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Revelation 19: Final Justice: The Return of Christ

Final Justice: The Return of Christ (3 Sermons) (if you just want the sermons without my waxing uneloquently, here is the link!) Things we h...

What No One Dreams Of

No one plans to grow up to then end their life.

No one plans to become an alcoholic.

No one dreams of being a drug addict.

No one hopes for being abused, or abusing. 

Few at the altar are planning the day they break their spouses heart and leave them.

But people do commit suicide.

People do take that first drink, risking a lifetime of regret.

People are fooled into thinking they can do a line once, or smoke some weed just occassionally. 

People do get abused, and someone is abusing them. 

When these things happen to us, around us, to those we love, around those we love, the question isn't 'why can't God fix it or stop it or make it not happen?'

The question should be, 'why didn't God fix it or stop it or make it not happen?', because He could have. 

But then this wouldn't be a fallen world, and that was not His choice--for us to live in a fallen world. He created, blessed, and let man do what he would. Man sinned. 

And God intervened, offering forgiveness and grace to those who would accept His provision of a perfect sacrifice to stand in our place as the payment for our sin. A system set up whereby a blood sacrifice is all that could wash away sin once and for all.

Oh, I know it sounds like a fairytale in some way and to some people. I wasn't born a follower of Jesus Christ; none of us are. But unless someone is living in utter denial, it is apparent we all sin, which means falling short of God's standard of perfect holiness. He didn't have to offer a way out of our sin. He doesn't have to allow any of us into Heaven, but the fact is, some of us will get to go. It isn't because of our goodness or brightness, but because we respond in faith to the calling of His Holy Spirit. Does His Spirit call everyone the same? I don't think so, and what does it really matter? If He is calling you, then you must respond. 

What life brings our way isn't the issue. The issue is this, what are we going to do with the hand we're dealt? It was said well in Rocky 6 when Rocky is talking to his son outside his restaurant. 

"The question isn't how hard you get hit, the question is how many times can you get hit and keep moving forward?" (apologies if I'm off here a bit)

We have to keep moving forward. We have to forgive. I was listening to a John MacArthur sermon tonight that stated the greatest thing we can do to be like God is to forgive others. 

Amen.

What Secular Psychologists Won't Tell You

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