I want to finish some of the questions I asked yesterday.
If sinners can see God in creation, do those of us who know Jesus personally bother to look too? A beautiful sunset, a gorgeous flower or a animal of beauty. Ever gone to the zoo and discovered that God's imagination is limitless? Have you ever looked at an animal and said, "God, what were you thinking when you did that?" Do we see the beauty in the people that are closest to us? It's easy to get caught up in this worlds practice to view those who God gave us with disappointment and criticism.
Roman culture was full of paganism (worship of false gods). So are we surrounded by sinners who sin or pagans who are worshipping false gods? Do we even need to know that there is a difference? I think so. People who live in sin are looking for a better life. One with peace and hope. Pagans are just sinners with a strategy. They think that they have found hope in some kind of religion or philosophy. Sometimes in the name of God, even though He is nowhere to be found. As far as I can tell neither Jesus nor Paul had a different strategy in dealing with sinners and pagans. They loved them, proclaimed the truth and ministered to their needs. Always seemed to get a pretty good response. We have to guard our hearts from being judgemental about the kind of sin they have chose to embrace.
I don't know how many times I have said, "But for the grace of God go I." So why didn't I go down the wrong path and walk away from God? Have you ever seen someone ruin their life, their marriage, family, career and eventually their future over something stupid? There isn't much we haven't thought about doing in a fit of anger, lust or selfishness. It's just that we remember what is right. We remember what is true. We remember what Jesus has done for us and we make a choice not to forget.
Why does Satan have a better PR department? He makes being depraved, even it if sends you to hell, look better than serving Jesus. Satan is crafty, the Bible says so. Think about it. He conviences Christians who should know the joy of the Lord to be miserable. Then he convinecnes sinners who are going to spend eternity burning in hell that they are happy. Go figure. FYI - We are God's PR dept. People see Jesus through us, if we let Him shine through our lives.
If sinners can see God in creation, do those of us who know Jesus personally bother to look too? A beautiful sunset, a gorgeous flower or a animal of beauty. Ever gone to the zoo and discovered that God's imagination is limitless? Have you ever looked at an animal and said, "God, what were you thinking when you did that?" Do we see the beauty in the people that are closest to us? It's easy to get caught up in this worlds practice to view those who God gave us with disappointment and criticism.
Roman culture was full of paganism (worship of false gods). So are we surrounded by sinners who sin or pagans who are worshipping false gods? Do we even need to know that there is a difference? I think so. People who live in sin are looking for a better life. One with peace and hope. Pagans are just sinners with a strategy. They think that they have found hope in some kind of religion or philosophy. Sometimes in the name of God, even though He is nowhere to be found. As far as I can tell neither Jesus nor Paul had a different strategy in dealing with sinners and pagans. They loved them, proclaimed the truth and ministered to their needs. Always seemed to get a pretty good response. We have to guard our hearts from being judgemental about the kind of sin they have chose to embrace.
I don't know how many times I have said, "But for the grace of God go I." So why didn't I go down the wrong path and walk away from God? Have you ever seen someone ruin their life, their marriage, family, career and eventually their future over something stupid? There isn't much we haven't thought about doing in a fit of anger, lust or selfishness. It's just that we remember what is right. We remember what is true. We remember what Jesus has done for us and we make a choice not to forget.
Why does Satan have a better PR department? He makes being depraved, even it if sends you to hell, look better than serving Jesus. Satan is crafty, the Bible says so. Think about it. He conviences Christians who should know the joy of the Lord to be miserable. Then he convinecnes sinners who are going to spend eternity burning in hell that they are happy. Go figure. FYI - We are God's PR dept. People see Jesus through us, if we let Him shine through our lives.
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