Tuesday, June 2, 2020

How do you see Him?

Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. 2 Corinthians 5:11 

The fear of God is the greatest deterrent for sin (Exod. 20:20; Prov. 16:6). Those who perceive God as a benevolent and gentle grandfather will treat their sin superficially. They will worship halfheartedly. They will live life on their own terms rather than God's. But a reverent fear of holy God will dramatically affect the way a person lives. Even though Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ, he feared God and knew that one day he would stand in judgment to give an account for everything he had done (2 Cor. 5:10). Our world does not applaud fearfulness. We teach our children to love God, but not to fear Him. We want to present a loving and nonthreatening image of God to nonbelievers in the hope that Christianity will be more appealing to them. One of the great condemnations of our day may be that we have lost the fear of God. We promote Him as a “best friend” who saves us and “lives in our hearts,” but we do not fear Him. It is true that we are God's adopted children and that we are fellow heirs, even friends, with Jesus (Rom. 8:16–17; John 15:14–15), but we are not His equals. He has forgiven us, but we are still His creatures. He is God, and we are not! If you find that you have become complacent with God's commands and have become comfortable in your sin, you are completely isolated from God's holiness. Take time to meditate upon the awesome holiness of God and allow the Holy Spirit to instill into your life a proper reverence for Almighty God (Isa. 40:12–26). A deep sense of awe is essential to knowing God. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

The world exudes chaos in its never ending, even more imaginative, ways to fight the will of God for them and the planet. 

Twisting truth from the street to the pulpit. From the house to the courthouse. Truth is hidden in agenda and lies.  

But in all that darkness a light still shines. The Light of the world is Christ Jesus.  He is what illuminates and exposes the deeds of darkness. Even those that He has permitted in order to fulfill His Will upon mankind. 2 Chronicles 18:12-22 
"Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. So please let your word be like one of them and speak favorably.” But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak.”

When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” He said, “Go up and succeed, for they will be given into your hand.” Then the king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” So he said,

“I saw all Israel
Scattered on the mountains,
Like sheep which have no shepherd;
And the Lord said,
‘These have no master.
Let each of them return to his house in peace.’”

Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the LordI saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left. The Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘How?’ He said, ‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You are to entice him and prevail also. Go and do so.’ Now therefore, behold, the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for the Lord has proclaimed disaster against you.”

Do not love the world nor the things of the world. Where's that found? 1 John 2:17-18 "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever."

What does God look like to you?  For how you see Him so shall you expect from Him.  

God indeed is a God of love, but He also is a God of justice and mercy, of judgment too.  Sin ravages the world.  It's effects are seen in the sensationalized news broadcasts.  There is no reporting of the news anymore.  Hasn't been for decades.  The rule of modern journalism is "if it bleeds it leads" the headlines.  Do not seek truth where it cannot be found. 

The media, exactly like in that passage from Chronicles, is manipulated by demons.  If it isn't proclaiming the truth of God, as written in His Word, it really is in need of Godly discernment to find that grain of truth at its root.

People out there doing what they are doing, have no fear of the consequences of sin.  Stealing, robbing, destroying.  Let's see, who does that describe?

Jesus says that describes Satan.  He is the destroyer of righteousness. He is a liar and the father of lies.  He comes to steal, rob and destroy.  So those running around doing what you see are following their father, the Devil.  The world is seeing sin on display for all to see. 

This isn't politics or justice for someone murdered.  It's sin on display now. It's showing everyone what they believe. It's showing, when they dare to, those who are Christians from those who are not.  It's showing which God is real from the god that is not. 

How people have been taught of who God is is now on display for everyone to see.

Look within your own life.  Really look at how you have defined just who God is.  Because that's what you will show the world.  Either you're not afraid of the world knowing your relationship with Jesus or you are and you hide it.  Which is it? Don't say it's not that simple.  Yes it is. I guarantee you Jesus is going to make it that simple.  He separates those who are His from those who are not in Revelation.  There's no middle ground. It's yes or no.  There is no maybe. 

Are you a Christ follower? Live it. 
You want to change the world around you? Live your relationship with Jesus for the world to see. 

Have a right understanding of who God is and who Jesus is and you will change your world around you.

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