A LOVING GOD...

I've heard it.
You've heard it.
Maybe you've said it out loud.
Perhaps in the quietness of your own heart.

I just can't believe that a loving God would choose to send people to hell...

He doesn't.


The loving God chooses to love you and I while we are still in our sins. 
The loving God chooses to tell us the consequence of those very sins is death.
The loving God chose to send His only Son to suffer that death for you and I.
The loving God chose to resurrect His Son so that death may be defeated.
The loving God chooses to tell us that by His own Son's death and resurrection, you and I can now approach His throne because our relationship with Him has been restored.
The loving God chooses to show us that saving faith in Jesus Christ will lead to eternal life.
The loving God chooses to tell us in advance that if we reject the work Jesus did on the cross, we will be eternally separated from Him.
The loving God chooses to tell us, repeatedly, that it's not His desire that any should perish and be separated from Him.
The loving God chooses to give you and I opportunity after opportunity to trust Him with our very being.
The loving God chooses to not bend you to His will and force you to believe.
The loving God chooses to give you the choice.

He has chosen.
The cross...
The grave...
The resurrection...

He has chosen.
You...
Me...
Them...

May we choose Jesus Christ again and again, day after day, hour by hour.

The stone is moved

The darkness scattered

No shadows of deceit inside.

The Lord has proved

Our redemption mattered

Beckoning, Come, won't you be My Bride.

 

A BEAUTIFUL RUN

Let me just start with this - I learned this past season that even though I love football, I do not, in any shape, form or fashion, like watching my MC get hit. AT ALL......
 
MC 1's last game was an exciting one. On one of the drives, he ended catching a great pass from the QB, and had a lot of empty field in front of him.
     He turned and ran.
         I stood and yelled.
            Run.
                Run!
                    RUN!
                        JUST RUN!

In my head I was thinking  -
       don't look around,
             don't turn your head back; it just slows you down,
                  don't take your eyes off the goal line.

I want to run that way. I don't want to look around at my other racers and see how much better they can run. I don't want to look to the people behind me and get puffed up that at least I'm faster than them.


I want to run that way. I don't want to look at the miles behind me, only to see moments of glory I cling to and moments of complete failure I can't seem to let go of.

I want to run that way. I want to quit being distracted by this and that. I want to keep my eyes focused on the goal line. I want to make decisions with that finish line as my guide.

I want to run that way. I want people in the stands cheering me on to run...just run. I want to cheer others on. I want to make them better runners. I want to be a better runner.

MC 1 didn't cross the goal line. He was tackled around the 10 yard line.
   But is was a fantastic run.
       That is what I remember.
             Beautiful.
                 And we build on that.

Unlike the game of football where crossing the goal line may or may not happen, we, here, on this planet, are all promised a finish line.
Our run will have its falters.
Our run will have its strides.
We build on both of those.
I choose to build on both. 

We are all runners.
We will all finish.
It's not an easy run,
but it can be a
Beautiful run.

2 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

THIS IS A TEST...

THIS IS ONLY A TEST.

TO SEE IF ANYONE IS STILL THERE.

ANYONE...ANYONE...

BUELLER...BUELLER

 

THIS CONCLUDES OUR TEST.

NORMAL POSTING SHOULD RESUME SHORTLY.

 

THANK YOU.