is standing right in front of them. Luke 23:34 They can’t save themselves. They are blind. They can’t believe in the truth to walk and follow the voice of God that leads them into true eternal life. They’re bound by deception for the world is under the sway of the wicked one. 1 John 5:19

Therefore, in Christ, He will give them a new spirit and a new heart to be able to know and walk in His ways. Joel 2:28, Ezekiel 36:26, Hebrews 8:9-11, John 3:8 Without this new spirit, no one can truly know God. We are all dead in our trespasses. This giving of His spirit is the salvation and grace of God. One day all will believe in Christ, because He will be reigning. (True belief is walking in His ways of truth/righteous love not just acknowledging Him, even the demons believe and tremble James 2:19). Every knee will bow to the One whose love delivered them from the pits of hell; from death. God is love. His righteous love will reign. He will fill all and be in all. 1 Corinthians 15:28 All will be holy, all will be righteous, all will be love. That means there will be no more death; nothing left of death or of sin, except the remembrance that it’s no more. This is an AMAZING plan of love and grace that’s been diminished by the eternal torment doctrine.

My encouragement and warning to you is to seek to know God as He is. I say this over and over for I long to you to know the Living God. Learn from Our Teacher. Matthew 23:8 He will teach you all things, if you TRUST HIM. Don’t put your trust in images of God crafted by mankind. Every truth you hold of God bring into question and seek to be taught by God Himself. He will for this is the new covenant and His desire for you.

For those who trust in the image of God as a God of eternal torment, the shame and condemnation will be so great, for they will realize it was an image crafted and powered by Satan, the ultimate lying spirit. Satan crafts many images to deceive and put us in bondage. But God has given us everything we need to know the truth, His Spirit. Learn to listen and be taught by Him.

God is pouring out His spirit to prepare this earth for His return. This spirit teaches us all things which leads us in the paths of righteousness and life. It’s the still small voice saying walk this way. Isaiah 30:21, Hebrews 12:25 Don’t listen to the roaring lions of the enemy seeking to destroy, seek to hear His voice and pray for courage to follow it for it isn’t of the world because it’s the voice of life.

A Few Concepts to Consider:

  • Holiness of God can’t have what isn’t holy existing for eternity; why He destroys wickedness. Yet in His love for us, He delivered us, who had wickedness, from being destroyed by giving us His Spirit; possible in Christ.
  • God is love. In Christ, He has forgiven mankind, thus can infuse His righteous love spirit into them, thus righteously saving and redeeming. All will learn righteousness. Isaiah 26:9
  • God is doing what we couldn’t; by His Spirit He enables us to believe on Him in a world covered in sin and deception. He truly is the Good Shepherd over a very lost fold.
  • God is love and righteous. He isn’t one or the other but always both. We can’t split the two to justify man’s intepetation of doctrine. Why would you want to?
  • A hell of eternal torment gives Satan, the deceiver of mankind and murderer, the victory.
  • Eternal torment makes Satan more powerful than God; for God was unable to save those He wanted to.
  • Christ came to save those who couldn’t save themselves; this eternal torment goes against Him, thus the spirit of the anti-Christ.
  • It’s counter to the truth, Christ has victory over death.
  • It strips the true God of power in the minds of His people and gives it to an image crafted by mankind, powered by the lying spirit of Satan.
  • The image blocks people from knowing the true God, thus worshipping a false image.
  • It’s a doctrine of fear, not of love. The goodness of God leads to repentance.
  • It proliferates the spirit of judgment of ourselves and others instead of abundant grace and forgiveness.
  • The list goes on and on …

Seek God’s understanding in this topic. I know some will question my words. Bring your questions to God; don’t shut your ears or harden your hearts to His voice and the amazing love that He has to give you.


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Repentance and Grace

Repentance and Grace

 

With the flooding, earthquakes, fires, and tornados, our hearts should be stirring to repentance. Some think they’ve already repented … back in 1989 when they were “saved” and answered that alter call … but let’s ponder deeper …

Repentance is turning completely in the other direction and walking in it. It’s turning from our self-will, which has dictated our lives since birth, to seek and walk in God’s will and let Him dictate our lives. It’s a very deep soul choice between us and God; our way and His. Luke 13:3 Various sins are simply symptoms of going our own way. Therefore, true repentance is going to the source, our self-will, and choosing not to follow it at all, but choosing to follow God. This requires knowing and trusting God; two things that come from diligently seeking Him. Turning from individual sins is important, but they are only the symptoms to a much deeper repentance, a repentance you come to understand as you seek God with all your heart.

Jesus stood in our place and paid the penalty (death) for our sins (going our way instead of God’s) so we didn’t have to. By paying the penalty, He reconciled us back to God so that now we can live in God’s presence. In removing the barrier of sin, He opened the door so we could dwell in unity with God. NOW it’s our part to walk through that door and the journey entails learning of God and repentance. We can’t walk in God’s way when we are walking in ours. We can’t do what we don’t know, thus the need to seek. As we learn God’s ways, we turn from self and turn to God.

Proof of repentance is abiding in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit with the motive to know God, because it shows we are seeking God’s will so we can walk in it. We long to know God so we can walk in His ways and be sanctified to become His living temple. Thus, deep repentance is the response to the gift of grace from Christ.

Because of this gift of grace, for some the compelling need for deep repentance is dampened, when it should be heightened. It was for me. I thought because all sins were forgiven that my obedience wasn’t that big of a deal because I was covered. Yes I should obey, but it wasn’t critical. Therefore, abiding in the Bible wasn’t critical. How misled I was. My lack of desire to obey was a sign something was off; I didn’t bear my cross (crucify my self-will) because I was still following self. Therefore, nothing had really changed. My belief was in vain. Not truly turning from self means there is a lack of understanding of what the sacrifice of Jesus was for.

Luke 14:26 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Coming to understand what Jesus did for us and our falleness is only an acknowledgement of what is. At this point though we may recognize what is, the deep soul choice between following self and following God is still in favor of self. At this infancy of our understanding, we have no idea of the extent in which we follow self verses God.

What should be happening next is an intense journey of individually seeking God to know Him as He is so we can walk in His will. We are to walk through that door that was opened for us by Christ. We are to learn of God from the Holy Spirit given to us by Christ. It’s God’s truth constantly invading our soul that reveals the depths by which we are dominated by self-will. This is the path of sanctification. It’s the natural progression for one who is a child of God. Therefore, if we knowingly continue in habitual sins, we have neglected to understand Christ’s gift.

Repentance isn’t just an acknowledgement that we have sinned against God; it’s the action of turning away from following self and following God. But we can’t follow what we don’t know. This is why God commands that we seek Him and that we abide in His Word, so we can know His ways and walk in them, thus truly repent. This is why abiding in His Word being taught by Him is proof we are on the path of sanctification. John 17:17

Repentance is key and yet sometimes overlooked in the doctrine of grace. God won’t be mocked. What we sow we will reap. Galatians 6:7 Grace and repentance work hand in hand. Repentance is the manifestation of Christ’s gift of grace in our lives. Jesus and the apostles taught repentance and the kingdom of God. Repentance is how we come to abide in the kingdom of God; which is God’s reign in our soul with His will dominating.

If you are truly born of God, you’ll hate sin. You’ll long to walk in truth and love. You will hunger for His Word, so you know His will. You’ll be taught by God. John 6:45 You’ll want to know HIS will not someone’s thoughts on His will. You come to this point of desire through the grace of God showing you the truth. You come to it because you have sought God. Romans 8:29-30

Have you experienced a deep hearted repentance? Not just from various sins but from your self-will? This is true repentance. Are you walking more in truth today than a couple of months ago? Do you have a LOVE for the truth so that your life is moving to living in God’s will? You can only know His will for YOU if YOU personally seek it from Him. It’s a lifetime and daily activity. Seeking His will isn’t doing what your church says or some religious leader; it’s seeking God’s personal instruction in your life.

If you said no to these, get to know God by seeking Him in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit. When you come to know Him, you will want nothing of your self-will and everything of His.

Romans 2:4b that the goodness of God leads you to repentance


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Seeking, Not Judging

Seeking, Not Judging

 

From my previous post, there were some comments questioning whether all churches are lumped together in this concept of Church System. Here I want to address that issue because it touches upon a fundamental aspect of our walk with God.

God is judge, not us. His Word is judge, not us. Ezekiel 34:20

Even Jesus didn’t judge for Himself. He heard from God and that is what He did. We are to follow His example in all things. John 5:30 “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. Further, Paul says he doesn’t even judge himself, only God judges him. 1 Corinthians 4:3-4.

When we ask the question whether this denomination, my church, or this pastor is good or not, it’s God’s judgment not ours.

What do I mean? How do we know what to do?

When it comes to our lives, we don’t judge good or bad. We look to God and His truth and that’s our guide. God judges and we follow His lead, whatever and wherever. Following God’s lead and not our judgments is choosing to eat of the tree of life instead of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The former is letting God be judge and being one with His will and simply walking in it. The latter is putting us as judge of what is good or bad.

To know and follow God’s judgments and ways, we have to set our ill-understanding aside and follow Him daily. Luke 9:23 Therefore, each day we sit with God, we seek the truth, we seek the pure manna from heaven (the instruction/truth of the Holy Spirit grounded in the Bible), we seek to know God so we can follow Him, and we seek His counsel throughout the day. (Seeking entails having a LOVE for the Truth, and putting time to know God as the priority in our day) We seek, ask, and act. We don’t pontificate on what we think is good by our own limited understanding. We seek counsel from the One who knows all.

Therefore, it’s not up to us to judge about this church or not, it’s up to God. To be able to know and hear His leading in this area we have to diligently seek Him. We have to put His words above religious leaders. We can’t read the Bible with our religious leaders opinions as our filters. We read for a desire for truth, realizing we don’t know and we may be misled in our current understanding. As we do, we will come to know God and His will; as He directs. We will be in the state of mind to be watchful for the times we are in. We will be hearing from God so we can walk in His will.

If we haven’t spent time diligently seeking, we will be very susceptible to deception. We won’t be able to follow God’s voice and not the voice of others because we are listening to ourselves. Make sense?

Seeking to know God comes first, so we can follow Him above all else. THEN we’ll be able to know what to do because then we will simply see and follow as Jesus did. It’s not about us deciding good or bad. It’s knowing God and following Him. See the difference? This following comes into play with all aspects of our lives, including this issue of leaving the church system (CS).

If you aren’t diligently seeking, how can your truly follow God’s voice? Again, not seeking is a spiritual death trap, because you remain spiritually blind. So even if you feel I’m wrong about the CS, spend time each day with God seeking to know Him as He is and His truth – this is your life, literally. Amos 5:4

When you seek you gain the spiritual “eyes” to see and the “ears” to hear. Revelation 2:29 As for leaving the CS, I “see” the CS corruption and the spiritual death and decay it breeds. Jeremiah 19:4 “Because they have forsaken Me and made this an alien place, because they have burned incense in it to other gods whom neither they, their fathers, nor the kings of Judah have known, and have filled this place with the blood of the innocents.” It isn’t my judgments, it’s just looking and seeing as God leads. It’s not about comparing churches, saying this one seems pretty good, or this pastor seems like a good man. Those are all our judgments. Instead, it’s seeking God with all our heart, soul, and mind. Then wherever He leads we follow. 1 Chronicles 16:11

The Bible is written to all who profess to be God’s people, which includes many denominations and groups. We all are to be examining our lives by its words. To think they are words for someone else is a grave mistake. Read Jeremiah, Isaiah, the minor prophets and Revelation seeking the instruction of the Holy Spirit and listen to what God has to say. When you look into the Bible with a heart to know truth and not to follow the doctrines of mankind, then you will “see”. Then you will know what to do. You will “see” the CS for what it is, how it destroys souls, and the impeding judgment. You will see the contrast between the system and the true temple of God.

The Bible speaks about the impeding judgment on the “house of God” and to leave and fully embrace God as our sanctuary, which is leading to something tremendous… the New Jerusalem, the temple from heaven. Revelation 21:2-3 It’s out with the old and in with the new, just as in the days of Jesus. We are the temple of God. God’s dwelling place is with us, in us. We have the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that we are His, and a taste of things to come. A fuller manifestation of God dwelling within us is upon us. Revelation 21:22 Be careful to not be like the church leaders and members of Jesus’ day, who held on to their traditions and understanding and missed Christ, the truth. The old is passing away, and God is doing a new and tremendous thing … are you ready to embrace it?


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A Reminder from my Cats – Sacrifice of Love

A Reminder from my Cats

Sacrifice of Love

 

During my quiet time this past weekend, I was reading through Leviticus and the animal sacrifices that were required of the Israelites. Until that morning, I always read through these chapters with the understanding that the animal sacrifices pointed to Christ’s eternal sacrifice for us. But, I never really thought much about the innocent little animals that had to give up their lives. But that morning the Spirit gave me a powerful impression that will forever change how I read those chapters.

My cats, Malcolm and Sophie, often sit with me during my quiet time. As I read those chapters I looked over to them and reflected upon their innocence and how much they trust me to care for them. The thought that an animal, an animal like my Malcolm or Sophie, would have to die for me hit me in a powerful way. To think that they would have to give their precious innocent life for my wretched sin cut me to the core – how horrible that they would have to die for me. It’s their innocence that makes that thought so horrific.

But now take that same thought to Jesus. Now I am not putting our pets and Jesus in the same category, which would be ridiculous, but sometimes those physical examples around us remind us and prompt us to reflect. Jesus was perfect in innocence and His love for us. The value and preciousness of His life is beyond our ability to grasp and yet His life was given for us. Sometimes we hear so much about His sacrifice that we lose the potency of it. This reflection reminded me of the purity, innocence, and value of His life that was given for my sinfulness. How much God must love me, to give His perfect son to die for me so that I am live in His presence. How wretched my sin must be to need such a valuable sacrifice.

Imagine someone giving you their precious pet or even a child to be sacrificed for your sinfulness – now that is an awesome, amazing love. If someone did that for you, what would your response be? What is your response to God and what He has done for you? He gave His Son so that you could be reconciled back to Him and be united to Him in love – how do you foster that unity with God?

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