I speak with a number of people every day, not all are “Born-Again”. Not all have a
genuine “Relationship” with the Lord of all, Jesus Christ. Believe it or not, not everyone KNOWS how to pray, and most never pray to begin with, they just figure it will come about for them. Few understand. They are in the midst of the God that created everything. And surprisingly enough, the vast majority of people, figure they are worthy, the God of the Universe, supplying their every want and desire, simply because. How utterly arrogant of them! The ones that really rankle me are the ones that say, “IF you do this for me, I'll do that for you”. Huh?! The God of everything, of this universe and beyond, does NOT need you to do anything for HIM! And I am saying this with all the emphasis I can muster on paper! God, actually, does NOT need YOU for anything! God “Chooses” to Bless whom HE will, because HE is a Just and Loving God.
Matthew 6:5-6 "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
This is the preamble to the “Lord's Prayer” or the Prayer the Lord taught to HIS disciples, to show them HOW to Pray.
Matthew 6:14-15 "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
In this instance the Lord is using “IF”, because it is for YOU to choose, it is an “open invitation” to forgive another, rather than a Command. Still the emphasis is there to call you to DO a particular thing, in a certain manner, and also notice, this has to do with someone else. It is something you are doing or asking for someone else and still as yet, the Lord says HE will bless you for doing so. Just so you clearly understand using “IF” is not a solid or completely stable situation, except when it comes to what the Lord God will do. This is definitely a situation to be absolutely sure of your clear understanding is Critical.
I truly believe, it is the “misinformation” of people that end with them NOT being blessed as they had originally hoped they would. Jesus Christ was and is very adamant concerning HIS usage of words. One must keep in mind that GOD knows everything and everything HE does is absolutely perfect, each and every time, HE Never makes a mistake. That being the case, WHEN you read the Word of God, KNOW there are no mistakes, no errors anywhere. There are a great many people that scoff at the Holy Word of God and suggest that because over time THEY make mistakes, that is also a possibility for God to make a few as well. They are unequivocally WRONG! As a writer, I am supposed to be up-to-date on the current verbiage and able to explain, what I am writing, with complete accuracy. I am as you are, filled with mistakes and error therefore that will never be the case with me. I am as fallen as you are. The difference is, I am “Forgiven” and believe it or not, for God, that is enough. It IS God's loving nature to forgive me, because I have given myself to HIM, physically, soulfully and spiritually. This is NOT because of anything I have done, but because HE went to the Cross, in order to save me, it is what HE has done for me and here the relationship, is just about God and I. It is the exact same type of situation for each and every person that comes to Jesus Christ and begins a NEW life with HIM as Lord and Master.
The emphasis must always be, from me to HIM, one of adoration which comes from Love from me to HIM. It is the State of my heart when I come to HIM, that I be humbled, because it is a profound knowledge that HE is GOD, HE Created me, HE died for me on that Cross, therefore I am to be profoundly humbled by HIS Love and Sacrifice to SAVE me, NOT the other way around. You and I are simply HIS Creation and we MUST be totally aware of this perspective. There is absolutely nothing I have ever done, that makes me worthy of HIS Love and Blessings, so the emphasis must always be on HIM. What is so unique is that when this occurs in a genuine manner in you or I, HE then makes our lives HIS emphasis. People of faith, are always talking about a “Revival” and yet I wonder IF they ever come to the understanding, the Revival must start with our heart about Jesus Christ. It must be the Revival of our Love and Honor to HIM...FIRST! And this is because HE Loved US, and proved HIS Love for us on the Cross...FIRST!
When we clearly understand the aforementioned paragraph, we can understand how HE loved us first, before the creation of the Universe. Ephesians 1:4 "According as he hath chosen us, in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." (Paraphrasing mine) That verse says everything we need, to stand on, before a God so Just, we should be dead already before we were ever born. It emphasizes just how vile and wicked we actually are before HIM, that without HIM, we would no longer exist, for any reason. And yet, how many of us think to “Thank HIM” for the very next breath we inhale. The scoffers love to malign our Lord and God at every turn and yet, even they receive the Blessing of the next breath, because our Lord and Savior Loves them! Absolutely Incredible! This, in and of itself, simply blows my mind! Many times it shocks me to my core, to think, of anyone loving me this much, despite my own filth and degradation. And then, when I think about HIS humiliation and suffering, bearing a Cross, the magnitude of weight (Sin of the world) I could never imagine and then dying such a horrible death, for what...me?! I am overcome with guilt and shame and the tears will stain my face forever! I am fully aware, that I do NOT deserve that kind of Love!
This world, wants me to kneel before them, because of their position or rank or because they are so gorgeous or handsome, because they have this amount of money or possessions? Even Satan wants me to kneel before him, when he is the most vile and despicable being ever created? My Lord and Savior would even accept Satan IF he returned to HIM as Lord and Savior. Can you imagine that level of Love and Forgiveness?! IF you can, then you know a lot more than I ever will.
My Wife is German and they have a saying, “IF the word “IF” weren't there, I'd be a millionaire”. That's a mouthful to say the least. That one little word “IF” has cause the majority of sadness and harm there ever has been in this “Imperfect” world filled with filthy and dirty and despicable people such as we. Yet the Lord loves each and every one of us, HE created us and blesses us in more ways than we could ever count. HE asks us to love HIM as HE loves us, how is that so difficult? We can't seem to fix the stupid problems we create for ourselves and yet, HE does every time we turn around. HE asks us to thank HIM for these blessings and yet how many of do so every day? HE has promised to come for us and “Rapture us to Heaven with HIM”, how many will HE take away that day? And how many Pray for HIS soon return, How many are too caught up in their own wants and pleasures to take the time to Thank HIM for all HE does for us?
When Jesus Christ was being beaten and humiliated, when HE was carrying that Cross, are you able to imagine how heavy it was? HE was carrying the weight of the world, the SIN of this world on HIS shoulders, how many volunteered to carry that Cross for HIM? Where was I at that time, why didn't I volunteer to carry it? No Where!! That was a job...only...God could do! Now...how about a little Praise, How about a hearty “Thank You Lord”! Ya still think that is too much for you to do?
Marantha Lord!
You can contact the Author at dontwobears@sbcglobal.net.
