Love and forgiveness
Yes,
The angels are in a flurry, I believe. They know how little time is left and so much to get done. I don’t normally hear them, but I think I have on an occasion or two. One time, like in my testimony, I heard the words, “Redemption. Redemption.” At another time, “The love of God” passed through my head, attended with the sense that I didn’t know His love. After having been back in the church for ten years, and professing God pretty loudly, that was kind of disconcerting. But I had to admit it was true.
But I don’t have that happen often, and I’m kind of glad. I want the Lord to open me up slowly to those things or I could get deluded by Satan. We don’t fully comprehend Satan’s deceptive ability or the power of his influence. But I’d rather look to Jesus and try to receive His power. And if I have to dig His influence out of archaic words of ancient prophets, then I feel safer than getting outright voices. That is what is driving the fallen Protestant churches into deception. Man shall not live by sensation, but by every word of God and faith. “He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and He made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock.” (Deut. 32:13).
Bible study makes the sucking reflex very healthy and strong. As Richard used to say, quoting EGW, “I commend to you the scriptures.” The honey and oil are so much better when you’ve had to suck hard to get them out.
Your mother doesn’t hate you. She just doesn’t understand. She wouldn’t have invited you to live with her or pay your housing, if she didn’t love you. But a knowledge of how much God suffers because of us gives the true conception of love. Human love doesn’t surpass it, although human love is real and to some degree the image of God. Charity “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:” (1Cor. 13:7,8).
Ask Jesus to show you how much He forgives you, and you will be happy to forgive anything your mother or anyone will do to you. And it may be that she has cause. We aren’t perfect by a long shot. We need our bumps and bruises. We deserve far worse. We deserve to be tied in a bag and thrown into the deepest sea; to be put out of everyone’s misery. But God is gracious to us and prevents that. But we deserve it. We are the man in the parable who stole a million dollars from his boss, but whom when the boss heard his repentance, “then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.” (Matt. 18:27).
Let’s not go to those around us who have damaged us just a little by comparison to what we’ve done to God, and fight with them. But rather, let’s forgive and love them and submit to them and serve them. “Love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest.” (Lk. 6:35). Because that’s the way He does everything. We have been His rebellious enemies, yet He has only been good to us. “For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” (Heb. 12:3). Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.
I love you very much, sister. Thank you for your faith and encouragement.
David
The angels are in a flurry, I believe. They know how little time is left and so much to get done. I don’t normally hear them, but I think I have on an occasion or two. One time, like in my testimony, I heard the words, “Redemption. Redemption.” At another time, “The love of God” passed through my head, attended with the sense that I didn’t know His love. After having been back in the church for ten years, and professing God pretty loudly, that was kind of disconcerting. But I had to admit it was true.
But I don’t have that happen often, and I’m kind of glad. I want the Lord to open me up slowly to those things or I could get deluded by Satan. We don’t fully comprehend Satan’s deceptive ability or the power of his influence. But I’d rather look to Jesus and try to receive His power. And if I have to dig His influence out of archaic words of ancient prophets, then I feel safer than getting outright voices. That is what is driving the fallen Protestant churches into deception. Man shall not live by sensation, but by every word of God and faith. “He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and He made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock.” (Deut. 32:13).
Bible study makes the sucking reflex very healthy and strong. As Richard used to say, quoting EGW, “I commend to you the scriptures.” The honey and oil are so much better when you’ve had to suck hard to get them out.
Your mother doesn’t hate you. She just doesn’t understand. She wouldn’t have invited you to live with her or pay your housing, if she didn’t love you. But a knowledge of how much God suffers because of us gives the true conception of love. Human love doesn’t surpass it, although human love is real and to some degree the image of God. Charity “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:” (1Cor. 13:7,8).
Ask Jesus to show you how much He forgives you, and you will be happy to forgive anything your mother or anyone will do to you. And it may be that she has cause. We aren’t perfect by a long shot. We need our bumps and bruises. We deserve far worse. We deserve to be tied in a bag and thrown into the deepest sea; to be put out of everyone’s misery. But God is gracious to us and prevents that. But we deserve it. We are the man in the parable who stole a million dollars from his boss, but whom when the boss heard his repentance, “then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.” (Matt. 18:27).
Let’s not go to those around us who have damaged us just a little by comparison to what we’ve done to God, and fight with them. But rather, let’s forgive and love them and submit to them and serve them. “Love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest.” (Lk. 6:35). Because that’s the way He does everything. We have been His rebellious enemies, yet He has only been good to us. “For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” (Heb. 12:3). Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.
I love you very much, sister. Thank you for your faith and encouragement.
David
posted by David | 5:05 AM
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