Numbers 11
This is the chapter that relates how the people got tired of only manna three times every day, so God sent them quail. God brought all these birds "out of the blue"! God can do anything!
But the people still suffered the consequences of their refusal to accept God's gracious provision. They just really found it hard to trust Him.
Psalm 78: 23-25 says, He gave command to the skies above and opened the doors of the Heavens; He rained down manna for the people to eat, He gave them the Grain of Heaven. Men ate the bread of angels; He sent them all the food they could eat.
The people still ate the manna; they could prepare it in all kinds of different ways, and it tasted good, like fresh olive oil, or honey wafers. It met all their nutritional needs, and it didn't cost them anything, either (vs. 7-8).
But they weren't satisfied with Angels' Food bread.
How often do we think we can take care of ourselves without God, or what He's already provided isn't good enough? How often do we complain, and overlook all the good He has already given us? Whatever we focus on becomes larger in our view, and will fill our vision; everything else just fades into the background.
That's why God wants us to control our own thoughts and attitudes, to focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or worthy to be praised (Philippians 4:8). When we're focused on thanking Him for all the blessings He showers on us every day, then all the unpleasant and negative stuff will fade into the background.
We won't end up as Pollyannas, but we will have a more positive outlook on life. And if we all had a more positive outlook, we'd be more pleasant to be around. I think this is why, "have a nice day!" got to be such a popular good bye.
When we have a positive, thankful attitude toward God, He will continue to bless us with more. But if we choose to focus on the problems, the deficiencies, the wrong stuff; then the good things will fade and our vision will be filled with the negative, and we won't even be looking for things to get better.
So God sent the quail, so many that they got sick of quail!
And God still sent the manna, all the years they wandered in the desert, and even when they entered the Promised Land, until they harvested their first crop (Joshua 5:12).
But even with all these miracles, the people still didn't really trust Him, they kept getting pulled away by every opinion out there.
Let us not get distracted by all the allures of this World. God is God, and there is none other even similar to Him. He is our Source of everything we need to live and prosper and have fun.
When we follow His ways, we will reap and harvest His good crop of virtues and good times, and the freedom to enjoy them. Until He comes.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, December 22, 2017
Thursday, December 21, 2017
490 Years & 70 Years
Leviticus 26: 34-35, 43-44
Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.
For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected My laws and abhorred My decrees. Yet in spite of this, when they're in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking My covenant with them. I am the Lord their God.
God is saying that when they don't follow the Lord's statutes, and they will carried off to their enemies' lands, their own good land, the Promised Land, will get their sabbaths, that they didn't observe while they were in the land.
And since they will be in Babylon (and scattered into all the Nations) for 70 years; then the land will have it's 70 sabbaths, that it didn't have the 490 years the people lived there.
Why is it so hard to just take God at His Word? He says what He means, and He means what He says.
Now only God knows who His 10 "lost tribes" are.
But He will always have a remnant of Hebrew people, because He made promises to them, and He always keeps His promises.
The Good News today is that Jesus fulfilled that first sacrifice in Leviticus, the personal sacrifice, and anyone anywhere (not just those who can trace their genealogy back to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) can admit that they deserve death (because the paycheck for sin is death) and let Him take their place in death for them; then God will place His own Holy Spirit into their spirit, making it alive. And this new life you will have is so much better than the old one. You'll still have the old one, too, but you'll have a truly free choice now. That's what I experienced, and you can, too.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And since they will be in Babylon (and scattered into all the Nations) for 70 years; then the land will have it's 70 sabbaths, that it didn't have the 490 years the people lived there.
Why is it so hard to just take God at His Word? He says what He means, and He means what He says.
Now only God knows who His 10 "lost tribes" are.
But He will always have a remnant of Hebrew people, because He made promises to them, and He always keeps His promises.
The Good News today is that Jesus fulfilled that first sacrifice in Leviticus, the personal sacrifice, and anyone anywhere (not just those who can trace their genealogy back to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) can admit that they deserve death (because the paycheck for sin is death) and let Him take their place in death for them; then God will place His own Holy Spirit into their spirit, making it alive. And this new life you will have is so much better than the old one. You'll still have the old one, too, but you'll have a truly free choice now. That's what I experienced, and you can, too.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
The Feasts
Exodus 23: 14-17
Leviticus 23: 4-43
Deuteronomy 16: 1-17
The Feasts.
God has given Israel these six feasting times so they will remember all the powerful and wonderful things He had already done for them; and also to show them the whole story of what their Messiah will accomplish.
The Passover: Jesus is our Passover Lamb, the Lamb of God, Who shed God's own Blood to not just cover, but wash away all our sins from each of us.
The First Fruits: Jesus is the First Fruits of the Resurrection (I Corinthians 15:20).
Pentecost: is the birthday of Christ's Bride, the Church. This is the only feast celebrated with leavened bread, because we are not yet saved from the presence of sin.
These three feasts have been fulfilled.
The other three feasts will all take place within days of each other, all during the first two weeks of the 7th month: the First, the Tenth, and the Fifteenth.
Trumpets: This was essentially a concert. I see this as what theologians today call the "Rapture of the Church," (a term not used in Scripture, except its meaning to "catch away") when the last Trumpet will sound and Jesus comes with clouds and calls us out of this World, into the air to be with Him (I Corinthians 15: 51-52, and I Thessalonians 4:14-18). That's when we will be changed, our bodies will be like His Resurrection Body, and we will ever be with Him wherever He is.
The Atonement: This was the corporate sacrifice to cover the sins of the Nation Israel for the year. When Jesus fulfilled this sacrifice on Calvary, He purchased the whole World with His precious Blood; now He is our Owner by purchase as well as by Creation, giving Him the right to be our Judge.
I see Him fulfilling this Feast by scouring this Earth, cleansing it of all the sin; all the wrong, all the cruelty, all the pollution; everything that detracts from this Earth being the Paradise that the Garden of Eden was before the Fall. To set up His Kingdom here to rule in Righteousness for that 1000 years (Revelation 20:1-7).
The Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles: After Jesus scours the Earth of its cities we will need to rebuild, so we will be living in these temporary Booths while we build homes for us all.
These Feasts all looked back to what God did for His People Israel. And they also looked forward to the story of our Messiah, our Savior, our Sovereign King.
Our Father has told us the whole story. He has laid out through the whole body of Scripture, how everything began; how the corridor of Time will proceed in how He directs the Nations; and how the whole story of this Earth and our World upon it will conclude; and even hints to what will come after this Universe has accomplished its purpose.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Leviticus 23: 4-43
Deuteronomy 16: 1-17
The Feasts.
God has given Israel these six feasting times so they will remember all the powerful and wonderful things He had already done for them; and also to show them the whole story of what their Messiah will accomplish.
The Passover: Jesus is our Passover Lamb, the Lamb of God, Who shed God's own Blood to not just cover, but wash away all our sins from each of us.
The First Fruits: Jesus is the First Fruits of the Resurrection (I Corinthians 15:20).
Pentecost: is the birthday of Christ's Bride, the Church. This is the only feast celebrated with leavened bread, because we are not yet saved from the presence of sin.
These three feasts have been fulfilled.
The other three feasts will all take place within days of each other, all during the first two weeks of the 7th month: the First, the Tenth, and the Fifteenth.
Trumpets: This was essentially a concert. I see this as what theologians today call the "Rapture of the Church," (a term not used in Scripture, except its meaning to "catch away") when the last Trumpet will sound and Jesus comes with clouds and calls us out of this World, into the air to be with Him (I Corinthians 15: 51-52, and I Thessalonians 4:14-18). That's when we will be changed, our bodies will be like His Resurrection Body, and we will ever be with Him wherever He is.
The Atonement: This was the corporate sacrifice to cover the sins of the Nation Israel for the year. When Jesus fulfilled this sacrifice on Calvary, He purchased the whole World with His precious Blood; now He is our Owner by purchase as well as by Creation, giving Him the right to be our Judge.
I see Him fulfilling this Feast by scouring this Earth, cleansing it of all the sin; all the wrong, all the cruelty, all the pollution; everything that detracts from this Earth being the Paradise that the Garden of Eden was before the Fall. To set up His Kingdom here to rule in Righteousness for that 1000 years (Revelation 20:1-7).
The Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles: After Jesus scours the Earth of its cities we will need to rebuild, so we will be living in these temporary Booths while we build homes for us all.
These Feasts all looked back to what God did for His People Israel. And they also looked forward to the story of our Messiah, our Savior, our Sovereign King.
Our Father has told us the whole story. He has laid out through the whole body of Scripture, how everything began; how the corridor of Time will proceed in how He directs the Nations; and how the whole story of this Earth and our World upon it will conclude; and even hints to what will come after this Universe has accomplished its purpose.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
God's Glory
Exodus 29: 43
And I will meet there with the sons of Israel, and it shall be consecrated by My glory.
God's glory appeared as a consuming fire on the Mountain. Now His glory is consecrating all these things of the Tabernacle, and also consecrating these people by His glory.
His glory had some kind of effect on the Priests (and Levites, too) to protect them from the impact of the Ark of the Covenant. That's why God directed them to camp around the Tabernacle, between the Tabernacle and the other Tribes, to act as a barrier to protect the people (Numbers 2 & 3).
Later, when the Philistines captured the Ark in battle and took it to their own towns, to the temple of Dagon, they found their idol with its face on the ground in front of the Ark. Then the next day, their idol was not only on the ground before the Ark, but its head and hands were broken off. The demon behind the idol was compelled to bow before the Ark of the Lord God. (See Isaiah 45:23-24, Romans 14:11-12, Philippians 2:10-11, and Revelation 5:12-13.)
And God caused the people of those towns to have serious health problems, wherever they brought it (I Samuel 5). Finally they decided to return it to the Israelites (I Samuel 6).
We need to be careful how we approach our God--He is dangerous to us. That's why He gave so many specific instructions for the Ark and the Tabernacle: God told Moses to, Make this Tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you (Exodus 25:9). This "pattern" is the actual Temple in Heaven (Hebrews 9:11), which God showed Moses, so the people would be safe from it's powerful effects.
God's glory is something that I can't even imagine. That His glory would consecrate the items and equip the people who would serve near them to protect them, is something out of a fantasy novel to me; but I know that it's true, because God's Spirit of Truth lives in me, and teaches me what is true and what is deceptive.
I'm not even going to try to count all the times, all through God's Word, where we are cautioned to, "be careful," to, "give attention," to, "listen closely" to all that God tells us. Every book, every chapter, every word has been specifically given to us, God-breathed to His prophets who wrote down His Words (II Timothy 3:16).
Our God is Love, and how we love Him and one another is according to how He has loved us, and He has told us how in His Word.
God says what He means, and He means what He says. That's why He gave us His Spirit, not only to keep us from falling away, but also to teach us how to understand what God is saying to us in His Word. God wants us to know Him, and He wants us to welcome His knowing us--let Him in to our thoughts and attitudes, so that our words and actions will be according to how He wants us to relate to Him and to one another.
O my Father, Your glory is beyond what I can imagine. Help me to know You better each day, love You more every moment, and show Your love to others at every opportunity.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And I will meet there with the sons of Israel, and it shall be consecrated by My glory.
God's glory appeared as a consuming fire on the Mountain. Now His glory is consecrating all these things of the Tabernacle, and also consecrating these people by His glory.
His glory had some kind of effect on the Priests (and Levites, too) to protect them from the impact of the Ark of the Covenant. That's why God directed them to camp around the Tabernacle, between the Tabernacle and the other Tribes, to act as a barrier to protect the people (Numbers 2 & 3).
Later, when the Philistines captured the Ark in battle and took it to their own towns, to the temple of Dagon, they found their idol with its face on the ground in front of the Ark. Then the next day, their idol was not only on the ground before the Ark, but its head and hands were broken off. The demon behind the idol was compelled to bow before the Ark of the Lord God. (See Isaiah 45:23-24, Romans 14:11-12, Philippians 2:10-11, and Revelation 5:12-13.)
And God caused the people of those towns to have serious health problems, wherever they brought it (I Samuel 5). Finally they decided to return it to the Israelites (I Samuel 6).
We need to be careful how we approach our God--He is dangerous to us. That's why He gave so many specific instructions for the Ark and the Tabernacle: God told Moses to, Make this Tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you (Exodus 25:9). This "pattern" is the actual Temple in Heaven (Hebrews 9:11), which God showed Moses, so the people would be safe from it's powerful effects.
God's glory is something that I can't even imagine. That His glory would consecrate the items and equip the people who would serve near them to protect them, is something out of a fantasy novel to me; but I know that it's true, because God's Spirit of Truth lives in me, and teaches me what is true and what is deceptive.
I'm not even going to try to count all the times, all through God's Word, where we are cautioned to, "be careful," to, "give attention," to, "listen closely" to all that God tells us. Every book, every chapter, every word has been specifically given to us, God-breathed to His prophets who wrote down His Words (II Timothy 3:16).
Our God is Love, and how we love Him and one another is according to how He has loved us, and He has told us how in His Word.
O my Father, Your glory is beyond what I can imagine. Help me to know You better each day, love You more every moment, and show Your love to others at every opportunity.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, December 18, 2017
The Very Best
Exodus 26 & 27
The Tabernacle.
The Courtyard's curtains hung from silver bands with silver hooks, the posts sat in bronze sockets with bronze pegs. And the Altar was bronze.
The Tent of the Tabernacle and all its furnishings were gold, and the posts sat in silver sockets.
The outside was of baser metals, but the inner was of gold. The closer to where God was, the finer the metals.
God deserves only our very best.
He gave His very best for us, His only Son. Now I want Him to have the very best of me: my thoughts, my words, my actions, my very life. My Utmost for His Highest (Oswald Chambers).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The Tabernacle.
The Courtyard's curtains hung from silver bands with silver hooks, the posts sat in bronze sockets with bronze pegs. And the Altar was bronze.
The Tent of the Tabernacle and all its furnishings were gold, and the posts sat in silver sockets.
The outside was of baser metals, but the inner was of gold. The closer to where God was, the finer the metals.
God deserves only our very best.
He gave His very best for us, His only Son. Now I want Him to have the very best of me: my thoughts, my words, my actions, my very life. My Utmost for His Highest (Oswald Chambers).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, December 17, 2017
The Ark Of The Covenant
Exodus 25: 22
And there I will meet with you, and from above the Mercy Seat, from between the two Cherubim which are upon the Ark of the Testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.
This wooden box covered in gold inside and out, with the cover of pure gold made in one piece with the two cherubim on it with their wings covering it--this is the place where the Presence of the Lord God was centered. Here He spoke with Moses.
And God's presence here affected this Ark, so that the populace of the Nation Israel had to be protected from it by the Levites camping around it between the Tabernacle and the other Tribes. The Levites shall pitch round about the Tabernacle of Testamony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel; and the Levites shall keep the charge of the Tabernacle (Numbers 1:23).
When they were to travel to another place in the Desert, they would pack up everything, to set up again in the new spot.
But only the priests, the sons of Aaron, were allowed to see the furniture inside the Tent, to prepare them for travel by covering them completely and putting the poles into the rings for carrying (Numbers 4:5-14).
Then the Levites, the Kohathites, would come in to carry these holy items out of the Tent. But they were not allowed to touch or even look at them, only carry them by their poles (Numbers 4:15).
Then the Levites, the Gershonites would take down all the curtains of the Tabernacle and the Courtyard, and carry all the soft items in wagons, covered by the porpoise skins. These made them waterproof (Numbers 4:21-28).
Then the Levites, the Merarites, would gather all the frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and tent pegs, all the hard items, and carry those in wagons, also (Numbers 4:31-33).
Then God had them all set out in a specific order, all to make sure that no one would be harmed by proximity to this Ark that God "sat" upon (Numbers 10: 14-28). (See also what happened to Uzza in I Chronicles 13:7, 9-10.)
God is God, and He is so grand and glorious, to the extreme, that no person is able to survive too close a proximity to Him without God somehow enabling them (as He did with Moses and Aaron and his sons). I John 4:12 tells us that No man hath seen God at any time, and I Timothy 6:16 says that God is Dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, or can see, in the flesh we live in now. Only after Jesus returns again, and we are Glorified with that New Body that will glow like the Sun, then we will be equipped to see Him as He is (I Corinthians 6:35-58).
When Jesus fulfilled "all the Law and the Prophets," He also fulfilled all the parts of this Tabernacle and its furniture. He is pictured in every part of it. This Tabernacle shows us what Jesus would accomplish in His Life, Death, and Resurrection.
God has shown us His whole Plan of the Ages in His Word, and we need to be wholehearted in searching for His Truth, and persevere in digging deeper, in order to gain an understanding of what He is telling us.
It is a wonderful Plan, and I feel that I have barely scratched the surface of all God is telling us.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And there I will meet with you, and from above the Mercy Seat, from between the two Cherubim which are upon the Ark of the Testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.
This wooden box covered in gold inside and out, with the cover of pure gold made in one piece with the two cherubim on it with their wings covering it--this is the place where the Presence of the Lord God was centered. Here He spoke with Moses.
And God's presence here affected this Ark, so that the populace of the Nation Israel had to be protected from it by the Levites camping around it between the Tabernacle and the other Tribes. The Levites shall pitch round about the Tabernacle of Testamony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel; and the Levites shall keep the charge of the Tabernacle (Numbers 1:23).
When they were to travel to another place in the Desert, they would pack up everything, to set up again in the new spot.
But only the priests, the sons of Aaron, were allowed to see the furniture inside the Tent, to prepare them for travel by covering them completely and putting the poles into the rings for carrying (Numbers 4:5-14).
Then the Levites, the Kohathites, would come in to carry these holy items out of the Tent. But they were not allowed to touch or even look at them, only carry them by their poles (Numbers 4:15).
Then the Levites, the Gershonites would take down all the curtains of the Tabernacle and the Courtyard, and carry all the soft items in wagons, covered by the porpoise skins. These made them waterproof (Numbers 4:21-28).
Then the Levites, the Merarites, would gather all the frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and tent pegs, all the hard items, and carry those in wagons, also (Numbers 4:31-33).
Then God had them all set out in a specific order, all to make sure that no one would be harmed by proximity to this Ark that God "sat" upon (Numbers 10: 14-28). (See also what happened to Uzza in I Chronicles 13:7, 9-10.)
God is God, and He is so grand and glorious, to the extreme, that no person is able to survive too close a proximity to Him without God somehow enabling them (as He did with Moses and Aaron and his sons). I John 4:12 tells us that No man hath seen God at any time, and I Timothy 6:16 says that God is Dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, or can see, in the flesh we live in now. Only after Jesus returns again, and we are Glorified with that New Body that will glow like the Sun, then we will be equipped to see Him as He is (I Corinthians 6:35-58).
When Jesus fulfilled "all the Law and the Prophets," He also fulfilled all the parts of this Tabernacle and its furniture. He is pictured in every part of it. This Tabernacle shows us what Jesus would accomplish in His Life, Death, and Resurrection.
God has shown us His whole Plan of the Ages in His Word, and we need to be wholehearted in searching for His Truth, and persevere in digging deeper, in order to gain an understanding of what He is telling us.
It is a wonderful Plan, and I feel that I have barely scratched the surface of all God is telling us.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, December 16, 2017
The Law Of Love
Exodus 20
The Ten Commandments.
In Matthew 5: 17 Jesus tells us, Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I've not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
When Jesus fulfilled the letter of all the Law, it included these Ten Commandments. Now we are not bound to do the very letter of each of these Commandments, but we are to obey the spirit of love that they are all based on. This goes much further than the mere letter of each law, much deeper.
For instance, not only are we to not commit adultery, but we are to love them and not even look upon another with lust. Not only are we to "do no murder," we are to love them and not even think ill of our neighbor, which is anyone and everyone in the World.
Even the Sabbath is not a specific day (the letter), but the principle of loving ourselves in taking a day off each week because it restores our own health and well-being, as well as loving God in remembering He is our Creator.
Jesus told us, In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12). This is loving others as we love ourselves.
Matthew also tells us: An expert in the Law tested Him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:15-40). The whole body of all the laws, rules, commandments, regulations, precepts, orders, and decrees are all based on Love: our love for God, for ourselves, and for others.
So if we really love God, our love will constrain us to do what would be loving, and keep us from doing, saying, or even thinking something that would not be loving. This means that we will not be down on ourselves, because God values us greatly. We will not think ill of any other person, because he or she is our neighbor.
And we will consider our God to be the greatest, most wonderful and amazing Being Who ever was, is, or will ever be. He is good to the extreme, everything He does comes from the Love He is and has for all He has made.
Even what we would consider negative or even cruel, still comes from Love, in giving sentient beings the consequences of their own free choices, this freedom having been given in order that they might choose wisely instead of foolishly.
We see His love in being patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance, before the Day of the Lord comes as a thief [when] the heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the Earth and everything in it will be burned up (II Peter 2:9-10).
Anyone who waits for that will be too late, the die will be cast, and their eternity will already be set. God has already waited over two thousand years since Jesus died, rose, and ascended back into Heaven. How much longer do you think He will wait? All the signs He gave for the End are present in our World right now.
Hebrews 3: 15 tells us, Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts...
And II Corinthians 6: 2 says, ...I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of Salvation.
How much better to respond to His call today, because every tomorrow is uncertain. We have only right now when we can choose. Let's all choose our God, before our power of choice is over.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The Ten Commandments.
In Matthew 5: 17 Jesus tells us, Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I've not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
When Jesus fulfilled the letter of all the Law, it included these Ten Commandments. Now we are not bound to do the very letter of each of these Commandments, but we are to obey the spirit of love that they are all based on. This goes much further than the mere letter of each law, much deeper.
For instance, not only are we to not commit adultery, but we are to love them and not even look upon another with lust. Not only are we to "do no murder," we are to love them and not even think ill of our neighbor, which is anyone and everyone in the World.
Even the Sabbath is not a specific day (the letter), but the principle of loving ourselves in taking a day off each week because it restores our own health and well-being, as well as loving God in remembering He is our Creator.
Jesus told us, In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12). This is loving others as we love ourselves.
Matthew also tells us: An expert in the Law tested Him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:15-40). The whole body of all the laws, rules, commandments, regulations, precepts, orders, and decrees are all based on Love: our love for God, for ourselves, and for others.
So if we really love God, our love will constrain us to do what would be loving, and keep us from doing, saying, or even thinking something that would not be loving. This means that we will not be down on ourselves, because God values us greatly. We will not think ill of any other person, because he or she is our neighbor.
And we will consider our God to be the greatest, most wonderful and amazing Being Who ever was, is, or will ever be. He is good to the extreme, everything He does comes from the Love He is and has for all He has made.
Even what we would consider negative or even cruel, still comes from Love, in giving sentient beings the consequences of their own free choices, this freedom having been given in order that they might choose wisely instead of foolishly.
We see His love in being patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance, before the Day of the Lord comes as a thief [when] the heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the Earth and everything in it will be burned up (II Peter 2:9-10).
Anyone who waits for that will be too late, the die will be cast, and their eternity will already be set. God has already waited over two thousand years since Jesus died, rose, and ascended back into Heaven. How much longer do you think He will wait? All the signs He gave for the End are present in our World right now.
Hebrews 3: 15 tells us, Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts...
And II Corinthians 6: 2 says, ...I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of Salvation.
How much better to respond to His call today, because every tomorrow is uncertain. We have only right now when we can choose. Let's all choose our God, before our power of choice is over.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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