Friday, November 28, 2008

God is so Good.

As I was thinking a moment ago, it just hit me that if we as believers sense that we have drifted from the Lord through neglect, or even outright sin in our lives, we don't have to seek to do some type of penance, or hope that we can be eloquent enough in a prayer to turn God's head back toward us. In fact, we don't have to necessarily do anything. I remember reading a great sermon by a great Bible preacher of the past, Dr. John R. Rice, entitled simply The Backslider. In that message, he had about 5 points, including such great topics as Is the Backslider saved or lost, What is a Backslider, & the like. Yet the very best part is the last which is simply How to Get Back into Full Fellowship with God or something on that order. It was the shortest & simplest portion of that powerful sermon, & it conveyed all that the believer needs to do to return to fellowship with God. Dr. Rice said that the believer only needs to return in his heart to the Lord & cry out in the genuine sorrow of his heart that he wants back in fellowship & like the Prodigal Son who just took that first step back toward Home, the Father does the rest!
During this Thanksgiving Season, I believe one of the greatest blessings that we, believer or unbeliever, has for which to thank God is that, as a newfound blogger said, God is for us! We don't have to somehow make God aware of our desire to turn toward Him, we need to just do it! If we're wanting to come to Him, or return to fellowship with Him as believers, we can know without a doubt that it is only because our gracious, loving God has first been seeking us!
The lost person can believe in Christ as Savior & we believers can turn back to our Savior in just an instant of time! So, I was just thinking, God is so good! What do you think? May the Lord bless you all!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Isaiah 57:1

"The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come."

Have you known a Godly & Christlike person that was taken in death at a rather young age, & wondered about it? My very best friend was one of the Godliest men I've ever known, who loved & served the Lord all his Christian life. He died doing that very thing at a youth event at his church, of a heart attack at 42. My wife's very good friend, & a Godly pastor who I came to love & respect greatly, died on Christmas Day, 2003 at 40. I am sure all of you could multiply the examples exponentially. I must admit, the thought as to "why" did cross my mind, yet I must also honestly say, though I am far from a mature spiritual giant, I have been walking with the blessed Lord long enough to know His reasons are always best though I rarely see the "whys" & "wherefores" at the time.
As I read this verse recently, I wondered if maybe this explains at least part of the "why." I know it is specifically directled to Israel & therefore is not a direct answer to why Godly believers die young today. Yet it is interesting to me, & at least a possibility. But this also raises another question: Why NOT me? I am thankful I still have time to serve my loving Savior & also time to repent of the myriad sins & blunders I make every millisecond as well! Yet I must say that I wonder more at why I am left to keep serving my Savior while much more Christlike & gifted brothers & sisters are taken all around.
Maybe part of the answer is also found in the death of Robert Murray McCheyne's young brother. Dear, Godly pastor McCheyne, who died at 29 himself in 1843, was saved at age 16 due in part to the influence his own brother's death played in his life, helping him realize the brevity of life & his need to have the Savior as his own. Maybe the Lord can use the death of Godly people to open the eyes of the rest of us so we can draw closer to our wonderful Lord & get the correct perspective on life. Who knows, but God Himself? I do know that He is absolute Love & only does what is ultimately best in all situations whether I understand it or not. I appreciate all of your patience in reading this! I look forward to your thoughtful responses. My blog readers are the best! God Bless you all.