Love. Everyone

I'm 100% convinced that if everyone met Jesus, everyone would follow Him. Who wouldn't want a King like Jesus? The reason why people don't follow is because they've never met Him. People should never have to say to a Christian "Show us God." The Christian should reply "If you've seen me, you've seen God."

It's God's goodness thats supposed to lead people to repentance. When people see what God is doing in you and through you, it will cause them to turn to Him also. That's New Covenant 101. The Church is Jesus' body. We are his hands, feet and mouth. And heart. The Church needs to stop trying to be God to the world with all her judgements and picketing. The Church just needs to rest in who she is and freely give the love she has received. 

For instance, When will the day come when the Church isn't "evangelizing" to hookers on the street because they fulfilling their duty of "evangelizing"? The truth is that Jesus accepts hookers as they are, he loves them as they are, his heart breaks as they are and continues to love them as they are even if they don't change their profession. Even if they accept Him and follow Him. In their profession. He will save them and they might even be your next door neighbor in Heaven one day. THAT intimidates you doesn't it, and that's probably why you haven't reached out to any hookers lately. 

Jesus has died for all people. He is passionate and in love with all people, right now. The Muslim across the road whose stingy and rude and never greets you. Jesus is passionate about Him. The guy at work that's cheating on his wife with the secretary and treats you like an ass. Jesus is in love with Him. God has dealt with their sins. He wants to display His kindness in their lives in extraordinary ways. He is not angry with them or disappointed in them. He wants to lavish the riches of Heaven all over them. No strings attached. Without the premis that if He does, then they must obey Him. Jesus ain't into blackmail. It's a "no strings attached" love He has.

So how exactly is God wanting to show His kindness to these people who haven't the foggiest idea about Him or even care He's around? Simple. You.

God is crazy about you; whether you believe in Him or not!

There is a common misconception amongst many believers and its that God loves Christians and hates sinners. Or maybe....er....they may not say hate, but may be angry, disappointed or disapproving. They quote a scripture, which was mouthed by John the Baptist:

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." - John 3:36

And theological belief is that God's wrath and anger is against them until they repent and follow Jesus. Until they come into grace, God holds them at a distance and withholds good from them. His anger burns against them until the time of regeneration. 

The problem with this belief system is that we don't see this in Jesus. And we HAVE to look at Jesus; not only is Jesus perfect theology, but He is the exact representation of Father and Father's heart towards the earth. To those whom religion would classify the objects of God's wrath and anger; Jesus ate with them, drank with them, attended their weddings, was invited to their homes and had his feet and hair washed by them. Those who were supposedly hated by God loved to hang around Him, they followed Him and listened to Him. He lived amongst them, He was good to them. He fed them when they were hungry, He healed their diseases, He had compassion on them and He raised their dead. He was extravagantly merciful, displaying His love at every opportunity. I wonder why? Maybe it was because of what Paul said:

"Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" - Romans 2:4

Its God's kindness that is meant to lead people to repentance. The kindness of God is displayed in the person of Jesus and His finished work. This is the age of grace. Not the age of wrath. There will be a time of wrath that is coming. It is stored up, but it's on the back burner. Yes, it is a warning for those who die and aren't Christ's. But for goodness sake, the wrath isn't for now. Now is the time God has set aside for Him to display His kindness, His goodness and His love. To everyone. 

So while it's true that God's wrath is coming, it has not yet. The truth is that God is over the top, abundantly and extravagantly, in love with you - sinner or saint. He is crazy about you! He longs to bless your business, heal your body and protect you family - whether you acknowledge Him or not, whether you believe in Him or not - and His goal, His supreme purpose for being so good to the world is so that his kindness would be displayed and would lead you to repentance. 

Remember, Jesus didn't just heal Christians. He didn't just feed the church folk. Jesus loved everyone. He came to show the world that God is happy, God is not angry at them, God is willing to die than to spend eternity without them; and that He did. He died, as the greatest display of His love for His enemies, that He indeed loves them. He wishes not that the stored up wrath, that will eventually have to be released one day, would have to come on them, you or I. 

Here's a few scriptures confirming the COMING wrath; not the PRESENT wrath:

"On account of these the wrath of God is coming." - Paul 

"For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him." - Paul 

"Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God." - Paul 

"The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth." - John

So repent (change your mind) from this belief. God is so so good. And His heart is for ALL men. Be a love encounter, be a grace encounter to everyone you come across, remembering that it's His kindness that leads people to repentance. Let Jesus be kind through you.

Good advice or Good news?

A man walked into the bank, totally bankrupt and unable to pay off his bond. He strolled into the bank manager's office in his hopeless situation. The best and only thing the bank manager can do is offer good advice. The good advice is to get a second job, sell some of their assets and maybe his wife works a full day job in order to pay off their debt. Consolidate his debt and maybe take out a second loan to help catch up the payments. That could maybe be considered good advice. 

It would be a totally different story if that same guy in the same indebtedness, walked into the bank and entered into the entire staff compliment celebrating with corks being popped off champagne bottles and streamers being let off to celebrate!! The bank manager comes up to him, puts a party hat on his head and congratulates him with good news. The good news is that a total stranger came into the bank and paid off his entire bond and on top of that, deposited $100 million into his cheque account for his spending pleasure. And if that runs out he can ask for more and more will be made available for him. That wouldn't be good advice, that would be considered very good news.

The truth is that the Gospel isn't good advice. It's good news. The Gospel has been presented as good advice by ignorant ministers who haven't realized the scandal of God's goodness. When actually the Gospel is VERY good news of what Jesus has provided which anyone can receive by faith.

You fancy some good news??