Wednesday 29 June 2016

Do not be Deceived: God Is Still That Same God...

Do not be deceived, God is still the same.
God has not changed. He is the same from creation till date.
He is the same God who destroyed the whole world with a flood.
He is the same God who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
He is the same God who sent Israel into exile.
It is that same God. He hasn't changed.
He hasn't become more loving. He is as loving today as He was in those times.
He hasn't become more merciful. He is as merciful today as He was in those times.
He hasn't become slower to anger. He is as slow to anger today as He was in those times.
The fact that God is giving us more time to turn from our evil ways doesn't mean they will go unpunished if we fail to repent.
God has not lowered his standards. His principles have not changed.
Leviticus 11: 44 reads "I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy." 1 Peter 1: 16 hammers it again "for it is written: Be holy, because I am holy."
He is still the same God. If He did it before, He can do it again.
Oh how we love this statement when it comes to healings and miracles. But we'd better take this statement in all its entirety.
God will never let evil go unpunished. If we do not repent from our sins and we die or Christ comes, hell will be our 'front'. God is not happy to see anyone perish but that is the truth.
1 Corinthians 6: 9-10 confirms "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." 
Words were not minced on that. So do not be deceived. Grace did not come to make sin acceptable. It came to give sinners like us another chance to make things right with God. But if we do not make use of all the numerous opportunities to surrender our lives to Christ, judgment awaits us.
Hebrews 12:14b states it clearly "without holiness no one can see God."
Let me say this. I don't think it can be negotiated. We can't buy holiness with our offerings and tithes nor with our service. As a matter of fact, judgment will begin in the house of the Lord says 1 Peter 4: 17. So no matter how we live today, on that day,  Ephesians 5: 13 makes us understand that God will expose our deeds.
What do we have to do then? Work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2: 12).
But are we saved by our works? Oh No. Our righteousness is like a filthy rag in the eyes of God.
It is not about doing good in order to be saved. It is about doing good because we are saved.
You do not take a clean cloth and soil it. God has changed our dirty clothes and given us clean ones. We have become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5: 21). Our deeds are the fruits of our salvation and not the seed. 
The passage on the True Vine in John 15 preached by Christ himself explains this nicely and simply.
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."
How do we bear the fruits of salvation which is righteousness and goodness? By abiding in the Lord and making His Word the Standard for our lives.
Do not be deceived, He is the Same God. Do not gamble with your salvation. You never know what may happen the next moment.
Life is too short to trade where you will spend eternity for some earthly goodies that is fleeting.
Live your life everyday as if that is your last day on earth. Live your life to please God your creator. And as He saved Noah during the flood and Lot during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, He will save you on the day of judgment.
Jesus is COMING SOON, REAL SOON.

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