Revelation 4:10-11, “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
So often believers pursue happiness in life, but God didn't save us to make us happy, He saved us to conform us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). I want to have that attitude moving forward. I may never find what I am looking for in life, but that shouldn't be my goal. My goal should be to please Christ (Revelation 4:11). We were created by God to please Him.
For most people, their goal in life is to be happy. They spend their lives working and investing, hoping one day to retire and kick back in their old age. But life is what happens to you while you're making big plans! Oftentimes life doesn't go the way we planned. So often we end up in a place or situation that we never intended. And the more that we try to get back to the place where we once were, the farther it seems to run away from us. I know that horrible feeling!
So what do we do? The Bible teaches us is Hebrews 12:2-3, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. ” I receive many letters from frustrated believers who are miserable in life. One lady literally told me that she wishes a stray bullet would come into her living room window and take her life. This is a born-again lady!
Dear reader, how is it that one of the greatest things that God ever created—the human mind—could deteriorate to the point that a person would want to be shot to death? This is what negative thinking does to a beautiful brain. This is why the Scripture tells us in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” I love that passage of Scripture!
I have been listening to TV preachers lately. Pastor Joel Osteen is an amazing man! I love listening to him. Who doesn't? But what makes Pastor Osteen so dangerous is not what he says, but what he doesn't say. His sermons are woefully lacking Bible theology. Joel Osteen is a professional orator, incredibly skilled at swaying the audience with his charm, good looks and charisma. Just think how many people could be led to Christ if Pastor Osteen preached the Gospel? Sadly, he doesn't. Joel embellishes the Gospel, adding extra requirements which are not taught in the inspired Word of God.
Albeit, something that I really like about Joel Osteen is that he is always encouraging people to think positive, move higher, get out of the rut, and choose the higher path in life than to wallow in failure and mediocrity. If I could summaries Joel Osteen's preaching with one Bible verse it would be Philippians 4:8. This is so important for you to get dear reader that I want to quote this Bible passage again...
Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
There is nothing unbiblical about most of the things Joel preaches. You ought not allow negative family, naysaying friends and the doom and gloom people of life hold you down! When I receive emails from Christians who are discouraged, negative and pessimistic, I always tell them to start thinking about better things, as the Bible teaches. I always get happy when I hear the King James Bible. I always get happy as I listen to Pastor Jack Hyles preach. TRUTH makes me happy, helping to put the things in my life into perspective.
If you hate, it is because you think about hate. You CAN love any human being on this planet, if you will think LOVE toward them. God loves me, a wretched redeemed sinner. How could I not love every other human being, who has been made in the very image of almighty God? Dear friend, love pleases God. You don't have to compromise your standards, convictions or beliefs in order to love others. In fact, love ought to compel you not to compromise. Love is simply doing the right thing (Proverbs 15:9). Love is thinking the right way (Matthew 5:43-44). Love is treating others the way that God wants us to treat them (Ephesians 4:29-32).
Our goal in life ought not be merely to be happy. Our goal should be to trust and obey God to please Him. Our goal should be to be conformed into Christ's image. Romans 8:29, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” The Bible never says that God predestinates anyone to salvation. That is a common Calvinist heresy. The Bible teaches that God predestinates every believer TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON.
God's ultimate goal for every one of His children is to be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. God wants us all to be just like Jesus, and I sure want that too! I want to be just like my blessed Savior, God and Friend. The Lord is even going to give us a supernatural body fashioned like unto His glorified body (Philippians 3:21). What a wonderful thing that will be!!! Jude 1:24, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
One day the Lord will present the Church (every saint) as His chaste Bride before God the Father, spotless and redeemed, as perfect as the Son. Amen and amen! Proverbs 15:9, “The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.” Do you follow after righteousness dear friend? Many preachers misunderstand the Word of God. They corrupt the Gospel by teaching that to be saved you must forsake a lifestyle of sinning. That is manmade reformation (turning away from sins), not Bible repentance unto salvation. Repentance is simply a change of mind toward God (Acts 20:21; Romans 3:19-20), so that as a guilty sinner you will believe the Gospel to be saved (John 20:31; 1st Corinthians 15:1-4).
Once saved, the Holy Spirit of God comes to live inside the believer's body (1st Corinthians 3:16-17). Every child of God has the Spirit of Christ living within (Romans 8:9). The Holy Spirit begins to change a child of God, producing “fruit” (Galatians 5:22-25). The blessed Holy Spirit of God works in the believer to convict, comfort, guide, chasten and teach us. This is how salvation works. God saves you, and then the Holy Spirit changes you. This has nothing to do with repentance unto life. Anybody who teaches that repentance must lead to a changed life is preaching another gospel. Repentance must never be taught as anything more than a change of mind. That is what it means in the Greek language of the Bible.
God didn't save us to make us happy. God wants us to be happy, but that is not why He saved us. God saved us to conform us into the image of His only begotten Son. All men are the created sons of God by likeness. The angels are the sons of God by creation. We are all adopted sons of God by redemption, but Jesus is the only biological Son of God. God didn't save us to be happy. Thank God for the moments of happiness that come along by happenstance once in awhile, but true joy is in knowing that God will eventually 100% conform us into Christ's very image. Jesus is precious!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment