When the Door Slams
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world, according to the prince of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).
Ephesians 2:1-5
The Lord does not say that hell-fire was prepared for human beings. Although we all are sinners and guilty of eternal death, nevertheless God wanted to prevent this misery by giving His Son into death for us. and thereafter He revealed His good Word to us, so that we know what we are to do if we want to serve God and live to please Him.
Think about this: Our heavenly Father would very much like for us to be saved and, therefore, has ordained for us, not eternal fire but heaven and eternal life. But some of us despise the forgiveness of sins through Christ as a insignificant treasure.... We also take no delight in doing what God tells us to do in order to serve Him. Since, then, we degenerate to the very level of the devil and observe his will more than the Word of our Lord God, it must follow that we are obliged to share this judgment. We prepare this doom for ourselves.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Related Bible Texts; Matthew 25:31-46; Mark 9:42-50; Luke 16:19-30; Revelation 1:8-18
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Abuse
When The Door Slams
"Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. "What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:26-28
Many victims [of sexual abuse have] tremendous anger toward God, their parents and other Christians who did not understand the deep pain the abuse victim has endured. Many pastors and other Christians are personally uncomfortable or unfamiliar with such intense pain. Wanting to "rescue" the victim as well as to avoid experiencing their own pain through personal involvement, they may tend to give "formulas" or "pat answer" as a solutions: Just trust in Jesus and everything will be okay.
Initially, however, such superficial advice only increases the pain and confusion victims experience. It implies they don't have enough faith, that they should be " OK" by now, or that they are not pleasing God in some way because they aren't yet healed.... I know that Christ is the Healer; He wants to heal the damage that has been done, but restoration often involves a process that takes years. There is no "quick fix" to the pain of any abuse.
Think about this: Without first repairing the interpersonal relationship with God...., the abuse victim has no "source" with which to establish any lasting victory over the results of damage in his or her life, nor sustenance for the journey to wholeness.
Many times the relationship with God must be entirely role-modeled again within a trusting and caring counseling relationship with another person as a pattern for developing a healthy relationship as the victim learns how to have a healthy relationship with the of Christ.
Related Bible Texts: Job 7:11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Ephesians 2:4-10; 1 John 3:1-2
"Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. "What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:26-28
Many victims [of sexual abuse have] tremendous anger toward God, their parents and other Christians who did not understand the deep pain the abuse victim has endured. Many pastors and other Christians are personally uncomfortable or unfamiliar with such intense pain. Wanting to "rescue" the victim as well as to avoid experiencing their own pain through personal involvement, they may tend to give "formulas" or "pat answer" as a solutions: Just trust in Jesus and everything will be okay.
Initially, however, such superficial advice only increases the pain and confusion victims experience. It implies they don't have enough faith, that they should be " OK" by now, or that they are not pleasing God in some way because they aren't yet healed.... I know that Christ is the Healer; He wants to heal the damage that has been done, but restoration often involves a process that takes years. There is no "quick fix" to the pain of any abuse.
Think about this: Without first repairing the interpersonal relationship with God...., the abuse victim has no "source" with which to establish any lasting victory over the results of damage in his or her life, nor sustenance for the journey to wholeness.
Many times the relationship with God must be entirely role-modeled again within a trusting and caring counseling relationship with another person as a pattern for developing a healthy relationship as the victim learns how to have a healthy relationship with the of Christ.
Related Bible Texts: Job 7:11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Ephesians 2:4-10; 1 John 3:1-2
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