"Thou tellest my wanderings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: are they not in Thy Book?" Psalm 56:8 As the little one struggled to crawl to the edge of eternity, with all the forces of darkness clawing and scratching at her heels ... trying to drag her closer and closer to the precipice of separation, a tear of faith appeared in her eye. At that moment a swirling ocean of Grace appeared before the eyes of her heart. She gently reached her hand to her eye, and catching the tear, she cast it into this ocean of love... knowing now that the commingling of this surging moment would open eternity to her ... as God would wholly, with a holy desire, rescue her... forever.
Our nature, our desires of the lust filled flesh and of our wandering mind ... are the "go to" reflex of our fallen-ness. Our nature has us scarred by the fall but has positioned us for His mercy by His great love wherewith He loves us. Heaven can never be earned ... but it was bought with a great price... the precious blood of Jesus Christ and offered to all mankind as a free gift. The reception need only childlike faith ... and grace is applied to the feeble faith of the believer.
Why is this great truth met with so much antagonism and arrogant intolerant stubbornness? Why does it stand in the seat of the defendant and treated with such disdain as if it were a lie espoused only by the foolish? Why is faith forced into the same category as works, or needed to be validated by works in order for it to be deemed worthy of God's expectation. We were by nature children of wrath.
Our developed "groove" to move through this life was de-constructed by our fallen nature and re-directed by the master contractor of disaster, the prince of the power of the air. The plan, the mode of operandi to keep mankind in condemnation: go with their fallen bend for disobedience. Like every other offspring of rebellion that has trod the beaten path of unbelief, keep them off course... searching for broader truth that will lead them straight to Hell. All that is needed is to activate their forward desires and detour the focus of their wonder to "the wide gate, that leads to destruction".
"But for God" ... "For unto us was the Gospel preached"
"But for God" ... "As well as unto them:"
"But for God" ... "but the Word preached did not profit them,"
"But for God" ... "not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." Hebrews 4:2
"But for God" ... "For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8,9
The Gospel heard must be commingled with our feeble offering of faith (that pleases God) to produce the results that God orchestrates. "Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." "He that believeth on the Son has everlasting life". Jesus does it all, by taking our feeble faith offering and mixing it with the Majesty and Security of His amazing - complete payment for the condemnation that hangs over each and every one of us.
"But he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36b
TRUTH: No faith in Him ...no eternal life.
Why do we resist such a clear plan of salvation? Why will we traumatize the light within us by waving a universalist flag of acceptance for all, Heaven for all and no decision needed? We need not admit our need as sinners, we need not agree with God. What a way to cheapen the cross of Christ but removing the single responsibility of man ...
preached from the very lips of the Savour - "Believe."
Let's lead a holy rebellion against this reflex toward doubt and unbelief; and rise up with that tear of faith, and cast it into the unlimited strength and power of His ocean of love for us.
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4
Commingle!
HLFA,
Jeff