Be Reconciled to God

Dr Myles Munroe said in one of his books that everyone has a right to believe in what he wants to believe in, and he would defend his right to do so. I agree with him. Although my desire is to see everyone experiencing Christ’s salvation, I have no right to impose my beliefs on other people. Deep in my heart I believe that Jesus is the only true God and somebody else might think that I am wrong, but who knows, they might be right? We’ll just have to wait and see. Jesus to me is real, I have no doubt whatsoever. I know where I come from and only His power could ever deliver me.  I see him working daily in my life and in nature. (For since the creation of the world God’s visible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans1:20). The key here is that even though we don’t understand, we were all placed on this beautiful earth for reasons unknown. Some are in a pursuit to find their purpose and thus, they emerge to different religions. Some don’t even bother about finding their purpose they spend their entire life getting drunk, sleeping around, and wasting their souls and bodies. A body which in Christianity, was created to contain Jesus himself. 

Often times as human beings we tend to feel really empty inside. We follow a religion and still after the many rituals and self-effort of trying to be good citizens, we are still empty. We jump from one partner to another and yet we still feel empty. We find something or someone to complete us only to discover that in the long run we are still as empty as ever. Witness Lee in many of his books emphasized this as a need for God. “We are just containers”, he says, “that need to be filled up with the content, which is God himself.” As one who once was bound by religion, I can tell you that religion is mainly concerned with the outward appearance. Yet, we don’t feel empty outside, we feel empty inside and no religion can ever fill your need inside, only God’s Holy Spirit. To those who try to find their purpose in life by running to religion, that is good, at least you’re doing something. However, the question is, is your religion filling the emptiness inside of you?  (But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. Psalm115:4-5). Those who depend on other people to give them purpose, at the end of the day, do you fill fulfilled? (Whenever we feel an excessive admiration toward someone, we will begin to form unrealistic expectations of them. We will exaggerate their good points and become blinded to their faults. This unhealthy esteem actually hinders, rather than edifies a person. So instead of looking to another person who is limited and unreliable, we need to develop our spiritual well-being. John Paul Jackson)

Worldly Consequences

“What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!”~ Roman6:21

We reap the rewards of our actions even in the smallest matter. What you sow today will determine your seed in the future. Before re-dedicating my life to God I knew God as somebody who’s just there waiting to bless me and enlarge my territory. I never cared if my living glorified Him, it was just all about me doing what I want, and claiming that I believe in Jesus. I don’t know if some religions condone spiritual anarchy in an individual’s life, but with Jesus you cannot just live how you want to live and claim that he is your God. There is a price you have to pay, it has nothing to do with money though, you just have to deny yourself and carry your cross daily. By doing this, you save yourself the heartache of having to bear the painful consequences of your own actions.  The writer of Romans asks, “What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of?” I know I reaped abortion, something I live with everyday of my life. I reaped STD’s, from a young age running to clinics drinking many pills, being robbed of my childhood. I reaped low-self esteem, being used and belittled by the men I was sleeping with. And who knows, had I not just hearkened to God’s call, I would've been lying in bed today dying of AIDS. Who knows? Young people are dying prematurely today because they refuse to answer Jesus' call for their lives. “Those things result in death!” I met with the guy I committed fornication with months back and what a shock to see how he looked like, how he sounded when he spoke. What you are in the inside will show in the outside. He was no longer the muscular guy, he was skinny and frail, he was unclean in the outside, and it shows that even men who don’t take care of their bodies, sleeping around thinking they’re cool, because they can sleep with any girl they want, they also reap the consequences, they also get finished. We all reap what we sow! (God does not show favoritism. He will give to each person according to what he has done. Romans2:11&;6).

Eternal Consequences

Worldly consequences are not such a big deal compared to the eternal consequences. Many people commit so much sin that it later drives them to commit suicide in ignorance of the severe consequence that actually awaits them. (The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters, and all liars- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. Revelation21:8). People look at Christians who are striving to live a holy life and they laugh at them thinking that they’re foolish; somehow they have concluded that we are living an impossible life. On the contrary, the same also go to church, they have a form of Godliness, yet are not striving to live a holy life by denying themselves and carrying their cross. To them, God is just somebody who’s just playful you know, gives them toys whenever they want, gives them the car they want, the partner they demand, the life they want to live. God is not a reality but an image portrayed in a bible, crafted in jewelry or painted in pictures. God is not real to them. There is no seriousness of reading the bible, no seriousness in joining themselves with the body of Christ; they would rather join themselves with the world. They ask, “Why would a loving God allow his people to burn in sulphur?” They forget that while they were busy pleasing their flesh in the world, the true worshippers of God were down on their knees in tears repenting of their sins. God shows no favoritism! (Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven! I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers! Mathew7:21&23).

No longer will there be any curse…

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes…

There will be no more pain, crying, or mourning…

They will see His face and His name will be on their foreheads…

There will be no more night…

They will not need the light from the lamp or the sun for the Lord will be their light…

They will reign forever…

...The New Jerusalem

Wait…there’s good news, the New Jerusalem.

“Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.” ~Romans6:19

I mentioned this before but just as a reminder, Zac Poonen said in one of his books, in this evil world, there still exists some goodness because God is still in the business of reconciling man back to Him. Without God there is no goodness. There are some really mean people out there; employers are mean to their employees. Wives are cruel to their husband and children. Friends hold on to bitterness and seek revenge; people who sleep with other people’s spouses, criminals rob people of their possessions. If hell is going to be filled with these kinds of people then I sure don’t want to go to hell! Hell seems like a kind of place where a fornicator will desire intensely to fornicate but will never be fulfilled. Where the glutton wants to eat more dessert, but will never even get a drop of it. Hence we should crucify our souls and fleshly desires in order for our spirit to live for eternity with God. (During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. Revelation9:6). When we deny ourselves we are not saying that we are stupid or we don’t want to do what everyone else does. We just know that there is something better than what the world offers. I am longing for a better country- a heavenly one. I am longing for a country whose Builder and Architect is God…the New Jerusalem. The bible says that those who endure till the end will worship God night and day, oh what a glorious moment it is worshiping God. If you cannot worship God on this earth for even two minutes, how will you possibly survive day and night? (Nothing impure will enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:27). Instead of repenting from your sins because of fear of the eternal judgment, repent because you desire to truly be with God. If you do not have those desires ask God. Say, “Lord Jesus, I’m just here in this world and I believe I was placed by you. I have lived my whole life trying to find purpose from people and things that could not fill me; instead I had to deal with painful consequences of my actions. Cause me to love you dear Lord, everybody talks about you, let me experience you too.” 

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. ~Revelation3:20