Monday, April 6, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
e-mails from heaven
Dear Friend,
Remember when my servant Paul said that you could get to a point in your life where my father would send you a delusion so powerful that you could not see the truth?
What you may not remember is that the Father would only do that in one circumstance – when following your heart's desire is more important than knowing and loving the truth about God.
I’m afraid that you are in danger of getting to that point if you haven’t already done so.
The truth is as follows: sin will NOT make you happy for long. I will admit that it had its pull even on me, and it was a struggle I do not care to soon repeat. But I was able to keep my head about me. I knew who I was! I knew where I came from, and I certainly knew where I was going. Because of that, I was certain that I would never believe the lies my adversary was telling me.
Sin always looks pretty on the front side, but it always bring a pain so intense that its victims can never adequately explain or describe its power to destroy a human heart and life. Sadly, it’s disease is never limited to just the person indulging in it; it affects everyone that person touches for generations to come.
In other words, you will not only be destroying your own life, but you will be contributing to the downfall of no telling how many others.
Think of your own children, for example. If your kids live to be a hundred years old, they will filter almost every life experience through your unfaithfulness and betrayal. Think about it - What you want to do is so important to you that you are willing to inflict suffering on those you love the most, a suffering that will radically alter how they live their lives.
That's what is so sad about being deluded - what looks right is really wrong, and what looks wrong is really right. And it all began with a decision to devalue my Father's authority. When you think you know better, my Father is willing to let you have your way. Go for it. See how far you get.
You might ask how a loving father could do something like that to one of his children. Good question.
The Father and I, you should know, aren’t looking for disciples who will serve us only out of duty or from a fear of condemnation. We want people who love us and love the truth about us. And the truth about us is that we can only help those who cannot help themselves. If you still think that you are capable of running your own show, you are deluded already and unfit for my kingdom. I’m into the business of helping those who have nowhere else to turn.
It’s a sad thing to see someone who is so prideful that they can’t trust their heavenly father enough to surrender their lives to him. I hope that you see this before more damage is done.
But know this – no matter where you are or how long it takes, I still have hope for you. When you get ready to meet me on my terms and not your own, let me know. I’ll be here for you.
Jesus
Remember when my servant Paul said that you could get to a point in your life where my father would send you a delusion so powerful that you could not see the truth?
What you may not remember is that the Father would only do that in one circumstance – when following your heart's desire is more important than knowing and loving the truth about God.
I’m afraid that you are in danger of getting to that point if you haven’t already done so.
The truth is as follows: sin will NOT make you happy for long. I will admit that it had its pull even on me, and it was a struggle I do not care to soon repeat. But I was able to keep my head about me. I knew who I was! I knew where I came from, and I certainly knew where I was going. Because of that, I was certain that I would never believe the lies my adversary was telling me.
Sin always looks pretty on the front side, but it always bring a pain so intense that its victims can never adequately explain or describe its power to destroy a human heart and life. Sadly, it’s disease is never limited to just the person indulging in it; it affects everyone that person touches for generations to come.
In other words, you will not only be destroying your own life, but you will be contributing to the downfall of no telling how many others.
Think of your own children, for example. If your kids live to be a hundred years old, they will filter almost every life experience through your unfaithfulness and betrayal. Think about it - What you want to do is so important to you that you are willing to inflict suffering on those you love the most, a suffering that will radically alter how they live their lives.
That's what is so sad about being deluded - what looks right is really wrong, and what looks wrong is really right. And it all began with a decision to devalue my Father's authority. When you think you know better, my Father is willing to let you have your way. Go for it. See how far you get.
You might ask how a loving father could do something like that to one of his children. Good question.
The Father and I, you should know, aren’t looking for disciples who will serve us only out of duty or from a fear of condemnation. We want people who love us and love the truth about us. And the truth about us is that we can only help those who cannot help themselves. If you still think that you are capable of running your own show, you are deluded already and unfit for my kingdom. I’m into the business of helping those who have nowhere else to turn.
It’s a sad thing to see someone who is so prideful that they can’t trust their heavenly father enough to surrender their lives to him. I hope that you see this before more damage is done.
But know this – no matter where you are or how long it takes, I still have hope for you. When you get ready to meet me on my terms and not your own, let me know. I’ll be here for you.
Jesus
Monday, March 30, 2009
e-mails from heaven
Dear Struggler,
Human history is littered with the pain and suffering of those who longed for freedom in the presence of bondage. It is almost always a journey of suffering because those who place shackles on others do not loosen them easily.
This is true in your personal struggle. Since your oppressor first began his relentless quest to imprison you, he has done so with a brutality you could have never known about if I had not warned you about it beforehand. Yet I did warn you, and like almost all of my followers, you did not listen. Though I wish you had, I am not about to kick you out of my father’s family because you followed the ways of the Evil One for a while.
The point is that you have now told me that you want to make things right with me. I will take you at your word. Though no human being knows fully what is in your heart, I know. I know, for example, that a great struggle is taking place right now. Do not be alarmed. The spirit that I gave you is battling your sinful nature, and it is a warfare like no other. I would allow you to see my angels doing battle with demonic forces for who is going to give direction to your life, but I am afraid that you would be unable to handle the carnage. Trust me – it is ghastly.
Your struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. You are not up to the task. You must believe in me. You must believe that what I am telling you about the nature of the war and how to win it is true.
But know this – I am able to deliver you. Yet, I can’t do it alone. You have to participate in the battle too. That is why my father’s Spirit instructed you to put on the full armor of God. I want you to fight, but not with the weapons that the world fights with. Because their weapons originate in the mind of man, they will always disappoint you. In the end, you will be the loser. My weapons, on the other hand, are from above. Use them.
Listen carefully!
Commit yourself to truth and righteousness. This is a decision that you alone can
make. Regardless of how you “feel,” you have to decide in your own mind that seeking truth and pursuing righteousness are your number one priority. Seek the truth about yourself and the truth about me. Commit yourself do doing what is right in spite of a thousand voices advising you to do something else.
Be ready to run in my direction when temptation hunts you down like you were its next meal. Hold up your shield of faith. It will repel the flaming arrows of the devil. Put on my helmet of salvation. You belong to me. That is enough.
Finally, take up my sword. Search my word. I gave it to you for a reason. It has the power to penetrate into your soul and surgically remove whatever it is in your heart that is keeping you from giving yourself fully to me.
My friend, I do not want to lose you, and I’m not giving up on you. I just hope you don’t give up on me.
Jesus
Human history is littered with the pain and suffering of those who longed for freedom in the presence of bondage. It is almost always a journey of suffering because those who place shackles on others do not loosen them easily.
This is true in your personal struggle. Since your oppressor first began his relentless quest to imprison you, he has done so with a brutality you could have never known about if I had not warned you about it beforehand. Yet I did warn you, and like almost all of my followers, you did not listen. Though I wish you had, I am not about to kick you out of my father’s family because you followed the ways of the Evil One for a while.
The point is that you have now told me that you want to make things right with me. I will take you at your word. Though no human being knows fully what is in your heart, I know. I know, for example, that a great struggle is taking place right now. Do not be alarmed. The spirit that I gave you is battling your sinful nature, and it is a warfare like no other. I would allow you to see my angels doing battle with demonic forces for who is going to give direction to your life, but I am afraid that you would be unable to handle the carnage. Trust me – it is ghastly.
Your struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. You are not up to the task. You must believe in me. You must believe that what I am telling you about the nature of the war and how to win it is true.
But know this – I am able to deliver you. Yet, I can’t do it alone. You have to participate in the battle too. That is why my father’s Spirit instructed you to put on the full armor of God. I want you to fight, but not with the weapons that the world fights with. Because their weapons originate in the mind of man, they will always disappoint you. In the end, you will be the loser. My weapons, on the other hand, are from above. Use them.
Listen carefully!
Commit yourself to truth and righteousness. This is a decision that you alone can
make. Regardless of how you “feel,” you have to decide in your own mind that seeking truth and pursuing righteousness are your number one priority. Seek the truth about yourself and the truth about me. Commit yourself do doing what is right in spite of a thousand voices advising you to do something else.
Be ready to run in my direction when temptation hunts you down like you were its next meal. Hold up your shield of faith. It will repel the flaming arrows of the devil. Put on my helmet of salvation. You belong to me. That is enough.
Finally, take up my sword. Search my word. I gave it to you for a reason. It has the power to penetrate into your soul and surgically remove whatever it is in your heart that is keeping you from giving yourself fully to me.
My friend, I do not want to lose you, and I’m not giving up on you. I just hope you don’t give up on me.
Jesus
Saturday, March 28, 2009
e-mails from heaven
Dear Struggler,
Just so you’ll know – I’m still working on several avenues of escape for you. It’s a promise I intend to keep. Just keep looking for a way out. This is something you can count on – you can escape the Evil One. He’s powerful, but he’s got nothing on us.
I wish that I did not have to remind you of the condemnation that awaits those who do not believe and trust in me, but it’s a necessary part of getting to the point in your life where you can appreciate what I’m going to share with you next. You have to understand how hopeless you are before you can enjoy the kindness of God. After all, if you don’t believe that sin is all that bad (and I’m talking about your sin), how can you be thankful for being rescued?
Go back over what my friend Paul said in the second chapter of his letter to the church of Ephesus. Especially concentrate on verses 4-10. Notice that when you come to me, you come to me empty-handed. You must understand that I will take nothing that you might offer as partial payment for what I’ve done for you. Just look at Paul’s language:
· HE made us alive
· HE raised us up
· HE seated us with him in the heavenly realms
· HIS mercy demonstrates incomparable riches of his grace
· It IS by grace
· It Is NOT of our own doing
· It is NOT by works
· We are GOD’S workmanship
· We have been RECREATED by God to do good works
Did you notice who’s doing all of the work? It’s my father and I. You have one job, and that job is to believe in me. When you do that, you will be well on your way to having full confidence that you are one with us.
Trust me!
Jesus
Just so you’ll know – I’m still working on several avenues of escape for you. It’s a promise I intend to keep. Just keep looking for a way out. This is something you can count on – you can escape the Evil One. He’s powerful, but he’s got nothing on us.
I wish that I did not have to remind you of the condemnation that awaits those who do not believe and trust in me, but it’s a necessary part of getting to the point in your life where you can appreciate what I’m going to share with you next. You have to understand how hopeless you are before you can enjoy the kindness of God. After all, if you don’t believe that sin is all that bad (and I’m talking about your sin), how can you be thankful for being rescued?
Go back over what my friend Paul said in the second chapter of his letter to the church of Ephesus. Especially concentrate on verses 4-10. Notice that when you come to me, you come to me empty-handed. You must understand that I will take nothing that you might offer as partial payment for what I’ve done for you. Just look at Paul’s language:
· HE made us alive
· HE raised us up
· HE seated us with him in the heavenly realms
· HIS mercy demonstrates incomparable riches of his grace
· It IS by grace
· It Is NOT of our own doing
· It is NOT by works
· We are GOD’S workmanship
· We have been RECREATED by God to do good works
Did you notice who’s doing all of the work? It’s my father and I. You have one job, and that job is to believe in me. When you do that, you will be well on your way to having full confidence that you are one with us.
Trust me!
Jesus
e-mails from heaven
Dear Struggler,
I know that your struggle isn’t over yet, but I can see your ailing spiritual body beginning to regain its strength. Remember, every journey is accomplished one step at a time, one mile at a time – you never arrive at your destination without making the journey. Traveling is a necessary part of arriving. And to tell you the truth, you will be travelling for the rest of your life. It’s important to know that because I don’t want you to become discouraged just because you haven’t made it here yet.
Don’t worry; I’ve placed plenty of rest stops along the way. Just stay on the path that other saints have beaten down for you. Follow them as they follow me. You’ll get here if you trust me on this.
Now about that death image that I used to paint that nauseating picture of what sin will do to you: it’s for real. But tonight I want to give you another equally disturbing picture. Believe me – it’s not my intention that you suffer grief or the excruciating pain of temptation – that comes from the rebellious one. Don’t forget what I told you – he is a prowling carnivore looking for the first opportunity to rip the living flesh from your body and eat you morsel by morsel.
Another metaphor I chose to represent man’s condition when he chooses not to serve me is prison. In the twenty-first century and in your culture, prison is bad enough. But when I chose that word, prison was far a more appalling place to be locked up in. Typically, prisoners were confined to dark, dank dungeons. They were chained to the walls. Sanitation was non-existent at best. What sparse crumbs of food prisoners were fed were rank with rot and vermin. Prisoners were beaten and ravaged as they suffered unspeakable horrors.
In my day, prisons were places from which few people emerged alive. If they did manage to get out, their health was so adversely affected that they never were the same again. Prison is horrible. It is unbearable. It denotes powerlessness and hopelessness. It is the same routine every day – a routine dictated to you by someone else whose only interest is in controlling your every waking moment. There is no freedom in prison.
In order for my readers and hearers to understand the devastation of sin, I coupled death and prison with the image of darkness. Since the advent of the electric light, darkness does not carry with it the same connotation that it did two thousand years ago. You have street lights, and hundred watt bulbs in every room. Everywhere you look, the darkness is pierced by light so that most of modern man is unable to even see the stars.
But imagine a world where there is no light. Only darkness prevails. You hear a noise in this overwhelming darkness and you long to illuminate your surroundings so that you can see what it was that made the eerie sounds. But you cannot. Fear – unspeakable fear grips first your heart and it begins to beat more rapidly. But the sound persists and you think it is more menacing with every moment. Then fear gives way to panic. Something instinctive takes over and you lose interest in everything else. Survival is your only thought now. “I must survive!”
Unfortunately, death, imprisonment, and darkness are the devil’s plan for your life. It is a purpose driven life, but it is not a life dedicated to a purpose that will glorify God or bring peace to your souls. It goes nowhere even though in the beginning it holds such promise.
Here’s what I want you to take from this e-mail: I will raise you from the dead. I will free you from prison. I will illuminate your life and give you a purpose for living that will bring you unspeakable joy for all eternity. I redeemed you so that you could glorify my Father in heaven. And that is what you were created for.
Enough of the negative stuff. But I do want you to know that once you internalize the ugliness of sin, you are ready for my story of love and redemption. I’ll tell it to you again soon. You will like hearing it once more.
I know that your struggle isn’t over yet, but I can see your ailing spiritual body beginning to regain its strength. Remember, every journey is accomplished one step at a time, one mile at a time – you never arrive at your destination without making the journey. Traveling is a necessary part of arriving. And to tell you the truth, you will be travelling for the rest of your life. It’s important to know that because I don’t want you to become discouraged just because you haven’t made it here yet.
Don’t worry; I’ve placed plenty of rest stops along the way. Just stay on the path that other saints have beaten down for you. Follow them as they follow me. You’ll get here if you trust me on this.
Now about that death image that I used to paint that nauseating picture of what sin will do to you: it’s for real. But tonight I want to give you another equally disturbing picture. Believe me – it’s not my intention that you suffer grief or the excruciating pain of temptation – that comes from the rebellious one. Don’t forget what I told you – he is a prowling carnivore looking for the first opportunity to rip the living flesh from your body and eat you morsel by morsel.
Another metaphor I chose to represent man’s condition when he chooses not to serve me is prison. In the twenty-first century and in your culture, prison is bad enough. But when I chose that word, prison was far a more appalling place to be locked up in. Typically, prisoners were confined to dark, dank dungeons. They were chained to the walls. Sanitation was non-existent at best. What sparse crumbs of food prisoners were fed were rank with rot and vermin. Prisoners were beaten and ravaged as they suffered unspeakable horrors.
In my day, prisons were places from which few people emerged alive. If they did manage to get out, their health was so adversely affected that they never were the same again. Prison is horrible. It is unbearable. It denotes powerlessness and hopelessness. It is the same routine every day – a routine dictated to you by someone else whose only interest is in controlling your every waking moment. There is no freedom in prison.
In order for my readers and hearers to understand the devastation of sin, I coupled death and prison with the image of darkness. Since the advent of the electric light, darkness does not carry with it the same connotation that it did two thousand years ago. You have street lights, and hundred watt bulbs in every room. Everywhere you look, the darkness is pierced by light so that most of modern man is unable to even see the stars.
But imagine a world where there is no light. Only darkness prevails. You hear a noise in this overwhelming darkness and you long to illuminate your surroundings so that you can see what it was that made the eerie sounds. But you cannot. Fear – unspeakable fear grips first your heart and it begins to beat more rapidly. But the sound persists and you think it is more menacing with every moment. Then fear gives way to panic. Something instinctive takes over and you lose interest in everything else. Survival is your only thought now. “I must survive!”
Unfortunately, death, imprisonment, and darkness are the devil’s plan for your life. It is a purpose driven life, but it is not a life dedicated to a purpose that will glorify God or bring peace to your souls. It goes nowhere even though in the beginning it holds such promise.
Here’s what I want you to take from this e-mail: I will raise you from the dead. I will free you from prison. I will illuminate your life and give you a purpose for living that will bring you unspeakable joy for all eternity. I redeemed you so that you could glorify my Father in heaven. And that is what you were created for.
Enough of the negative stuff. But I do want you to know that once you internalize the ugliness of sin, you are ready for my story of love and redemption. I’ll tell it to you again soon. You will like hearing it once more.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
E-Mails from Heaven
Dear Struggler,
You might not have seen it as such, but I intervened on your behalf tonight. When my servant shared at tonight’s Bible study, he was telling the truth. Even though he’s not always perfect, as is true of all of my servants, I am proud of his boldness – his willingness to say what needs to be said.
I would encourage you to hear my word on this matter of the relationship between sin and death. And I will admit that when the Spirit chose death as an image of what it means to be following after the flesh instead of being led by the Spirit, it was no accident.
Think about death for a minute. What does it look like to you? What qualities do dead people exhibit that distinguish them from those who are alive?
In death, there is no movement or consciousness. Dead bodies have no feeling of either joy or pain. At the very moment that someone dies, their bodies begin a very rapid descent into decay. Oh, it might not be apparent at first, but it begins to take place one second after they take their last breath. Death is irreversible. It is final.
Even though some people die suddenly and without any warning at all, most people die after a period of declining health. Too many times, it is the result of years of abusing their bodies that began with a seemingly harmless decision they made earlier in life. Maybe they drank too much or they smoked too many cigarettes. One thing is sure, it wasn’t the first cigarette that killed them, but their death began with the first one.
As I said, death was specifically chosen as an appropriate metaphor for what it means to be in rebellion against my father’s will. Unfortunately, spiritual death is not quite as easy to spot as physical death is. But one thing they do have in common is that spiritual death doesn’t occur overnight either.
This is especially true of those who at one time loved me and had committed their lives to me. The final act that drove them to resign themselves to a life of sin began long before. Spiritual death also comes after a time of declining health – your spiritual immune system has been compromised. Your faith has been weakened. When that happens, you have to stay away from the infectious disease of sin and temptation. Avoid it like the plague that it is.
If the connection between physical and spiritual death isn’t enough to make you shriek back in horror at your temptation to gratify the cravings of your flesh (a temptation I fully understand, by the way), maybe some of the other representations of sin I chose to put in my book will do the trick.
I view sin literally as a prison (Galatians 3:22). I see it as darkness (Colossians 1:13; Romans 12:13 and a host of others). I could go on, but you get the idea, don’t you? Sin is ugly! It will suck the life right out of you. It will imprison you. With sin, there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
Here’s what I want you to do: pour your heart into reading my word, my original message to you. Read it knowing that I am working with all of my might to snatch you out of the jaws of that roaring lion, Satan. He only wants to devour you: I am trying to rescue you. Don’t fight me on this. No matter what pretty picture he is painting for you, it is a lie. Remember – I am the only one of us who loves you. He hates you and wants you to die a hopeless death along with him. I want you to live. It's that simple.
In Love,
Jesus
You might not have seen it as such, but I intervened on your behalf tonight. When my servant shared at tonight’s Bible study, he was telling the truth. Even though he’s not always perfect, as is true of all of my servants, I am proud of his boldness – his willingness to say what needs to be said.
I would encourage you to hear my word on this matter of the relationship between sin and death. And I will admit that when the Spirit chose death as an image of what it means to be following after the flesh instead of being led by the Spirit, it was no accident.
Think about death for a minute. What does it look like to you? What qualities do dead people exhibit that distinguish them from those who are alive?
In death, there is no movement or consciousness. Dead bodies have no feeling of either joy or pain. At the very moment that someone dies, their bodies begin a very rapid descent into decay. Oh, it might not be apparent at first, but it begins to take place one second after they take their last breath. Death is irreversible. It is final.
Even though some people die suddenly and without any warning at all, most people die after a period of declining health. Too many times, it is the result of years of abusing their bodies that began with a seemingly harmless decision they made earlier in life. Maybe they drank too much or they smoked too many cigarettes. One thing is sure, it wasn’t the first cigarette that killed them, but their death began with the first one.
As I said, death was specifically chosen as an appropriate metaphor for what it means to be in rebellion against my father’s will. Unfortunately, spiritual death is not quite as easy to spot as physical death is. But one thing they do have in common is that spiritual death doesn’t occur overnight either.
This is especially true of those who at one time loved me and had committed their lives to me. The final act that drove them to resign themselves to a life of sin began long before. Spiritual death also comes after a time of declining health – your spiritual immune system has been compromised. Your faith has been weakened. When that happens, you have to stay away from the infectious disease of sin and temptation. Avoid it like the plague that it is.
If the connection between physical and spiritual death isn’t enough to make you shriek back in horror at your temptation to gratify the cravings of your flesh (a temptation I fully understand, by the way), maybe some of the other representations of sin I chose to put in my book will do the trick.
I view sin literally as a prison (Galatians 3:22). I see it as darkness (Colossians 1:13; Romans 12:13 and a host of others). I could go on, but you get the idea, don’t you? Sin is ugly! It will suck the life right out of you. It will imprison you. With sin, there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
Here’s what I want you to do: pour your heart into reading my word, my original message to you. Read it knowing that I am working with all of my might to snatch you out of the jaws of that roaring lion, Satan. He only wants to devour you: I am trying to rescue you. Don’t fight me on this. No matter what pretty picture he is painting for you, it is a lie. Remember – I am the only one of us who loves you. He hates you and wants you to die a hopeless death along with him. I want you to live. It's that simple.
In Love,
Jesus
Sunday, March 22, 2009
E-mails from Heaven!
Dear Struggler,
I call you struggler because you haven’t given up. And rest assured, it is a struggle. Come to think of it, I want you to look at this word, struggle. In the Greek language, the word that you English speakers translate as struggle can also be translated wrestle. It comes from the root word meaning to vibrate.
In other words, it is a wrestling match. It is a battle, and it takes place inside of you. It is an irritating vibration that can make you think that you are going crazy.
Here’s what I want you to know: you are not going crazy, but you are being attacked. Remember what my friend and brother Paul wrote?
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
If you are going to win this battle (and I know that it can be won), you must comprehend the size and the strength of the enemy that is opposing you. You must understand how he operates.
F
irst of all, he is powerful. He has the ability to deceive and to implant thoughts into your mind that make it difficult to see me or my love for you. He will try to convince you that you are foolish to attempt to be reconciled with me. He will whisper in your ear that you have gone too far in your sin to ever turn back now.
K
now this: he is a liar. He is the father of all lies. Every falsehood ever spoken comes from him, and this one especially is one of his greatest works.
But for those who have loved me and loved the truth, for those who have decided that it is worthwhile to retain and maintain a relationship with me through my Word, his power is negligible. It is your choice to make – what you will believe and who you will trust. Trust me and live. Trust him and be destroyed.
Of course, I’m pulling for you to choose me. As a matter of fact, I’ve been working on your behalf to give you opportunities to choose to do the reasonable thing in your life. Take advantage of them.
You also need to know that he will arrange circumstances in your life so that you will think that your struggle is against someone else or against your own self. It is not. It is clearly a struggle against the powers of the ruler of this dark age and against the forces in the outer realms. Do not be confused about this – it is another one of his lies.
But you have to be armed. Check out my message I left for you in the Book. CHeck out the rest of what Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians. Put on the full armor of God. Know my word and internalize its truth. And make a decision that you will pursue my word and live by it.
You’ll be okay.
I call you struggler because you haven’t given up. And rest assured, it is a struggle. Come to think of it, I want you to look at this word, struggle. In the Greek language, the word that you English speakers translate as struggle can also be translated wrestle. It comes from the root word meaning to vibrate.
In other words, it is a wrestling match. It is a battle, and it takes place inside of you. It is an irritating vibration that can make you think that you are going crazy.
Here’s what I want you to know: you are not going crazy, but you are being attacked. Remember what my friend and brother Paul wrote?
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
If you are going to win this battle (and I know that it can be won), you must comprehend the size and the strength of the enemy that is opposing you. You must understand how he operates.
F
irst of all, he is powerful. He has the ability to deceive and to implant thoughts into your mind that make it difficult to see me or my love for you. He will try to convince you that you are foolish to attempt to be reconciled with me. He will whisper in your ear that you have gone too far in your sin to ever turn back now.
K
now this: he is a liar. He is the father of all lies. Every falsehood ever spoken comes from him, and this one especially is one of his greatest works.
But for those who have loved me and loved the truth, for those who have decided that it is worthwhile to retain and maintain a relationship with me through my Word, his power is negligible. It is your choice to make – what you will believe and who you will trust. Trust me and live. Trust him and be destroyed.
Of course, I’m pulling for you to choose me. As a matter of fact, I’ve been working on your behalf to give you opportunities to choose to do the reasonable thing in your life. Take advantage of them.
You also need to know that he will arrange circumstances in your life so that you will think that your struggle is against someone else or against your own self. It is not. It is clearly a struggle against the powers of the ruler of this dark age and against the forces in the outer realms. Do not be confused about this – it is another one of his lies.
But you have to be armed. Check out my message I left for you in the Book. CHeck out the rest of what Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians. Put on the full armor of God. Know my word and internalize its truth. And make a decision that you will pursue my word and live by it.
You’ll be okay.
Monday, March 16, 2009
E-Mails from Heaven
Dear Struggler,
I’m interested in sharing something with you that I think will be of help to you. But I want to reiterate what I said before – I only take broken, hopeless people into my family. The reason for that is, if you think you have something to offer me or to exchange for the gift I am offering, you aren’t ready to be one of my disciples. You can’t know how much you need me until you understand that you are completely and hopelessly separated from me and my father.
I don’t want you to get me wrong here – I’m not saying it’s “now-or-never” - I am patient. But the danger lies in you thinking that you can straddle the fence forever. Fence straddling is an extremely uncomfortable position to be in: sooner or later, you will have to get off on one side or the other, and more often than not, folks get off on the wrong side. I don’t want you to do that.
Now, to the point of this e-mail. I’m going to remind you of what I wrote to you earlier. I hate to repeat myself, but I know full-well the power of the Evil One to send you some pretty powerful delusions. I want you to be fully aware of what I expect from you because, unlike him, I really do love you.
You see, he only has one purpose for you: DEATH! Likewise, I have only one purpose for you, but that purpose is life – eternal life. Think about it this way: I want you to live a life of purpose and meaning. He wants you to live a life of purposelessness and meaninglessness. While he may paint a pretty picture for you, it won’t be long before you will experience a misery so profound that you will wish that you had never been born if you listen to him. Maybe you already know what I’m talking about. Most of my friends do know, and that is why they have chosen to remain in me no matter what they’re feeling in their hearts.
Remember: do not listen to your hearts. Listen to me.
So I want to leave you with this quote from my brother Paul. Notice what he said about what it looks like when a person decides to turn away from Satan and follow me instead.
See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
Make sure, my dear friend, that your repentance leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind (especially your own) that you have done a one-eighty. Be honest with me. Be honest with yourself.
I love you,
Jesus
I’m interested in sharing something with you that I think will be of help to you. But I want to reiterate what I said before – I only take broken, hopeless people into my family. The reason for that is, if you think you have something to offer me or to exchange for the gift I am offering, you aren’t ready to be one of my disciples. You can’t know how much you need me until you understand that you are completely and hopelessly separated from me and my father.
I don’t want you to get me wrong here – I’m not saying it’s “now-or-never” - I am patient. But the danger lies in you thinking that you can straddle the fence forever. Fence straddling is an extremely uncomfortable position to be in: sooner or later, you will have to get off on one side or the other, and more often than not, folks get off on the wrong side. I don’t want you to do that.
Now, to the point of this e-mail. I’m going to remind you of what I wrote to you earlier. I hate to repeat myself, but I know full-well the power of the Evil One to send you some pretty powerful delusions. I want you to be fully aware of what I expect from you because, unlike him, I really do love you.
You see, he only has one purpose for you: DEATH! Likewise, I have only one purpose for you, but that purpose is life – eternal life. Think about it this way: I want you to live a life of purpose and meaning. He wants you to live a life of purposelessness and meaninglessness. While he may paint a pretty picture for you, it won’t be long before you will experience a misery so profound that you will wish that you had never been born if you listen to him. Maybe you already know what I’m talking about. Most of my friends do know, and that is why they have chosen to remain in me no matter what they’re feeling in their hearts.
Remember: do not listen to your hearts. Listen to me.
So I want to leave you with this quote from my brother Paul. Notice what he said about what it looks like when a person decides to turn away from Satan and follow me instead.
See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
Make sure, my dear friend, that your repentance leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind (especially your own) that you have done a one-eighty. Be honest with me. Be honest with yourself.
I love you,
Jesus
Friday, March 13, 2009
E-mails from Heaven
Dear Struggler,
I don’t want you to be confused by anyone who simultaneously claims to be a disciple of mine and also condemns you. You shouldn’t even concern yourself with what their motivation is. I want you to concentrate on one thing, and one thing only.
But just so you’ll know what I think about what people like that do, I want you to read what my servant Paul wrote. Read it in II Corinthians 1:1-11.
The whole point was that I wanted the church to embrace the immoral brother again since he head repented of his sin. I felt for him because, even though I never did sin, I did know what it was like to be tempted to sin. This might make you uncomfortable, but something in me wanted to sin. And because I was not only a man but the son of God, the pressure was intense. So even though I hated what the guy did, I identified with him. Same with you. I know your pain except mine was worse. I could not sin – for your sake.
Anyhow, back to II Corinthians. You need to know that people who do not forgive you or find your sin too repulsive have missed the point on two counts. One, they have forgotten that they have been cleansed by my blood of their past sins. They are nearsighted and blind. The second point they have missed is that by not forgiving you, they stand in danger of working for Satan. Think about it: I’m all about forgiveness. Satan is not. Those who forgive are doing my work. Those who don’t are doing his. Don’t let them discourage you.
And now for the thing I want you concentrate on. I said it to the church at Smyrna. Check it out:
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Let me assure you of one thing, dear sufferer – if I didn’t think the price of staying faithful was worth it, I wouldn’t have gone through it myself. I know the temptation to think that the here and now is the only reality there is, but you would be mistaken to act on that feeling. The reality of the crown of life is as real as it gets, and it is so valuable that there are no words to describe it to you.
So hang in there. Do NOT give up. When the going gets tough, just look at me, and keep on looking at me. Think about me. Think about what I suffered for you. Think about the home I have prepared for you. You already are my princess; one day I’ll give you the crown I promised you and everyone else will know it, too.
I love you,
Jesus
I don’t want you to be confused by anyone who simultaneously claims to be a disciple of mine and also condemns you. You shouldn’t even concern yourself with what their motivation is. I want you to concentrate on one thing, and one thing only.
But just so you’ll know what I think about what people like that do, I want you to read what my servant Paul wrote. Read it in II Corinthians 1:1-11.
The whole point was that I wanted the church to embrace the immoral brother again since he head repented of his sin. I felt for him because, even though I never did sin, I did know what it was like to be tempted to sin. This might make you uncomfortable, but something in me wanted to sin. And because I was not only a man but the son of God, the pressure was intense. So even though I hated what the guy did, I identified with him. Same with you. I know your pain except mine was worse. I could not sin – for your sake.
Anyhow, back to II Corinthians. You need to know that people who do not forgive you or find your sin too repulsive have missed the point on two counts. One, they have forgotten that they have been cleansed by my blood of their past sins. They are nearsighted and blind. The second point they have missed is that by not forgiving you, they stand in danger of working for Satan. Think about it: I’m all about forgiveness. Satan is not. Those who forgive are doing my work. Those who don’t are doing his. Don’t let them discourage you.
And now for the thing I want you concentrate on. I said it to the church at Smyrna. Check it out:
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Let me assure you of one thing, dear sufferer – if I didn’t think the price of staying faithful was worth it, I wouldn’t have gone through it myself. I know the temptation to think that the here and now is the only reality there is, but you would be mistaken to act on that feeling. The reality of the crown of life is as real as it gets, and it is so valuable that there are no words to describe it to you.
So hang in there. Do NOT give up. When the going gets tough, just look at me, and keep on looking at me. Think about me. Think about what I suffered for you. Think about the home I have prepared for you. You already are my princess; one day I’ll give you the crown I promised you and everyone else will know it, too.
I love you,
Jesus
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Dear Struggler,
I wanted to follow up on my e-mail from yesterday with a thought that might be of help to you.
The problem with people like you (People who have turned to me and rejected the world) is that even though you have made the decision to walk with me, your feelings often lag behind. You still feel the same way you did before you made the commitment to follow, only it’s worse now. Now those feelings are coupled with self-doubt, and confusion, and shame, and a host of other negative emotions. Remember this – those feelings did not come from me or our father.
As a matter of fact, if you noticed, I don’t address the issue of feelings too much except that they are unreliable. Don’t get me wrong, I like emotion – I created you to have them, remember. It’s just that with the influence of Satan, the struggles of life, and the constant conflict between the flesh and the spirit, feelings and emotions can deceive you. So instead of trusting your heart,
trust me.
I will remind you of what I had the Apostle John write down. Read it and be encouraged:
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
I know it sounds ironic, but in order to put your heart to rest, you have to understand that this gift I have given you – the gift of eternal life and love, cannot be enjoyed until you begin to look at people the same way I do. Take the focus off of yourself and put it other people. Follow my example and serve others in word and action and truth. Look for another struggler, identify her needs, and meet them.
I can assure you – it’s how I lived my life on earth, and my heart was always at peace. There were no exceptions.
Try me out on this. You’ll never regret it, and it won’t be long before those emotions that plague you will be a distant memory.
Oh, and remember this: I love you.
Your brother and Lord,
Jesus
I wanted to follow up on my e-mail from yesterday with a thought that might be of help to you.
The problem with people like you (People who have turned to me and rejected the world) is that even though you have made the decision to walk with me, your feelings often lag behind. You still feel the same way you did before you made the commitment to follow, only it’s worse now. Now those feelings are coupled with self-doubt, and confusion, and shame, and a host of other negative emotions. Remember this – those feelings did not come from me or our father.
As a matter of fact, if you noticed, I don’t address the issue of feelings too much except that they are unreliable. Don’t get me wrong, I like emotion – I created you to have them, remember. It’s just that with the influence of Satan, the struggles of life, and the constant conflict between the flesh and the spirit, feelings and emotions can deceive you. So instead of trusting your heart,
trust me.
I will remind you of what I had the Apostle John write down. Read it and be encouraged:
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
I know it sounds ironic, but in order to put your heart to rest, you have to understand that this gift I have given you – the gift of eternal life and love, cannot be enjoyed until you begin to look at people the same way I do. Take the focus off of yourself and put it other people. Follow my example and serve others in word and action and truth. Look for another struggler, identify her needs, and meet them.
I can assure you – it’s how I lived my life on earth, and my heart was always at peace. There were no exceptions.
Try me out on this. You’ll never regret it, and it won’t be long before those emotions that plague you will be a distant memory.
Oh, and remember this: I love you.
Your brother and Lord,
Jesus
Dear Fellow Disciple;
I’ve been asked to follow up on a previous correspondence that the Lord sent to you regarding your attitude toward “sinners.” Of course, once I committed my life and mind to him, I have been committed to seeing other folks the same way Jesus does. On that point, I have never wavered.
Perhaps you felt as though the Lord was a little harsh on you, but let me remind you that it was only people like you that he was ever harsh with. You know your type, the religious, self-promoting, self-righteous types who liked to “lord” it over others. You should be glad you weren’t there when he put the Seven-Woes sermon on the Pharisees. Peter tells me that was a tough one. He called them graves, and snake pits and all kinds of horrible stuff. I guess he wanted to get their attention. You’d better be glad he thought he could get through to you with a little rebuke.
But believe you me, I know all of your tricks. I even know your motivation. You like the sense that you have accomplished something in Christ that no one, or very few ever have. You think you’ve conquered the flesh while the “sinners” have not. Whenever you get to feeling a little down-in-the-mouth, you just look around you and find another one of the unrighteous ones. Then, with a little wrangling and twisting of the scriptures, there you are – better than the next fellow.
It won’t work, you know. You can’t be good enough by being better than someone else. But the worst part of your little game is that you have worked it out where your sin wasn’t as costly to the Lord as those people you look down on. What kind of value do you place on your sin? How much of the Lord’s blood did it take to cleanse you of your sin? Would you say, maybe a few ounces? And what about the adulteress? What would it take (in your mind) to redeem her? Maybe a gallon? I hate to know how much it cost to wash a homosexual clean.
Whatever it is, you are wrong to think that your sin was any less responsible for the death of Jesus than anyone else’s. I don’t care what he or she did. It doesn’t matter. You were in desperate need of redemption just like anyone else. No more, no less.
If that is something you are “fuzzy” about, maybe you aren’t even a disciple after all. Think about what he said:
Anyone who does take up his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
If you’re still thinking that you can move yourself into a more advantageous position simply by jumping ahead of the other guy, you don’t have a clue what a cross is or what it is used for. I guess you missed the point about what I said when I wrote to the Romans:
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
You need to get this on straight, just like the Lord told you. If you have crucified the old you, then you don’t have any business looking back on how “good” you were before. If you were good, you didn’t need him. If you didn’t crucify the old self, you don’t have him. And even if you did crucify the old man but are trying to be better than the next fellow by elevating yourself above him, you’ve lost him (Jesus, that is).
I won’t be seeing you until the resurrection, but you can rest assured that the Lord is looking at you. I know him to be a very understanding man, but he’s got little patience for the impatient, and I’m afraid you’ve fallen into that category lately.
I’ll be talking to you soon.
Paul (You might remember me as Saul)
I’ve been asked to follow up on a previous correspondence that the Lord sent to you regarding your attitude toward “sinners.” Of course, once I committed my life and mind to him, I have been committed to seeing other folks the same way Jesus does. On that point, I have never wavered.
Perhaps you felt as though the Lord was a little harsh on you, but let me remind you that it was only people like you that he was ever harsh with. You know your type, the religious, self-promoting, self-righteous types who liked to “lord” it over others. You should be glad you weren’t there when he put the Seven-Woes sermon on the Pharisees. Peter tells me that was a tough one. He called them graves, and snake pits and all kinds of horrible stuff. I guess he wanted to get their attention. You’d better be glad he thought he could get through to you with a little rebuke.
But believe you me, I know all of your tricks. I even know your motivation. You like the sense that you have accomplished something in Christ that no one, or very few ever have. You think you’ve conquered the flesh while the “sinners” have not. Whenever you get to feeling a little down-in-the-mouth, you just look around you and find another one of the unrighteous ones. Then, with a little wrangling and twisting of the scriptures, there you are – better than the next fellow.
It won’t work, you know. You can’t be good enough by being better than someone else. But the worst part of your little game is that you have worked it out where your sin wasn’t as costly to the Lord as those people you look down on. What kind of value do you place on your sin? How much of the Lord’s blood did it take to cleanse you of your sin? Would you say, maybe a few ounces? And what about the adulteress? What would it take (in your mind) to redeem her? Maybe a gallon? I hate to know how much it cost to wash a homosexual clean.
Whatever it is, you are wrong to think that your sin was any less responsible for the death of Jesus than anyone else’s. I don’t care what he or she did. It doesn’t matter. You were in desperate need of redemption just like anyone else. No more, no less.
If that is something you are “fuzzy” about, maybe you aren’t even a disciple after all. Think about what he said:
Anyone who does take up his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
If you’re still thinking that you can move yourself into a more advantageous position simply by jumping ahead of the other guy, you don’t have a clue what a cross is or what it is used for. I guess you missed the point about what I said when I wrote to the Romans:
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
You need to get this on straight, just like the Lord told you. If you have crucified the old you, then you don’t have any business looking back on how “good” you were before. If you were good, you didn’t need him. If you didn’t crucify the old self, you don’t have him. And even if you did crucify the old man but are trying to be better than the next fellow by elevating yourself above him, you’ve lost him (Jesus, that is).
I won’t be seeing you until the resurrection, but you can rest assured that the Lord is looking at you. I know him to be a very understanding man, but he’s got little patience for the impatient, and I’m afraid you’ve fallen into that category lately.
I’ll be talking to you soon.
Paul (You might remember me as Saul)
Dear Struggling Disciple,
You might not believe this, but I’ve been watching after you for a long time. And lately, I’ve really been working overtime to protect you from danger. But I can’t protect you if you leave my flock.
Furthermore, I heard you tell some of your friends that you feel that God is a long way away from you right now. Well, whose fault is that? Every time I inch closer to you, you run further away. So stop running and trust me that I always tell the truth. And if I say that your life can be put back together better than it ever was, you should believe me.
And oh, by the way, as a matter of fact, I was disappointed in what you did. In fact, I was livid. But now that you’ve made a move toward me instead of away from me, I want to let you know how to avoid falling into the pit the evil one dug for you again.
To begin with, why don’t you try to remember what I said when I was on earth about folks in your condition:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
That seems like a good place to start because I know for a fact that your burdens are so heavy that you can barely stand it. How well does the word “weary” describe where you are right now? You’re tired. You’re fed up with the battle. You want to throw in the towel. Don’t do it. Give me a chance to work on your heart. I’ve done some amazing things for folks before. Besides, you aren’t the worst case I’ve ever worked with.
Even though you think you’ve messed up your life permanently, and even though you can’t see how it could ever be any better, you need to recognize that thought as a lie. And that lie didn’t just pop up in your brain from nowhere. Our adversary, the father of lies, put it there, so refuse to believe it and come to me. Come to me weary! Come to me burdened! Come to me sinful and broken and filled with doubt and confusion. My father and I can handle it! I promise. Besides, that’s the only way you can come to me. If you were not a broken, sad, confused, weary, burdened person, I wouldn’t take you.
You look like a good candidate to me. Go ahead! Trust me! Place all your burdens and anxiety on me. I can handle it – I promise.
Love,
Jesus
You might not believe this, but I’ve been watching after you for a long time. And lately, I’ve really been working overtime to protect you from danger. But I can’t protect you if you leave my flock.
Furthermore, I heard you tell some of your friends that you feel that God is a long way away from you right now. Well, whose fault is that? Every time I inch closer to you, you run further away. So stop running and trust me that I always tell the truth. And if I say that your life can be put back together better than it ever was, you should believe me.
And oh, by the way, as a matter of fact, I was disappointed in what you did. In fact, I was livid. But now that you’ve made a move toward me instead of away from me, I want to let you know how to avoid falling into the pit the evil one dug for you again.
To begin with, why don’t you try to remember what I said when I was on earth about folks in your condition:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
That seems like a good place to start because I know for a fact that your burdens are so heavy that you can barely stand it. How well does the word “weary” describe where you are right now? You’re tired. You’re fed up with the battle. You want to throw in the towel. Don’t do it. Give me a chance to work on your heart. I’ve done some amazing things for folks before. Besides, you aren’t the worst case I’ve ever worked with.
Even though you think you’ve messed up your life permanently, and even though you can’t see how it could ever be any better, you need to recognize that thought as a lie. And that lie didn’t just pop up in your brain from nowhere. Our adversary, the father of lies, put it there, so refuse to believe it and come to me. Come to me weary! Come to me burdened! Come to me sinful and broken and filled with doubt and confusion. My father and I can handle it! I promise. Besides, that’s the only way you can come to me. If you were not a broken, sad, confused, weary, burdened person, I wouldn’t take you.
You look like a good candidate to me. Go ahead! Trust me! Place all your burdens and anxiety on me. I can handle it – I promise.
Love,
Jesus
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
E-mails from Heaven
Dear Follower:
When I left you in charge of my kingdom on earth, I thought you understood what I wanted. Instead, you have turned my grace into a law and my mercy into judgment. So let me go over it one more time.
First of all, what did you think I meant when I said that I didn’t come into the world to condemn the world but to save it? Apparently, you must have imagined that what I really said was that I would leave you with one mission only – to find every wretched sinner you could find and make him or her feel really nasty and guilty. You must have thought that I wanted you to heap guilt upon guilt so that they would spend the rest of their days writhing in the dirt. After all, that’s what you’ve been doing.
Well, you were wrong!
Hold on! Don’t stop reading – I’m just getting started.
Do you remember that little story I told about the boy who wasted his father’s money with sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll? Remember how he came crawling back to his father in shame thinking that maybe his father would have enough pity on him to give him a job on the farm? I want to ask you, Miss Super-Christian, what part of “his father saw him while he was a long way off and told the servants to get the party cranking” did you not understand? The boy knew he messed up. He was at rock-bottom. So, why bring it up again? Do you get some perverse pleasure out of making him feel worse than he already does?
The point I was trying to make – a point you obviously missed – was that I am looking for folks who are willing to continue my mission of dispensing mercy to the people who need it them most.
But not you – oh, no. Somehow you have turned it all upside down. Do you think it really makes you a better person to repel the very people I came to serve?
So let me continue. Let’s see…, oh yeah… remember the time the “sinners” kept coming to me and the Pharisees got all bent out of shape about it? Do you remember the mini-sermon I laid on them? How I used the text from Hosea to make my point? I hope so because I’m really proud of that one.
Just in case you did forget, here it is again: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
It sounds pretty plain to me. What’s your problem? Why can’t you understand this?
You do need to understand this: I’m coming back soon. Get it right, for once. I don’t care one bit about you playing church. I’m only interested in how well you represent me by administrating grace and mercy to a world that is headed full-speed toward destruction. Go back and look at the record of my life. I had four biographies written about me, for goodness sakes, and I endorse all four of them. You never once saw me acting like you do toward “sinners,” and I’m the son of God. If I didn’t get all snooty with sinners, who do you think you are to do so? Do you think you’re better than me? Do you think that sin could possibly offend you more than it does me? Give me a break.
I’ll leave it with you for now and give you some time to think about what I’ve said. If there is any further confusion on this matter, just remember that day when the “good” people who look down their noses at everyone else brought that whore to me who had been caught in bed with another man. Do you remember how I defended her and how I treated her after the “righteous” dudes had walked away? You do remember, don’t you?
Why don’t you try doing it like I did. Defend the defenseless like I did. Reach out and touch the guilty like I did. Treat them like you would treat your favorite preacher if he were to knock on your door and ask if he could share an important message with you. Tell them that they can be restored. Let them know that they can get their lives right with me.
Think about it.
Your Brother and Your Lord,
Jesus
PS – Why don’t you get rid of those church buildings? You’re sending the wrong message.
Dear Follower:
When I left you in charge of my kingdom on earth, I thought you understood what I wanted. Instead, you have turned my grace into a law and my mercy into judgment. So let me go over it one more time.
First of all, what did you think I meant when I said that I didn’t come into the world to condemn the world but to save it? Apparently, you must have imagined that what I really said was that I would leave you with one mission only – to find every wretched sinner you could find and make him or her feel really nasty and guilty. You must have thought that I wanted you to heap guilt upon guilt so that they would spend the rest of their days writhing in the dirt. After all, that’s what you’ve been doing.
Well, you were wrong!
Hold on! Don’t stop reading – I’m just getting started.
Do you remember that little story I told about the boy who wasted his father’s money with sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll? Remember how he came crawling back to his father in shame thinking that maybe his father would have enough pity on him to give him a job on the farm? I want to ask you, Miss Super-Christian, what part of “his father saw him while he was a long way off and told the servants to get the party cranking” did you not understand? The boy knew he messed up. He was at rock-bottom. So, why bring it up again? Do you get some perverse pleasure out of making him feel worse than he already does?
The point I was trying to make – a point you obviously missed – was that I am looking for folks who are willing to continue my mission of dispensing mercy to the people who need it them most.
But not you – oh, no. Somehow you have turned it all upside down. Do you think it really makes you a better person to repel the very people I came to serve?
So let me continue. Let’s see…, oh yeah… remember the time the “sinners” kept coming to me and the Pharisees got all bent out of shape about it? Do you remember the mini-sermon I laid on them? How I used the text from Hosea to make my point? I hope so because I’m really proud of that one.
Just in case you did forget, here it is again: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
It sounds pretty plain to me. What’s your problem? Why can’t you understand this?
You do need to understand this: I’m coming back soon. Get it right, for once. I don’t care one bit about you playing church. I’m only interested in how well you represent me by administrating grace and mercy to a world that is headed full-speed toward destruction. Go back and look at the record of my life. I had four biographies written about me, for goodness sakes, and I endorse all four of them. You never once saw me acting like you do toward “sinners,” and I’m the son of God. If I didn’t get all snooty with sinners, who do you think you are to do so? Do you think you’re better than me? Do you think that sin could possibly offend you more than it does me? Give me a break.
I’ll leave it with you for now and give you some time to think about what I’ve said. If there is any further confusion on this matter, just remember that day when the “good” people who look down their noses at everyone else brought that whore to me who had been caught in bed with another man. Do you remember how I defended her and how I treated her after the “righteous” dudes had walked away? You do remember, don’t you?
Why don’t you try doing it like I did. Defend the defenseless like I did. Reach out and touch the guilty like I did. Treat them like you would treat your favorite preacher if he were to knock on your door and ask if he could share an important message with you. Tell them that they can be restored. Let them know that they can get their lives right with me.
Think about it.
Your Brother and Your Lord,
Jesus
PS – Why don’t you get rid of those church buildings? You’re sending the wrong message.
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