WALKING WITH GOD

Deuteronomy 8:6, "Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to Him and revering Him"

2 John verse 6, "And this is love, that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His commandd is that you walk in love."

So much violence is happening in our world. Beheadings, mass executionss, crucifixions, mass shootings, parents killing children, children killing parents; how are we to live in a world such as this? Its not easy. But, we forget, life wasn't easy when these words were written. God's people, His chosen people were being persecuted, killed, beheaded, crucified. 

It's easy for us to say, "If there is a God, why would He allow this to happen? He could have stopped this horror?"and go on our way content we have proof once again that there is no God.  We forget it is man who chooses the path of violence, the path of evil. God did provide us with a way to stop this wickedness, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ withstood the evilness of this world as men placed the crown of thorns on his head, as his skin was torn from his body as it was being scourged by the whip of wickedness, as he walked the path created by this world to the crucifixion man (His creation) screamed for carrying the cross bearing our sins of disobedience, he too questioned God, he too thought God His Father was forsaking him.

Yes, God could have stopped the horror and come to  His Son's rescue but if He had, where would we be today? Where would be our hope? Could we bear the sting of death? Who would be there to help us on our path as we traverse the difficulties of this life? All the power of creation was in Jesus when He overcame death and gave US eternal life, eternal hope, eternal assurance we are loved no matter the circumstances .  

My prayer for ALL who have had loved ones killed or injured in any of the horrific ways previously mentioned feel the arms of Jesus comforting them, supporting them, healing the wounds caused by these atrocities either physcially, spiritually, or emotionally. You are not alone!! Followers of Jesus Christ of Nazareth are upholding you in prayer.

WHERE ARE YOU?

Genesis 3:8-9, “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of The Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from The Lord God among the trees of the garden. But The Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 

Satan wants us to believe God was bellowing angrily as He stormed through the garden looking for “the man and his wife” so He could harshly reprimand them. The fact of the matter is He was probably walking leisurely through the garden, enjoying His creation, when He quizzically called out, “Where are you?” After all, it had been their daily routine since Creation. He knew where they were and He knew what they had done. Yet He still wanted to walk with them.  He still wanted to enjoy their companionship. Was He angry? Most likely, He was saddened; He knew the relationship between them had changed forever and He knew it was necessary to lovingly discipline “the man and his wife”.  There is a great lesson to be learned here. “The man and his wife” had committed the ultimate sin. God had told them they could enjoy the garden, do anything they desired, but you must not “eat fruit from the tree in middle of the garden and you must not touch it…” 

At this point in time there was no greater sin.  Many of us feel if God knew how we had lived, knew the many sins we had committed, knew the deep dark secret we’ve kept locked up deep down inside; He could not love us.  He would not desire to walk with us ever again. However, these verses show The Lord God does forgive us, He already had a plan in place to redeem us. The Creator of the Universe does still love us. Even knowing “the man and his wife” had committed the ultimate sin, He still wanted to walk with them. Come on, He returned to walk with them. He knows how you have lived, He knows the sins you have committed, and He knows that deep dark secret you have locked up in the caverns of your soul, AND THE CREATOR STILL LOVES YOU AND WANTS TO WALK WITH YOU!!  Do you hear Him calling, “Where are you?” Are you going to answer?