COME, NOW!
Most of us, have the misguided assumption that we have plenty of time. I
turn 50 this year--it's amusing, I guess; but I can't even believe it! I
really can remember graduating from high school, and what I did that
day and those days after, like it was yesterday. Seriously, like where
did the time go??? All of the babies in my life are adults, now--the
ones I held in my arms and fed are now towering over Auntie--wow!!!
Still, as we see time passing, mankind doesn't seem to get the fact that time will not be on our side forever. God is standing in the midst of eternity waiting for His Bride--and He wants to bring all of us home, but He won't bring a reluctant bride. He won't plead forever. He has done everything for us--rescued us from the snare of the adversary time after time (if we're honest, not just Judah and Israel, but all of us, have been unfaithful).
He gave us His Son--and grace, but we are so "bewitched", just like the church at Galatia, by laws and rules--rituals and pomp and protocol. We want the rigidity of the points of the Old Covenant and the rules of men to live by, rather than governing our lives by love. Love makes no room for "covetousness and unjust gain". Love makes no room for sin against God or man. Love tears away pride and rebellion. Love destroys sin in our lives. Don't tell me it won't work or it isn't enough--God IS Love. We're not the first ones to fall under this spell--it destroyed Sodom--and led her into the lewdness of sexual perversion. You know, when our hearts are filled with pride, greed, and failure to care for the "least of these" we are apt to do anything [Ezekiel 16:49-50]! This is the reason why Jesus is so forceful (I suppose) in Matthew 25:41-46 when He says: "Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!
For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,
I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help and ministering care.
Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?
And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me.
Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life."
We fool ourselves with "Peace, peace!" when there is no peace because of our unfaithfulness to God in regards to the "least of these".
"If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land." [2 Chronicles 7:14] Then, it will truly be Peace, Peace for those who are called by His Name!
Still, as we see time passing, mankind doesn't seem to get the fact that time will not be on our side forever. God is standing in the midst of eternity waiting for His Bride--and He wants to bring all of us home, but He won't bring a reluctant bride. He won't plead forever. He has done everything for us--rescued us from the snare of the adversary time after time (if we're honest, not just Judah and Israel, but all of us, have been unfaithful).
He gave us His Son--and grace, but we are so "bewitched", just like the church at Galatia, by laws and rules--rituals and pomp and protocol. We want the rigidity of the points of the Old Covenant and the rules of men to live by, rather than governing our lives by love. Love makes no room for "covetousness and unjust gain". Love makes no room for sin against God or man. Love tears away pride and rebellion. Love destroys sin in our lives. Don't tell me it won't work or it isn't enough--God IS Love. We're not the first ones to fall under this spell--it destroyed Sodom--and led her into the lewdness of sexual perversion. You know, when our hearts are filled with pride, greed, and failure to care for the "least of these" we are apt to do anything [Ezekiel 16:49-50]! This is the reason why Jesus is so forceful (I suppose) in Matthew 25:41-46 when He says: "Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!
For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,
I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help and ministering care.
Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?
And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me.
Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life."
We fool ourselves with "Peace, peace!" when there is no peace because of our unfaithfulness to God in regards to the "least of these".
"If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land." [2 Chronicles 7:14] Then, it will truly be Peace, Peace for those who are called by His Name!
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