Do you REALLY believe?

"Many christians try to put God into this box," said a older christian friend of mine.

"The bible speaks clearly about how God is a rich a prosperous God; how He is a gracious and loving God. Yet many christians take an extreme view on one or two scriptures and end up limiting God in their beliefs."

---

I have been thinking about my conversation with him. About how true his statement is.

 

What were we talking about?

 

Well, we were actually talking about the gospel of grace, and how many well meaning christians are against it.

"Yes, the grace of God is needed for salvation, but after that we have to do good deeds to work out our salvation"

 

I can just hear people saying this to me. Or perhaps they might quote to me a scripture about doing good deeds. Or maybe they might say something like this:

"Yes, God is rich and all, but I don't think its right to hear so much about the prosperity message. God makes us poor to humble us; He provides just enough so that we won't be proud"

 

Hmm. Sounds familiar. Religious people don't seem to like prosperity at all. Might even tell you money is evil. Which is biblically incorrect. Well, well, well, then why are they still using money now?

"Yes, God heals, but we have to find the will of God in this first. We don't know the will of God for this sick person. Maybe it is God's will for him or her to be sick"

 

Now this is a classic. Fantastic phrase to quote when you are praying for the sick. Very comforting indeed. I wonder if thats how the Bible tells us to pray?

 

Excuse me for my sarcasm, but you can tell that I get pretty annoyed with such statements. You see, I strongly believe that we actually LIMIT God with our unbelief; with such statements. Which ironically, is the greatest sin (remember the garden of eden?)

 

Anyway, first and foremost, as I have established in my last post, your good deeds cannot bring you salvation.

Ok - now you're going to quote me some scripture about working out your salvation. I can sense it. Strongly.

Now let me ask you to pause for bit and think about it. Lets get it straight. If you believe that you are saved by grace (which is biblical), then why do have to work out your salvation after? Doesn't make sense does it? H-E-L-L-O!

 

Secondly, in reference to the 'prosperity message', if you think that God is poor, then speaking about a prosperous God is wrong. Ok, let me ask you a question: Is God, almighty God, rich in heaven? (pause) Now, if God is your father (also biblical), and He is a rich, rich God, then you being the son/daughter should be rich too right? H-E-L-L-O!

 

Lastly, the worst statement is about God's will in someone who is sick and suffering. Now the bible says in John, that when we see Jesus, we see God the Father as He is. Tell me, well meaning christians, was there even ONE person whom Jesus did not heal? From my knowledge, even those who merely touched his clothing were healed. Now don't you tell me to find God's will in sickness. God's will is to heal all. Perhaps we are limiting God again and putting him into our box of restraints from our personal experience.

 

Why not choose to believe the Bible 100%? What's the point of being  a half past six christian? Why not just believe?

 

I know it is not easy, especially when you are going through something in life, like I am now.

But I choose to believe. 100%.

I'm not going to limit God or put him into this box.

And Jesus said to him, "If You can? All things are possible to him who believes."

Mark 9:23 NIV

 

The choice is yours.

Lost Focus

It's been a long, long while. I know I named this blog - Messages of Hope and Love. Sounds corny, but that was the initial idea of the blog: - to motivate people into believing that there is Hope and Love out there. Initially I also wanted people to be able to share their testimonies and so forth, but I've been so busy with my own life, getting sucked into the rat race and juggling family commitments all at the same time. It's pretty harsh. It's also quite draining - but work has been rewarding. I don't think I'll be able to work in another industry that can allow me to impact people's lives in a such a unique manner and earn good income at the same time.

"It's a ministry that pays well," I thought.

 

However, not everyone thinks so. I guess my industry is littered with people only interested in themselves, putting their own interests first, forgetting that it's not just about the money - it's about impacting people's lives as well. Which is why I have chosen to train the next generation in a way that we can change the way people have viewed my industry in the marketplace. I'm going to make a difference. Watch me.

 

OK. So you still may not agree that I am in ministry. I can just imagine people in utter disagreement. But I don't really care. I know that God has put me in this line of work for a bigger purpose - for a reason. A reason that differs from others. Would it be unimaginative of God to give people the same exact purpose?

 

Alright - let me get this straight. In case many of you don't know the Bible speaks about this. I'd like to quote from Mark 16:15-16

 

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Mark 16:15-16 NIV

One thing is for sure. We have ONE main purpose. We should have ONE focus. How it is achieved is different for other people. It's the GOOD NEWS. What is that? Often, we talk about how our good deeds and so forth is the good news. We often think that by telling people where they have gone wrong is the good news. Often we speak as if we need to get right with God before going to church as the good news. Or maybe we talking about how good our life is is the good news. But it's not.

 

The Good News is just this:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

John 3:16-17 NIV

It's the simple believe of admitting that we have done wrong (even if you think you haven't you have-ask your mother/father if you think otherwise), and that we believe that the only way to eternal life is by believing in Jesus. Not anyone else; certainly not yourself. Not your good works or good deeds. Not your charity. Not your donations. Not your money or your status.

 

Now let me share you another scripture that shows you that there is no other way.

 

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Acts 4:12 NIV

Thats right. No other way. Only by His grace.

 

A christian is simply someone who believes in Jesus for his salvation.

 

It's really that simple. So why not you believe Jesus right now? No one else in the world or certainly no other religion has ever claimed that He is the only way. The choice is yours.