What's Your View of God?
Verse of the Day
[ The Letter to Laodicea ] “Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: “The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation says: Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:14,20 HCSB
[ The Letter to Laodicea ] “Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: “The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation says: Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:14,20 HCSB
The web page had barely appeared on my screen when I saw the words "The Letter to Laodicea." The message to that church was that since they were neither hot nor cold, they were being spit our of God's mouth. It is an important and necessary warning of the danger for the church about not ministering to the hurting world around you or your brothers and sisters within you.
However, it is not His only word to them, as today's verse testifies. And yet sometimes we still choose to see God's condemning stare instead of His loving gaze. Why?
We do still need to hear truth from God when we stray. Conviction of the Holy Spirit and discipline from God are actually a gift of love. Without them, we drift farther away from Him.
Also, it is harder to hope than to wallow. To hope for change, we have to believe in His promise that He is working in us. Phillipians 1:6 says we have to believed that He gives us strength to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling." Not produce our own salvation, but to work it out, like kneading dough to work the ingredients through out it.
Finally, we have an enemy that wants to keep us chained to our failures. Again, though, God's word provides us with necessary truth and strength. Romans 8:1 reminds us (and oh, we need much reminding in this life) that " Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,"
No condemnation. We can rest in God's word, whether convicting or encouraging, knowing that He will always love us and never cast us aside.
Can I get an Amen?
However, it is not His only word to them, as today's verse testifies. And yet sometimes we still choose to see God's condemning stare instead of His loving gaze. Why?
We do still need to hear truth from God when we stray. Conviction of the Holy Spirit and discipline from God are actually a gift of love. Without them, we drift farther away from Him.
Also, it is harder to hope than to wallow. To hope for change, we have to believe in His promise that He is working in us. Phillipians 1:6 says we have to believed that He gives us strength to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling." Not produce our own salvation, but to work it out, like kneading dough to work the ingredients through out it.
Finally, we have an enemy that wants to keep us chained to our failures. Again, though, God's word provides us with necessary truth and strength. Romans 8:1 reminds us (and oh, we need much reminding in this life) that " Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,"
No condemnation. We can rest in God's word, whether convicting or encouraging, knowing that He will always love us and never cast us aside.
Can I get an Amen?
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