God Never Changes

So in this crazy election season I have read and been told directly, even, that we should keep our religion and our beliefs separate from how we vote or what we do and support. Like we are supposed to put our faith in a box and only bring it out on Sundays. Being Christian isn’t about what we do once a week, it is our way of life, at least it is supposed to be. We are to put God first in all we do, that includes in what we support, what we affirm, and how we live our lives. Christianity isn’t a past time it’s a lifestyle. It should permeate a believer’s everyday life and God’s Word should be consulted for every decision.

Sometimes this means that your choices will be uncomfortable. Sometimes it is going to be very difficult. People will disagree, get angry, you might lose friends. I have dealt with all of these things because I won’t blindly support the things this world tells us are good and right. I have had arguments with other believers who think that the Bible needs updating or that God got some things wrong. I’m sorry, He doesn’t get things wrong and we don’t need the Bible 2016 edition. God never changes. The things that are within His will do not change.

Then you have the “well that’s fine for you but let the rest of us do what we want”. We can’t really do that either because we are called to love everyone. Loving everyone means you want salvation for everyone. It means you want everyone living within God’s will so they can find God’s purpose for their lives and so they can receive His blessings.

I am pro-life, pretty sure everyone knows that, and it’s been posed to me in this way “if you don’t like it then don’t get one but you shouldn’t try to stop everyone else”. Its not that we just don’t like it, we see it as the destruction of one of God’s children, made in His image, the ending of an innocent life. So basically you are asking us to turn our backs on something offensive to God because it “isn’t our business”. How many horrible things in this world could have been prevented if we didn’t have that “its not my business” mentality?

Anyway before I veer off on that topic, which I am extremely passionate about, let’s get back on track. Living out or faith isn’t easy, it wasn’t meant to be easy. Jesus tells us that as He was hated so too will we be hated and persecuted. We nail ourselves to the cross with Him. Maybe you don’t like all of His teachings, you don’t have to like it but you do need to obey it. From Proverbs 3: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. That’s a really good chapter to read right there. So many people forget that HE is God, we are not.

Let’s not be lukewarm in our faith. Let’s not water it down to make it happy and comfortable so we can fill our seats on Sunday. We all stumble, we all fail. Lord knows I have and continue to do so. I missed 2 weeks of church and already started to backslide. I got away from being in His Word daily and I began to turn to the things that I used to use to fill me up. Shopping with money I don’t have has been a big one for me. Like buying things will bring me peace. I had a lot of times I wanted to make a snarky comment on something someone posted but, happily, I actually listened to the voice that told to “walk away”. Being argumentative isn’t going to further the Kingdom and only robs me of my peace and gets all grumpy all day. It felt so good to get back into church, hear an amazing message that actually went right along with the things I had on my mind, and fill my Holy Spirit tank back up. We had communion and a moment of silence where we were to reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice and what it means and to ask for forgiveness and for Him to be with us and I wept for my mistakes and for this world and the direction it has gone in. I wept for what He suffered for us and for His all encompassing love. He didn’t do that so that we can celebrate our iniquities. He came to free us from them so that we could live full lives in His service according to His will for everything He does for us is for our good.

So many good passages to post along with this, I have picked out three I will share. A couple of them are long so bear with me!

-To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.  I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.  Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.  Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. – Revelation 3:14-22

-When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,  idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,  envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. – Galatians 5:19-26

Perhaps most importantly and simply put:

-Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble. - Psalm 119:165