God – Page 2 – I AM for You!

Am I acting like the God I want them to know better?

Why do I want people to know about God’s grace of eternal security? I want them to know the joy of getting off the performance treadmill. I don’t want them to worry about some day rejecting Jesus and spending eternity without Jesus. But am I acting like the God I want them to know better? A God who loves them unconditionally and gives them eternal life because they love Jesus?

Two pastors, who love Jesus with all their heart, have said by their words and actions:

I don’t want to know.

I had a conversation that was frustrating. I said to one pastor I am depending on Jesus to keep me from falling. That’s eternal security. What are you relying on to keep you from falling? Jesus or yourself? He said Jesus. I said then you believe in eternal security. He shook his head and said no.

I talked to my PhD counselor, (Pretty “head Doctor,” my wife), and she gave me this wise but long-winded advice:

Drop it.

Which brings me to the title of this post. Jesus did not force Himself on others. He respected them and respected their choices. The rich young ruler was personally invited to be a disciple of, and be with, the God of the universe and he turned it down. Jesus didn’t go after him, Jesus respected his choice. And that is what I need to learn to do. I share truth to benefit others. But if they reject it I am not benefitting them by repeating myself. That is harassment.

I will continue to tell the truth I know (including eternal security). But I am giving up on telling those who don’t want to hear.

What do you want? Do you really, really want?

Matthew 7:7, 9, 11, 12 (NASB95)

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. . . .
9 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? . . .
11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! . . .
12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

I have always wondered what this passage meant. Is this scripture promising me anything I want if I just ask? Or, more spiritual, promising me anything I ask that is God’s will? Why does God say that what he gives is the best (even if I don’t recognize it as such?). And, what does the Golden Rule have to do with me getting what I want? Do I earn what I want by being kind to others?

One way to sum up the Bible is: Love God, love people.
Can I use this to guide my interpretation?

In verse 12 Jesus says: Always, therefore, love other people (my summary). To me, “therefore” means that to accomplish the previous verses I need to love others. Does that mean I earn what I want by loving others?

Or, does it mean that what I really want (God’s best “loaf”) is to love others?

If I ask, seek, and knock to have God give me love to give to others – he will. When he gives me that love I may not recognize it as the best. But if I choose to treat others the way I want to be treated, God will love that person through me. And joy for – the other person, and me, and God – is the result.

How do you win someone over? How does God do it?

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 2:4 (NASB95)

God is not a nit picking tyrant ready to smack us for doing anything wrong. He is kind, loving, patient, and tolerant. He demonstrates that the best way to win someone over is to be kind. He is quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (Book of James in the Bible) and he asks us to do the same. To influence others you have to be willing to let them influence you (Stephen R. Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People). When you truly listen (when they say you present their view back to them better than they presented it to you) you communicate respect for them, that you value them and you begin to build trust. And trust, once earned, smooths the road of communication of infinite obstacles, and is the foundation of cooperation and synergy (finding the third alternative that is better than either of you could think of on your own).

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