Anyone with two or more active brain cells should find the concept of God and His wanting to have relationship with us individually exhilarating and comforting!!! For all the myriad of ways evangelists have scripted preaching the gospel, I find the challenge posed above simple, straightforward, and very pointed! Not many loopholes in this approach! TR i think it's just sometimes hard to believe He would love and want us like that when sometimes people don't even feel loved and wanted by fellow humans....that's why in His merciful grace He stirs us by His Spirit to know Him and Jesus Himself is the author of our faith, so He even gives us all we need in order to believe and accept Him...we just respond to Him with agreement...i love that Galilean wedding tradition where the groom offers the cup of wine and the bride accepts...it's that easy on our end...and yes, sometimes mind-boggling that so many would refuse...such a precious gift of Himself, of belonging, of real love, of cleansing and purpose thank you TR for the reminder of the beautiful simplicity that truly only takes a mustard seed sized, childlike faith (that He even gives us Himself if we call on Him)- we just choose to place that faith back on Him in thankful trust in His goodness- i tend to over complicate things and let satan hold me back with fear and insecurity thinking i can't share my faith in our Lord in person to someone cuz i don't explain it well verbally etc...nobody has to understand it all ever really this side of Heaven and especially not to become born again...God does the work and the giving...we just do the trusting and receiving and He helps us even with that! Good point, TR. It’s amazing how many pastors and authors add so much complexity to the Gospel message. I will never forget the evening I was in a hotel room in Knoxville, TN reading a book on prayer and prayer life. The conditions laid out by this author were so strangling that in frustration I threw the book across the room and threw my arms up in the air. According to this author you had to practically live a perfect life or God would not hear your prayers. How frustrated was I? I never throw things when I’m mad, especially books but I thought how quiet Heaven must be since apparently God cannot hear us miserable sinners. That book did a lot of short term damage to my communications with God because there is NO WAY I can ever live up to the standard set forth by that book. And yet in my most trying times I have felt the very real Presence of God upon me. I love what gratefulforgrace said about the groom with the cup of wine. You can see that very scene in the movie The Nativity. So simple and so beautiful! If the author of that prayer book actually makes it to Heaven then I am going to make him eat fruitcake for all eternity for the angst and aggravation he’s caused me. :wacko: I always go back to the the thief on the cross. Here was a man, enduring the agony of crucifixion on a cross next to our Lord. He was being executed for his crimes, for stealing. He was about to leave this world, but he was introduced to the Savior in the last hours of his earthly life. Once he believed in who Jesus is.....he asked Him to remember him when He comes into His kingdom.....and the Lord said to him....Assuredly I say unto you, today you will be with me in paradise. Luke 23:43 What did that thief do to earn this wonderful privilege? Did he pray for hours, tithe all that he had, work without ceasing for the church or the less fortunate, write books, share the gospel, memorize the scriptures, teach, lead or suffer persecution? He did none of those things......he believed and trusted in the Lord Jesus. That's it. While all of those things mentioned are good things led of the Spirit, we do them because we love as He has loved us; and one day there will be rewards but as for salvation.....we can't earn it, we can't keep it and because of this- once we have received it, we can't lose it. Thank you Jesus for giving us You, and for sacrificing for us, for loving us.....let us praise Your name forever :dieu: Great teaching! TR yohanan, we have and love that movie (watched the new Chosen one this year instead though)...also that Before the Wrath thing w/ jd farag and amir shows that tradition, too...it really moves me to have a visual of what He did spiritually for me...btw, jd farag's testimony is such a great reminder too of all it takes to reach the heart of God is to be humble and open before Him- agreeing with what He stirs our souls to know- that we need Him and He provided through His Son! churchgal- Amen! Indeed, a relationship with God is always on His terms, though He being very accommodating! Love has boundries! TR Even so, the Rapture as well should easily fall into the category of exhilarating and comforting!!! TR
