AngllHugnU2
Author of IM with God
http://www.booklocker.com/books/2980.html

You took my statement out of context. I added to this statement, God has promised covenant. When we are in covenant with God and others, even when it is bad or we are sick or are diseased, we are truly at peace and content with life as it comes. This is not a mediocre way of looking at life. It is looking at life the way things are. When your struggle comes, you are not particularly happy about it, but when you know you are in God’s will you are content with anything that comes. Contentment and happiness are two different things. I can be content and not necessarily thrilled about what I am going through. James says to count it pure joy when we endure trials of many kinds knowing that it will produce in us character and maturity. When we look at it this way we can be happy with the coming result of our trials, not necessarily our situation. If you mean by happy, joyful, then I will go with that. But even when you don’t necessarily feel joyful, you can still be blessed knowing that you are in Christ the Lord. Friend, the only way to know true joy, contentment, happiness is to be in the Father. And the only way to be in the Father is to have His Son Jesus as your Savior. And what does Jesus save us from: Sin, Death, and Hell… Moreover, He saves us from ourselves. We are, according to King Jesus’ words, to carry a Cross. The Cross is not some symbol we look to, but an instrument of death. We are, as Paul says, to die daily to ourselves and in return benefit the Kingdom.

“You will note I have not one time said in all of what I have written, “you’re wrong!” Why? I can not judge at what point you will yourself to touch what is great within you. Perhaps, right now it maybe in the familiarity and confidence you have in being (as you assert) a “mockingbird” of scripture. And, that is okay.”

I will say that you are wrong. I have no problem with saying it. There are absolutes and there is only One Truth, that being that Christ came and died for sinners like you and me. And when we repent and believe in Him we have eternal life. If we refuse to do so, we end up in Hell and suffer the wrath of God. You see God as loving devoid of justice. When you do not have a just God, you have an unloving God. God is both Gracious and Just… He balances perfectly both His wrath and His grace. When we are too far on either side we do not represent Him accurately. My friend, He is loving but also wrathful. And if all we get is the loving side of God without the demand for repentance, then we deceive ourselves and end up finding out the hard way that God does not know us. We need Jesus so that we can be made righteous, perfect, holy… it is not within ourselves to do so. My authroity rests in Scripture alone. The Reformation brought this out: Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Soli Gratia, Solus Christus… Only Scripture, Only Faith, Only Grace, Only Christ… You need Faith in Christ to be saved and faith comes from God’s Grace. We find this out in Scripture. My confidence is not in myself, but in the Grace of our Lord Christ. When you look to him, you will find peace and grace and true contentment… a love that will never fail. There is nothing great in you sir… only Jesus if He is in you. The only reason God can look at us, is because the blood of Christ is on us… if indeed it is on you. I persuade you please to not forsake the Truth of God’s Word for easy believism or cheap grace.

“The spiritual journey you are on is the same upon which all travel.”

Wrong. Only a few find the road that leads to God’s abode. Jesus, the God of the Universe, says that broad is the way to destruction and narrow is the way that leads to life and FEW that find it. Friend, do not be deceived. Muslims, Buddhists, Atheists, Hindus, Agnostics, unbelieving baptists, presbyterians, catholic, and methodists will go to Hell if they do not repent of their sins and believe in Christ, the One Savior of Mankind. If they reject God’s Son, the God rejects them. This is plain in Scripture. You first need to see Scripture as truth, absloutely and totally, before you will be able to accept these words. Then, you will see the lies that come from prosperity, health and wealth, teachers/preachers.

“At that time your attacks upon another will slowly cease and you will will yourself to embrace your wholeness.”

Who says I am attacking. You may feel attacked, but that is not my intention. My intention is to critically think about what you are saying and what Mr. Osteen and others say in regard to Scripture. Is it accurate? Does it pass the test of God? It does not pass this test. I do not attack you friend… that is what the Devil does… Everything I have spoken thus far has been in love. If I let you continue down this road without saying anything regarding the falseness of the claims you are holding to, then I would be unloving. The loving thing to do is to guide people into the truth of God’s Word seeing that Christ is our treasure, not OUR happiness or OUR success, or OUR prosperity or OUR self-esteem, or OUR whatever… This is a very selfish way at looking at God… He become Santa Clause or our Waterboy more than the Creator and Sustainer of the Heavens and the Earth.

By the way… I feel whole… I haev Jesus as my Lord living within me. I have been saved, Saved, SAVED! Amen! You cannot feel anymore whole than that.

Believe in Jesus. Repent of Sin. Walk with God in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In Him, RAP

You will note I have not one time said in all of what I have written, “you’re wrong!” Why? I can not judge at what point you will yourself to touch what is great within you. Perhaps, right now it maybe in the familiarity and confidence you have in being (as you assert) a “mockingbird” of scripture. And, that is okay.

The spiritual journey you are on is the same upon which all travel. The discoveries, great and small, you will make in the near future about how much of God’s goodness and greatness is inbed deep within you will catch you off guard. And, at those times you will praise God for having blessed you so. At that time your attacks upon another will slowly cease and you will will yourself to embrace your wholeness.

I am always impressed with those who contentment comes from the body of work of those whose choice to express their relationship with God in the scriptures. It is a good sign that true leaders lead well beyond their bodies pass into the dust beneath our feet. Such is the meaning of eternity…The One (God’s) word wills to express Love always….And, at present right now you are the embodiment of some body who seeks to follow the path of truth as it has been laid before you so that you too will know eternal life.

Congratulations!

AngllHugnU2
Author of IM with God
http://www.booklocker.com/books/2980.html

Realizing your good? Jesus said there is no one that is good except God. And Paul said there is no one good (righteous), no not one. Who should I believe? Osteen or the Messiah or the apostles? Oh, I get it. You don’t believe the Bible. Your authority is yourself and Osteen. My authority is God and His Revelation of Himself in Scripture. In it, He, God, says that we are sinners in need of a savior. You and Osteen say we are good and we think poorly about ourselves, so we need to raise our self-esteem. Frankly, I think man esteems himself too much. We need to decrease so that Jesus will increase, just as John the Baptist, the greatest prophet ever, according to Jesus, did. Read The Gospel according to Matthew.

“The divorce rate actually has subsided in recent years. I believe the percentage of married and divorce is around fifty percent.”

50% in the world, 51% and rising in the Church. Tell me. Is Osteen’s message, which is not the first, but has been around for more than 45 years… is it working? Are people being changed or are they being pamphered. This cotton-candy Christianity has to stop. Tell me real doctrine from the Holy Book. Tell me the mind of God found int he pages of Holy Writ, the Bible. Do not tell me the latest fad or the latest pop-psychology that makes God look like the Big Santa Clause or Water Boy in the sky waiting to simply give you whatever you demand or want. This is foolishness.

“But, let’s say the divorce rate is surging. Why would the divorce rate surge? Why would couples entering into relationships end them as easily as they started them up. There are as many reason as their are couples emerging from families to start new ones.”

Jesus comments: They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:7-9)

“Now, if this same woman is to savor life and live it well–to the fullest, in truth, she needs to recognize the value of the life she has been blessed with by breaking the cycle of her belief system. In your words, she needs to recognize the message of eternal life that Jesus has to offer right now by leaving the relationship to find her real happiness in a life that perhaps is guided by the tenets of Christ. She needs to turn her back on the lie she has chosen to live, walk out of the fog of her illusions, and notice the light of The Father in the name of Jesus waiting to hold her.”

If you say this to anyone you are a liar. God has not promised happiness. He promises covenant which means commitment. We become harlots all the time when we sin, and yet God even in His grief over our sin against Him never divorces us. Your happiness is not found in marriage, material things, church, anything… Happiness is found in faithfulness to Christ Jesus. Blessed are those who suffer. Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who are persecuted. All of these things do not compare to the things you say. They are deeper than superficiality. They say to a person who has Cancer… You are blessed because you suffer and still Glorify God. They say to the mother who lost her child to a disease… You are blessed because you love Jesus in spite of your loss. It says to a wife who has an abusive husband… You are blessed because you have stayed in the marriage for it reflects Christ and His own Bride, the Church, who He bought with His blood.

“What will bring you to that place is the two by four experience you have when you notice everyone is truly happy and you are not. At that time you will have a choice continue down a road built on lies and misperceptions or change direction back to where you can see the light and no shadow…GOD. Such is the power of the blessings and gifts you have at present and will always have from The Father who loves you always.”

Champ, I am very content and happy. I have Christ as Savior and a citizenship in Heaven that cannot be taken away. Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ. (Romans 8)

What I do have is conviction. You may see this as unhappiness… I see it as mission for God. We are to go into the world baptizing people in the name fo the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to follow Christ’s commandments. What you are is decieved by Mr. Osteen’s message.

Where is God found? Everywhere. What is the mind of God? A mystery… but He has given us information in the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of Truth known as the Bible. In it you will find what and who you truly are and Who God truly is. Mr. Osteen raises this up and makes statements that says “I am what it says I am and have what it says I have…” But does He ever open it and read it to the congregation? No he does not. I suggest you and he should open it and read it. (In context)

Friend do not take my word for it. Take Christ’s Word for it. Read the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament. Find out for yourself. Stop relying on teachers who may or may not know what they are talking about regarding God. Do not be your own authority, but rely on God and His Word for your authority. It seems you don’t think the Bible is sufficient enough or it is archaic or something. I say, put all of those misconceptions aside and go to the real source of truth, God’s Divine Relevation of Himself found in the pages of Scripture.

Blessed In Christ’s Teachings and Commands,
RAP

The answer to this is simple. If your focus is on failure, in your case “trying to avoid sinning,” then failure is going to be that at which you succeed. It’s like if I told you to not think right now about bananas. The inclination to think of only bananas will happen. So, the same goes with sin. If tell a person don’t sin….then sin is all they have in mind to do. Osteen, then, is encouraging others to think only of living a good life, moving forward toward a place where blessings are real and ready for your use. It is not a matter of JUST thinking good….it is a matter of realizing your good and becoming that for which you yearn.

The divorce rate actually has subsided in recent years. I believe the percentage of married and divorce is around fifty percent.

But, let’s say the divorce rate is surging. Why would the divorce rate surge? Why would couples entering into relationships end them as easily as they started them up. There are as many reason as their are couples emerging from families to start new ones.

To say the divorce rate is surging because they are sinners is too simplistic. And, I know you are far more intellegent than such reasoning. For instance, one person in the relationship may have THOUGHT her choice was Mr Right. After all he fit the mold established by the image of the man she had wanted to marry; a man that was NOT her abusive father. Why then did her choice of a man start to abuse her shortly after they married?

Those who have abusive childhoods, if they never settle their painful issues within before their marriage, will take all their ugly baggage with them as they enter into abusive relationships. Is it her fault? Is she a sinner for making such a choice? No….she knew only that she wanted to marry a person who was not her father. BUT, she underestimated how influential her father was in teaching her how relationships work. So, she married a person that was like her father because she wanted to now, as an adult, try to CHANGE her father in the man she would marry. So, in her reality she married a ghost, not a man. She is now living a lie. And, a lie is nothing at all, an illusion. Or in her case a nightmare.

Now, if this same woman is to savor life and live it well–to the fullest, in truth, she needs to recognize the value of the life she has been blessed with by breaking the cycle of her belief system. In your words, she needs to recognize the message of eternal life that Jesus has to offer right now by leaving the relationship to find her real happiness in a life that perhaps is guided by the tenets of Christ. She needs to turn her back on the lie she has chosen to live, walk out of the fog of her illusions, and notice the light of The Father in the name of Jesus waiting to hold her.

Now in all of these kinds of decisions there is not going to be a cloud at the top of a mountain she will need to climb to get a tablet of rules. BUT, there is going to appear to be a mountain of work she will need to resolve to solve the puzzle of what it means to be happy and to live a good life.

In all of the same issues you recognize above murder, plundering, scandal, identity theft, cheating, ministers having affairs with gay massage therapists and such it is much the same scenario. All of these person THINK by acting out to kill another, or steal from another, or act inappropriately they will reach a larger sense of happiness. You and I can agree, doing none of these things will bring you to a place of real happiness.

What will bring you to that place is the two by four experience you have when you notice everyone is truly happy and you are not. At that time you will have a choice continue down a road built on lies and misperceptions or change direction back to where you can see the light and no shadow…GOD. Such is the power of the blessings and gifts you have at present and will always have from The Father who loves you always.

Thanks for allowing me to share this message with you.

AngllhugnU2
IM with God
http://www.booklocker.com/books/2980.html

You are blessed when you receive Christ as your Lord and Savior, knowing that in Heaven your citizenship resides.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made. My reality is in line with Scripture. I do not like to talk about “my” reality, but God’s reality of the way things are. We either run away from God’s reality because it is too harsh or we run to it and embrace it and accept the way things truly are. If man is so “great” why do I not see the divorce rate going down, murder going away, steacling, cheating, plundering, etc. No, man is not great, God is Great.

I do not subscribe to Murphy’s Law, I subscribe to God’s Law which states we must repent and believe in Christ for the forgiveness of Sin.

In our weakness we are made strong. Not in our greatness. In Christ alone are we made strong in God and His righteousness.

- Romans 8:1-9 – There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

“To project onto others a failed view of Self prohibits us from ever truly enjoying the depth of beauty and magnificense of what God offers to us in everyone person we would meet. The outcome, in this regard, will always be one of fear with invisible walls of prejudgments forming impersonal barriers of dispair.”

Projection is a psychological term… rather I use Biblical terms such as “persuade.” I try to persuade others, not by my power, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. I don’t try to talk eloquently, lest the power of the Holy Spirit be robbed from Him. I simply map out the view of man that is found in Scripture. To accuse me of “projection” is wrong headed and argumentum ad hominem.

Fear is not necessarily a bad thing. Look at what Jesus says:
- Matthew 10:28 – 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

And what David says:
- Psalm 147:11 – “but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.”

And what Solomon says:
- Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

It seems to me from Scripture, fear is a great thing when directed properly. Not irrational fear, but a healthy fear for God who controls all things.

“For example, while I do believe you are deeply passionate about the bible and what it offers as defense for your message, the impression I get from you is one where you feel co-dependent upon the bible speaking for you. It seems you have yet to notice the depth of your own God-given blessing of intelligence.”

The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword that cuts through bone and marrow straight into the soul of Man. Yes, I believe the Bible for all of my message. My intelligence comes from God and I am blessed to meditate on His Divine Word, day and night so that I may be prosperous according to Him, not according to worldly treasures or vain pursuits or pretty words cloaked in Christian terminology. I am all about renewing my mind according to His thoughts which are found not within me, but within His Word.

- Romans 12:2 – 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

“On one thing I do believe you and I can agree, “God breathed life into you and I.” Set aside all of what biblical supports you rely upon for a moment and consider the enormous suggestion of spiritual intimacy that conveys to how close you are to God right now. There can never be anything, no object, no president, no preacher, no prophet, no action you can do to change the very act of God breathing life into you.”

Without setting aside Biblical supports I say Amen. Through the Word of God we know what God is about. So do not tempt me to put aside what He deems as valuable.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

“Now you might think some mistake you may have participated in would make you unworthy of such an intimate gift as the breath of God. But, that thought of lack is unfounded. Why? Because the gift of God’s breath comes to you freely and unconditionally.”

By who’s and what authority do you say these things? I admit it. I am a mockingbird repeating what I see and hear and believe in Scripture. You do not believe in the Bible. If you did, this would not be coming out of your head. You would not be placing the Bible beneath you like you do. If you believed the Word of Truth, then you would be submitting to it. Instead you are full of pride believing you are great and worthy. We are not worthy… that is why it is called Grace! The Grace of God is undeserved mercy upon wretched sinners. “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me…” You have either never subscribed to Christianity, been saved or have abandoned it all together for some other Gospel and some other Jesus. Repent friend and believe in the One True God and His Son, Jesus the Nazarene, born of a virgin, sinless, crucified for our wretched transgressions which you call mistakes, rose again and now sits at the right hand of the Father. I know where my hope lies… not in myself but in Christ the risen Savior. I decrease so that He may increase…

“beyond the cross” “If Jesus had not ever come to this world, we would still be blessed by God.”? Christianity is built upon the Atonement. Everything points to the Cross of Jesus at Calvary. Without the Cross of Christ, we would be damned. What are you listening to friend? This is a lie from the pit. Repent and believe in Christ for the forgiveness of sins.

“The death and resurrection of Jesus only underscores the enormous depth of The Father’s commitment to love us always.”

Amen to this.

The death of Christ also underscores the enormous depth of the Father’s hatred of sin.

You need both messages and both are located in the Cross. The Wrath of God completely absorbed in the Cross and the Love for His people completely illuminated in the Cross.

Psalm 1
1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

These thoughts are your reality. These thoughts are nothing new. You are not alone in this endeavor of belief. Because these thoughts actually are, for the vast majority of us the way we see ourselves.

We can not imagine our lives being simply blessed. Each and everyone of us wants there to be something wrong with the idea of having greatness and beauty as something inherent in our creation by God. So, in order to maintain the belief in Murphy’s Law, (something is bound to go wrong) we begin to project our confidence in being weak onto those with whom we live.

To project onto others a failed view of Self prohibits us from ever truly enjoying the depth of beauty and magnificense of what God offers to us in everyone person we would meet. The outcome, in this regard, will always be one of fear with invisible walls of prejudgments forming impersonal barriers of dispair.

For example, while I do believe you are deeply passionate about the bible and what it offers as defense for your message, the impression I get from you is one where you feel co-dependent upon the bible speaking for you. It seems you have yet to notice the depth of your own God-given blessing of intelligence.

On one thing I do believe you and I can agree, “God breathed life into you and I.” Set aside all of what biblical supports you rely upon for a moment and consider the enormous suggestion of spiritual intimacy that conveys to how close you are to God right now. There can never be anything, no object, no president, no preacher, no prophet, no action you can do to change the very act of God breathing life into you.

Now you might think some mistake you may have participated in would make you unworthy of such an intimate gift as the breath of God. But, that thought of lack is unfounded. Why? Because the gift of God’s breath comes to you freely and unconditionally.

Believe or not, like it or not, you are loved well beyond any one thing you try to do to make God’s love stop. The very reason Jesus visits with us is to help us to realize, recognize, understand, appreciate and ultimately love the close spiritual and intimate relationship we enjoy with The Father. And, His effort to explain that very fact to us would carry their way well beyond the cross, well beyond the grave and into your very hands.

It is in the understanding of this aspect of the Life of Jesus where we notice the simple message of Osteen blooms. All Osteen is suggesting to his core audience is “to grab onto the valuable assets of the true blessings of what The Father has handed down to you freely. Use them for the benefit of helping yourself grow spiritually, personally, and economically.”

In conclusion, it is okay to be blessed by God. If Jesus had not ever come to this world, we would still be blessed by God. We still would be faced, as we are today, with a decision to use our gifts with God by our side. Or think we are using our gifts all by our lonesome for our own stated means. The death and resurrection of Jesus only underscores the enormous depth of The Father’s commitment to love us always.

Thanks for allowing me to share all of this with you.

AngllHugnU2
Author of IM with God
http://www.booklocker.com/books/2980.html

We are wonderfully and beautifully created, Amen. (Psalm 139)

We are blessed. Amen. (Matthew 5-7)

I do not ignore these things. My point is that the way to be blessed is to be in Christ Jesus, the Son of the Living God. When we think that God’s blessings are deserved it ceases to be grace. When we believe that God’s grace is ours for the taking, we misunderstand grace in God. Grace in God is given. But it is given to His children. Who are the children of God? It is not simply everyone or anyone.

It is ONLY for those who believe in Jesus: 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:9-13)

We are fallen people. It has nothing to do with whether or not we are blessed. It has everything to do with whether or not Jesus knows us as His own. It has everything to do with salvation, whether we are poor and oppressed or rich and kings. If we do not have Christ, we do not have the Father who is in Heaven.

The only way to know God is to know His Son, Jesus. If you have Him then you are blessed. The way to know Him is to know who you are before God. Jesus called us evil. Paul called us natural and wretched. John called us sinners.

When we acknowledge who we are before the almighty as sinners, receive His precious gift of salvation for the forgiveness of sin and then lead a life of faithfulness, persevering to the end… then we are able to sing a shout of praise before the Almighty. If we do not confess our sins before the Lord… and if we do not forgive others God refuses to forgive us. (Matthew 6)

It is very important that your eternal life be secured in the true Gospel of God, which is repentance and belief in His only begotten Son Jesus. And when there is no message of sin in the pulpit and only a message of living your best life now, then there is no Gospel… only motivational, pop-psychology.

“I do realize it feels better in the mud when others are pulled into it with you. Eventually, those you pull into the ditch will only become equally disgusted with the life they lead or hate you for convincing them of such a dire illusion.”

Tell me: Would my message bring me persecution in 1st century Rome or would Mr. Osteen’s? I think the Roman emperor would say, “Sure, think better about yourself, but I am the son of god, not this Jesus. Repent? Repent for what. Sin… the only sin is to not sacrifice to me. So I am fine with your message Mr. Osteen. Talk about happy feelings, positive thoughts, a better attitude… but you better not talk about Jesus, Sin, and eternal life through this Gospel found in the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter and Jude.”

“if in the mud is where you want to reside…then in the mud of sin you will play until such time when you come to realize life is good and full of wonders. Its the same place in which the Prodigal Son believed he would find true peace.”

I have salvation through repentance of Sin… I reside in the mud no longer. I have put on the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.

By the way… the Prodigal returned in repentance and the Father received Him. Do you think the Father will receive you on your terms or His? Do not be arrogant and think you can believe and do what you want to do. Do not be proud and despise the Gospel of God. You must repent of SIN and believe in the Son of God for forgiveness.

“Joel Osteen’s sermon and books inspires and motivates me.”

What do they inspire you to do? Do you have the ability to do any good? What does it motivate you to do? Are you able on your own and through your works to merit the pleasures of God without repentance and belief in Christ? The Bible is a different message all together. The Gospel is offensive for it demands repentance and belief. In this culture, pretty words and feel-good messages are all we can handle. When the Bible speaks, we say, “No, that is not right.” I will hold it up and say some words about it and then put it down and pepper our messages with quotations and Scripture verses, but never teach what it truly says about God and His Son.

“That is the purpose and meaning of each and everyone of us. To share what we know to gain knowledge of how great we are in the eyes of the God who expresses us to life…..Perfectly!”

I will simply let your words speak for themselves.
Our purpose according to Scripture and many confessions of faith through the centuries (now abandoned by so many) is to glorify God. An example:

Westminster Confession of faith, Question #1: What is the chief end of man? To glorify God by enjoying Him forever.

Are you man-centered or God-centered? Your purpose mentioned demonstrates that you think of man very highly… too highly. Are you worshipping the created thing or the Creator? (Romans 1) It is not us who are great, but God who is great and beautiful and worthy and awesome and lovely and holy and enumerable more adjectives. You are a sinner in need of a Savior.

Let me tell you what God thinks of us:
1. He hates and loves us at the same time… He loves the unloveable.
- Proverbs 6:16-19 – There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.

Have you ever been in this category? I have.

2. God has condemned man to death.
- 2 Thessalonians 2 – The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
(ALL ARE UNRIGHTEOUS)

3. God has provided a way out because of His unconditional love.
- John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that if you believe in Him you will have eternal life.

4. In believing and repentance you will have eternal life and know the Son of God.
- John 17:3 – And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

I expect people to hate this message. It is promised by God that it will be:
Luke 6:22-23 – “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.”

And what did the prophets preach to make the nation of Israel hate them: Repentance of Sin!

Luke 21:17 – You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.

John 7:7 – 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.
(In this message, it is not me you hate, but Jesus)

John 15:18-25 – 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

How does God express to us life perfectly? In His Son, Jesus the Messiah. Believe in Him, repent of your sins and you will have eternal life. Amen.

In Christ, RAP