Once again I am humbled and in awe of God's goodness and kindness and how involved He is in the lives of His children.

In Core Seminars today we focused on God's judgment for man's rebellion. While God is loving, He is also holy and His holiness demands justice for fallen man taking away His rulership of the world and trying to rule Himself. God really spoke to me about the gravity of sin. I am often baffled by how unmoved unbelievers are by the fact that their sin will bring them judgment from God. But someone pointed out today that believers too are guilty of not realizing and/or living like their sin is offensive to a holy God. So I was challenged to both memorize scripture to convey and make an effort to rely on the Spirit when sharing the Gospel of the gravity of sin as well as making sure that I trust God and am quick to identify and not be complacent about sin in my life.

Michael's sermon today was both humbling and full of hope. He spoke about God's promise- what it was, why it was made and how He's kept and still is keeping it. As he went through the Bible accounts of God's promise to deliver His chosen people, restore their relationship with Himself while defeating Satan. He pointed out that in the midst of sin God made promises to people deserving His wrath; Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, Abram an idolater, Moses a murderer, Israel-despised and broken slaves, David a mere shepherd boy soon to be a murderer and adulterer. Yet, the promise God made was unconditional and a promise of grace. A promise that will restore His children to a right relationship with Him.

Many people either feel that if God is so good and loving why is He desirous of punishing and judging the world so harshly or that God made them that way so He should let them be. They miss the beauty of who God is, the promise He has made and kept through the death and resurrection of His Son.

I'm blown away when I think that a Holy, righteous and just God who has been offended by the sin and rebellion of those whom He in love created yet must punish or else He wouldn't be a holy and righteous God is also a loving, merciful God who in His unmerited grace chose to take the curse of the promise and the death and punishment we deserved on Himself rather than let His promise fail and to bring a rebellious and sinful people to Himself. I mean we're SINNERS! Vile, offensive in His sight. I would have just wiped us all out and started over! I'm so glad that He is God and that He didn't and that through the cross where Jesus died and His resurrection that God displayed His holiness, righteousness, justness, love, mercy and grace in being triumphant and victorious over sin and Satan's power, making it possible for our relationship with Him to be restored and fulfilling His promise. And furthermore, for His children- those who listen to and heed His voice-He is continuing to keep and apply His promise to us through the Holy Spirit producing fruit in our lives and confirming that we are His.

I'm humbled that God would see fit to do this for me that He would do this for members of this fallen world, that He is God and His promises are trustworthy so not only can I be certain that I will persevere to the end despite the trials and temptations I face in this world, but the hints of His Spirit working in my life can give me hope and remind me of the promise that He has kept, is keeping and one day will bring the whole world into realization.

I know this was a pretty long post. But it's just something that's heavy on my heart that I want to share. It's quite possibly the most important thing anyone could ever take away from this blog. If you have a personal, saving, life-changing relationship with Jesus, I encourage you to press on for Him and persevere till the end. If you don't, I implore you to recognize that your sin and rebellion to live under God's rule and according to God's way will one day be judged eternally. He will separate those who are His from those who are not His and they will be separated from Him forever, left to pay the penalty for their sin and rebellion to God. Matt. 25:32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. There will be no second chance. The Bible says in 2 Cor. 6:2, "Now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." God is slow and patient in keeping His promise so that His sheep will come to Him but one day, He will judge this world and everyone WILL acknowledge that Jesus is Lord and ruler. Will you acknowledge Him as Lord now or after it's too late?