Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Romans 2:4
I just finished reading a mini sermon about how hard it is to walk with Jesus. This lay person painted a picture of death and destruction that was ahead on the path that is sure to come when we follow the Lord as that will be His will for our lives. Her critique was that pastors do not tell people the truth about what a tough road is ahead. She continued that we will be persecuted and killed and that we will suffer in this life. This may be true for some of us. We are nearing the end times if not already there. However, there was something unsettling of this mini sermon that I couldn’t exactly put my finger on. I had to consider what she said before it dawned on me.
There was no life in her words.
I know the Sermon on the Mount but went back to look at some of the Apostles’ sermons and exhortations. The Apostles always spoke of God’s glory, that was their focus. If there were rebukes made or hard truths to be told, they did so with a hand up, not a slap on the head.
This is the Jesus I know:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luke 4:18&19
Jesus once said to me: Do not use My word to beat people.
There was much condemnation in her words. God does not condemn. That’s not His way. Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. With His main attribute: love.
There were many who refused to follow Jesus as they counted the cost and it was too high. Some refuse because they want to live their life the way they want or because they like their life the way it is and don’t want to rock the boat.
Once you see Jesus, you will never be the same.
When Jesus moves into your life, things do change.
The more you let Him have, the more He occupies.
This takes me back to when I was interested in learning about God.
I didn’t know too much about Him
how He is such a personal Savior,
how He wants to show Himself to each of us,
to live through us and in us,
to teach us,
help us,
and be the most important part of every aspect of our life
Before I knew Jesus, I went to church, to a Christian church I had never been to before. There was an individual prayer time there. When I got on my knees and prayed, I saw Jesus’ feet. That glimpse of Him and His majesty was enough for me to want to follow Him. I have never looked back. I gave as much as I had to give at the time so I could follow Him. It was as though I knew I had to unload the things precious to me and leave them behind. I’m still unloading and it’s not always comfortable.
It was His goodness and His love I had come into contact with…
that I had realized
The more I followed, the more I learned
Anything I have given or He has taken has been with kindness on His part
and a choice on mine
That person who wrote those harsh realities is missing:
His wonder,
His grace,
His kindness,
His compassion,
as well as, His strength and His undeniable ability to open our eyes
to the harmful aspects of this world that we may want to cling to.
He never gives us more than we can bear
While Stephen was being stoned, God showed Him Himself
While Paul was in prison, He gave him love for his captors
When God told Peter he was going to be sifted,
Jesus said, I’ve prayed for you to make it through
Jesus is always there and does not give us more than we can bear
or if He does, He gives us the strength we need to get through
whatever it is He is asking us to do
He gave Esther the courage to go before the King
He gave Noah the faith and wisdom to build the Ark
Jesus gives us what we need when we need it
He will never fail us
He will never forsake us
He is able to see us through
Sometimes He has to carry us
But He is always there for us
To give us a hand up and walk with us as we follow Him
Scriptural Refences:
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love 1 John 4:8
We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Matthew 11:27
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Acts 7:55&56
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Acts 16:28
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. Luke 22:31&32
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. Esther 4:16
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Hebrews 11:7
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deuteronomy 31:16