8-19-23 Are You Robbing Yourself?

Are You Robbing Yourself? :: By Dave Hubley Published on: October 29, 2022 by Admin10 Category:General Articles Note to my readers: In my previous article, The 4 Phases of Revelation, at the mid-point, the following sentence appears: “The final “week” (Dan 9:27 tribulation) has yet to commence.” The “T” in quotation marks should be a [BIG T] as it applies to Daniel’s 70th week – The Tribulation. My apologies. Feel free to save the document and make that change or contact me by email, and I will send you a copy already corrected. (There is a special message at the end of this article for those who might happen to read this and do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.) In the last few decades of my walk with the Lord Jesus and my attempts to witness, I have had numerous conversations with unbelieving people (many of whom are close friends and even relatives) who gave varied reasons why they have no interest in “religion,” or more often, “organized religion.” On its face, it is no surprise. “Organized[?] religion” has been used very effectively by the evil one to divide and conquer. Often, I could tell that they have some intuitive understanding that there will be a reckoning at the end of their lives, and you can sense a sort of unease in them when that uncertain future comes to mind, as Hebrews 9:27 describes. “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). And this sense is attested to and confirmed in Romans 2:15. “So, they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them” (Romans 2:15). To those of us who have a Personal Relationship with our Savior, we understand that, where Jesus is concerned, the word “religion” fails the test of adequately describing what we possess and cherish as the joy of our salvation and God’s gift of eternal life. However, this article is not about “religion”; it is about a “Relationship.” Saddest of all, many times, their rejection of this most wonderful Relationship has to do with hurts and or injustice at the hands of friends, relatives, and authority (or perceived authority) figures they have known over the course of their lives. I do not make light of these “reasons,” as they are very real, and hurts run very deep, even causing problematic physical health conditions. If you are one of these people, I hope you might be willing to read on. There is a Bible verse written by the apostle Paul that I would quote here. “Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16). I sincerely hope that is not the case. I want you to live. I may tell you some things you don’t really want to hear or have heard before and rejected. To be clear, in my 20s and 30s, I was depressed and angry about all the bad things that had happened in my life, and those things caused me to ignore the good things that had happened (under the radar). My point is, while we all have had different experiences (and may still be living them), I do, from my perspective, understand. I speak from that experience. I will not elaborate on it because we each have our own individual life stories with our own individual hurts and struggles, but: In each case and in each life, yours and mine, our lives are of equal importance. And, every life is of equal importance to God. “Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism'” (Acts 10:34). Good old Peter. Even though I have had a personal relationship with Jesus for over 29 years, there are still daily struggles to deal with. That is life in a fallen world. You do matter, and you are loved. Now, about those things you may not want to hear: Those things that are still true, nevertheless. Understanding of this will require you to stop and look up and out at the world of others who live around you. That can be hard for some, but it is necessary. When we focus only inward (and I did for many years), it severely limits the chance to see the Light or the Truth. There is always someone who has it (right now) worse than you. There is always someone who has had it (in their past) worse than you. You cannot unwind the past, and reliving it will not change anything. As bad as things may be (yes, this is a tough one), they can still be worse. As an example, I have a friend who did not want to hear about God because his mother had been “taken advantage of” by some sort of church “leader.” He didn’t elaborate, and I didn’t press because his mind was closed to any discussion. As a result of that, he could not comprehend that he was robbing himself of a future over a past he could not change and something he did not do. And to be clear, God did not do it either. It was the action(s) of a fallen human being with a sin nature. Something we all must face is the reality that we: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). When we face that reality, it helps to open the door to Healing and Hope. The only advantage in examining (not reliving) the past is to use it to govern and improve our own conduct and as a catalyst for a more positive future. Beyond that, there is nothing to gain by paying, over and over, day after day, for something you did not do and cannot undo. Additionally, if your misery IS a result of your own actions or decisions, the same condition applies. You cannot undo what has already occurred, but you can avoid the trap of reliving it every day and deal with it in the light of God’s perfect love. And now to the crux of this article. Forgiveness: The key to God’s door of freedom. Unforgiveness is like a backpack full of bricks that you wear 24/7. It weighs you down and eventually brings about physical harm. If you determine to slip those straps and drop that pack: You are the beneficiary! You are the one who is released from the curse and weight of that special misery. This is why God, in His Love and Merciful Wisdom, has commanded people to forgive. “bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also” (Colossians 3:13). And, NO ONE suffered and was abused more than God’s beloved Son, Jesus! Yes, you are loved by a God who has proved Himself to be a forgiving and gracious Savior. There is a verse from the Gospel (Good News) of John (the fourth of the Gospels) that confirms that fact in Jesus’ own Words: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24). Emphasis added by me. There is only one sin that would prevent God from being able to welcome you into His eternal Heaven (“prevent Him” being a condition He Himself has imposed on Himself). That is, to reject the Mercy and Grace He offers through the payment of the penalty for the sins of all of us by His sinless Son, Jesus Christ. If you do not really want to believe me, I understand, but I would challenge you, in your own private place, lift your eyes to heaven and ask Him yourself. Perhaps like this: “God, if you are real, show me somehow, and if you do, I will repent and receive your Son, Jesus, to be the Lord of my life from now on.” “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (John 6:37). I emphasized the promise of Jesus above because it confirms His Promise to you. And, God ALWAYS keeps His Promises. In each case and each life, yours and mine, God is fully aware of your hurts and struggles. He is aware of your past, and He wants to be your eternal future. My struggling friend, don’t rob yourself of a real and glorious future or cover Hope over with the hard rock of fear or anger. Don’t rob yourself of real and permanent joy. It took me a very long time to come to the reality that God is real, and He has proved it to me time and again. His love is very personal, and He will show you if you “earnestly seek Him.” You can possess the inner peace that you have longed for. “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Are you now ready to really start living? The special message I promised you: For anyone who may read this article and has not trusted in Jesus Christ and therefore has no hope or peace in your life: You can have hope. You can have the peace that Jesus has promised to all who have made Him their Lord and Savior. The peace that passes understanding. It requires that you come before God on His terms. And, what are His terms according to His Word? Genuine repentance (turning to God instead of continuing to reject or ignore Him). Confession of sins (that you are a sinner and acknowledge that to God). That you understand that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). To acknowledge to God that you are unable to pay that debt. Belief that Jesus Christ paid your death sentence for you on the cross. To believe that Jesus is the Way, the only Way, that God has established by which humans may be saved from the consequences of their sin and rebellion. God has made it absolutely clear that there is no one who comes before Him, under His terms, that will be refused. No one: no race, no color, no country of origin, regardless of any previous belief system: no one. No matter what your past sins have been, God can and WILL forgive you because He says He will. Salvation is available to everyone without any exceptions. If you put all your trust for salvation in Jesus, and Him only, you can follow that prayer up by simply saying, “Thank you, Father God, for hearing my prayer and saving me,” because we can trust Him to keep His Word. He always has. He always will. John 5:24: “Truly, Truly, I say to you that he who hears My words and believes the One who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned. He has crossed from death to life.” There are no answers and there is no hope in the world by governments, organizations, politics, or politicians. There are only lies and deception. But you can have the Truth and the peace you seek. The answers are in the Word of God—The Bible. If you ask God with all your heart, He will hear you. “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Pro Salvator Vigilans To contact me: canoeman96@gmail.com