April 24, 2018

Greetings My Friend,

As I read the Bible year after year I start to discover that God truly is a loving God. As I move through the Bible I see that more than a loving God, He is a just God and a God of wrath as well. For the longest time I focused only on God's loving nature, I grew in His love, as I grew though I met judgement, like I needed to look at the things wrong in my life, admit the wrong (repent) then allow God to teach me how to walk away from that sin, when I walked away I found a new freedom I had never known before. My past life reminds me often that God's judgement waits for each of us at the end of the ages. If we have believed on Jesus we won't face the wrath, if we have not believed on Jesus we face God's wrath which is hell. For many years "Hell and damnation was preached only, today many churches only preach God's loving nature both have some truth in them although we also need to hear of God's judgement. God's judgement on Israel is shown us in the Bible, as long as Israel followed God and His ways, Israel did good, when they started worshiping other gods, God's judgement fell on Israel. I relate God's teaching with how I want the news presented to me "fair and balanced", I would love to hear "all" of God's Word preached, His love, His judgement and His wrath. As a parent I know that too much "being the nice guy" spoils the child, the child never appreciates all those things I thought was nice, they grow up to be uncaring, selfish people. If God did not have a balanced approach to His people then we would be spoiled children wanting their way all of the time even though judgement would help them become more aware of others in need. Since God is perfect then His perfect love is dispersed with judgement, wrath and then if we refuse to follow Him and His ways, He will walk away. I see the pain of what life without God would be like at the cross, as Jesus cries out "My God, my God why have You forsaken me!". It is the only time He cries out in pain, for me this brief moment in all of eternity without God in Jesus' life was more painful than the betrayal of a friend, being whipped by the Roman soldiers, being mocked, having a crown of thorns placed roughly on His scalp and nails pounded in His flesh. For me, I only need to look at the painfulness of my life of abuse for 40 years to have the tiniest hint of what hell will be like. The more I walk with Jesus, the more I am willing to be bold, to tell others the Good News that is open to all people's on earth. God takes us right where we are at then begins to change us, mold us for His righteous people. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet