It bewilders me...
As a bit of follow on from my preaching yesterday, (which, if you are interested in listening to, you can at ..
www.salvos3064.podbean.com) it totally gobsmacks me, bewilders me, throws me for six, that people would hear about Jesus, be confronted with the truth about Him, and then turn their back on Him.
It also leaves me feeling totally desperate and in despair that these same people who ignore Jesus, reject Him, pretend He doesn't exist, would then go in the exact opposite direction away from Him, listen to every other voice, and choose to go the way of evil, rather than the way of truth.
It also leaves me feeling totally amazed that people choose to go the way that hurts them, damages them, and destroys all hope, even when they have done it before and know what happens in the end.
Fickle isn't it ?
its always been this way, in our world...people rejecting truth, and choosing the lie.
It seems easier somehow to go the way that everyone else is going, you know, its a very wide path that leads to hell, and many many people are traveling that road... you know.. the lustful, do as I please, selfish thing, that's all about me and hardly about anyone else, never alone the God who loves them, so desperately that He sent His own Son, and He died a barbaric death in their place.
And whilst its a very wide road and many are walking it...that doesn't make it the right road, and sadly, for the crowd, in the end, the results of their choice will determine the end result.
It makes me feel really sick inside, that sometimes people only care about themselves and their own little world and don't care at all about any pain they cause to anyone else in the way they live their lives.
well that's a bit of a rant isn't it ?
but isn't it confusing.... that a person could be on such a good wicket, so much going for them, blessed in every way, and then choose to reject it all and go with the "whatever".
well for me..it is sad, very very very sad.
Satan dangles carrots all the time in front of us, and sadly many people just cave in.
Well..while I am alive...I will keep saying it how it is. I wont stop until everyone around me knows that Jesus loves them and offers an invitation to them.
To the churchy's who know what I am on about...go hard in prayer. God will come through for you, I believe it.
To those who feel slam dunked by these words, ...well just choose differently, get rid of the blinkers and carrots and take a risk with Jesus...He took one with you and for you. he loves you. sadly if the cap fits you have to wear it... but you can choose to change which cap you are wearing.
open the door let Him in, and allow your life to be filled with hope, peace, joy, and a future set in concrete in heaven.
it was wonderful being in that church in London and many other great churches as well.
one final question / comment...especially to those who cant get a handle on whether its all true or not ...
this story was around long before you were... these churches were around worshiping Him long before you were... Christmas and Easter.... are testament to the truth and we celebrate it every year.
why reject, what deep down in your being, you just know is incredibly true ?
Jesus loves you.
www.salvos3064.podbean.com) it totally gobsmacks me, bewilders me, throws me for six, that people would hear about Jesus, be confronted with the truth about Him, and then turn their back on Him.
It also leaves me feeling totally desperate and in despair that these same people who ignore Jesus, reject Him, pretend He doesn't exist, would then go in the exact opposite direction away from Him, listen to every other voice, and choose to go the way of evil, rather than the way of truth.
It also leaves me feeling totally amazed that people choose to go the way that hurts them, damages them, and destroys all hope, even when they have done it before and know what happens in the end.
Fickle isn't it ?
its always been this way, in our world...people rejecting truth, and choosing the lie.
It seems easier somehow to go the way that everyone else is going, you know, its a very wide path that leads to hell, and many many people are traveling that road... you know.. the lustful, do as I please, selfish thing, that's all about me and hardly about anyone else, never alone the God who loves them, so desperately that He sent His own Son, and He died a barbaric death in their place.
And whilst its a very wide road and many are walking it...that doesn't make it the right road, and sadly, for the crowd, in the end, the results of their choice will determine the end result.
It makes me feel really sick inside, that sometimes people only care about themselves and their own little world and don't care at all about any pain they cause to anyone else in the way they live their lives.
well that's a bit of a rant isn't it ?
It's a very narrow road and few choose it, the one that leads to heaven.
but isn't it confusing.... that a person could be on such a good wicket, so much going for them, blessed in every way, and then choose to reject it all and go with the "whatever".
well for me..it is sad, very very very sad.
Satan dangles carrots all the time in front of us, and sadly many people just cave in.
Well..while I am alive...I will keep saying it how it is. I wont stop until everyone around me knows that Jesus loves them and offers an invitation to them.
To the churchy's who know what I am on about...go hard in prayer. God will come through for you, I believe it.
To those who feel slam dunked by these words, ...well just choose differently, get rid of the blinkers and carrots and take a risk with Jesus...He took one with you and for you. he loves you. sadly if the cap fits you have to wear it... but you can choose to change which cap you are wearing.
Recently when I was in St Pauls Cathedral in London I was impacted by "The painting of Christ" standing at the door of our lives knocking and waiting to be invited in ...
My dad had a copy of this, which I now have, as He is in heaven with His heavenly Father.
and I want to say to you...
if He knocks today, on your hearts door....
don't pretend you are not home, and hope He goes away....
it was wonderful being in that church in London and many other great churches as well.
one final question / comment...especially to those who cant get a handle on whether its all true or not ...
this story was around long before you were... these churches were around worshiping Him long before you were... Christmas and Easter.... are testament to the truth and we celebrate it every year.
why reject, what deep down in your being, you just know is incredibly true ?
Jesus loves you.
Hi Gary,
ReplyDeleteYour thoughts are very close to my own at this moment in time. After celebrating what was a truely amazing easter weekend I find it extremely frustrating that both those who attend these services (or any service really) as well as those who don't (but who are aware of the church I am sure) would choose to walk away from one of the few absolute truths still available. Like many involved in ministry I find it frustrating how anyone would choose to continue on their current road when Jesus offers us each so much more that not only takes care of us now, but also our eternal condition. As I think about these choices I guess they are no different to those who continue to speed and have a disregard for the law of the land even though the evidence of the foolishness of others is quite clear. I guess they struggle with the 'it won't happen to me' syndrome.
One can only assume that their current comfort zone is more attractive than the alternative. Satan is very good at making us feel as though our current lifestyle is more beneficial and that while we remain there we do not have to change. For some change is a scary place and so it is often easier for us to follow the majority (after all the majority must be right yeah?). Safety in numbers perhaps? Don't want to be seen as weak? Don't want to possibly lose friendships? And dare I say it, don't want to upset anybody? We live in a world that tells us that it is good for US to be in control and that we have a right to choose how we live. Yes that is true we do have the right and God even gives us that right. How it must hurt him to see his creation reject him based on the worldly idea that we know what is best.
I feel your frustration. I guess all we can do is continue to live our lives in accordance with the will of God and to keep sharing the message of truth and hope. And of course pray. Maybe, just maybe, those within our communities will catch hold of it and make the choice to walk the narrow path. May we continue to pray that all would be saved and none be lost. Ultimately though, it is a choice that each of us needs to decide on.