Agape-Love: The Substance of God

.

The little group stopped along the highway and looked in silent horror, some queasy with disgust, others growing fierce with rage. A short distance off the road, at the top of a gentle rise, a man had been viciously attacked. The grizzly scene glinted red with blood where the hapless victim had been mortally wounded and left to die. It appeared there was nothing more to be done, as already a small crowd had assembled at the site, presumably to administer first aid.

The travelers stood entranced, caught in the despair of senseless waste. “This is the work of Satan,” the businessman finally thought aloud.


“No, this evil comes from wicked men,” the housewife responded, her eyes transfixed on the scene.


“You don’t know that,” interjected her girlfriend excitedly. “This could be the work of God. It could be that the victim was wicked and this was God’s righteous judgment.”


Another stepped in to calm them, “But then again if God caused this, maybe he meant it for some higher purpose, unknown to us. He might even somehow use this terrible act for his glory!” he offered hopefully.


“Are you crazy?” retorted the preacher. “We worship a God of love! Our God would never allow this!” he stormed, eyes flaring with anger.


The little group buzzed with concurrence, then slowly turned back to the road and resumed their journey, affirming their denunciation of the crime as they continued on their way. All of them oblivious to the Roman soldiers who were gambling for a cloak.



Love is the most misunderstood word in existence. To many it means little more than a physical craving. To others it is an intense emotional dependency.


To some people love is a character trait of God, which is manifest in peace, success, and happiness. It is that special blessing of God that meets their needs and fulfills their wants. Because God loves them, he gives them all the good things of earth to enjoy. To them, anyone who is smiling, or lounging in earthly wealth, is obviously centered in the love of God. For these people, God’s love creates a fondness for the things of earth and a coddling affection for all its creatures, in a soupy, mind-numbing bliss.


But to a few of earth’s voyagers, love is something entirely different, something not of this world. It is a wisdom that energizes every action in the universe, whether it appears as good or evil.


If you had stopped along the road and witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus, would you have recognized it as the supreme love of God? How is the love of God displayed in his slanderous betrayal and murder? Would this be the love of God if it happened to you?


G Russell

Forgive Them

.
There was this kid who came from a poor family. He had no good options in life so he signed up for the military. After a few years he was deployed to a conflict infested, god-forsaken desert outpost. It was the worst tour of duty he could have been assigned. It was going to be hot and dangerous. Everyday he had to live with a hostile populace who hated his presence and the very sight of his uniform. Plus, the place was swarming with insurgents and terrorists.

Anyhow, one morning the solider goes to work and finds that he's been assigned that day to a detail that is supposed to oversee the execution of three convicted insurgents. The solider shakes his head. He didn't sign up for this. His life just totally sucks. "They don't pay me enough," he thinks, "for the shit I have to do.

"He doesn't know he's going to be executing the Son of God that day. He's just going to work, punching the time clock, keeping his head down. He's just trying to stay alive, get through the day, and send some money back home to Rome.

And this is why, I think, Jesus prays, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

"Few of us do.



(copied from R. Beck's blog  http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2011/06/tales-of-demonic.html )

Evil Transformed into Good

.
We understand and recognize Jesus, as the Saviour of All Men and All of Creation, yet we still ponder the purpose of evil and suffering in the world. I certainly don't know, why the prescription of evil, but I do know evil and suffering will one day be recognized, as having been worked toward a perfectly constructed benevolent end. This morning I read this (below), as a morning meditation and I was thrilled. My hope is ever in the "Goodness of God" which is Christ. And Hallelujah, we know Christ is where and in Whom, all things are summed up and find their glorious end.

Christ’s Complete Victory

God is able to turn the wickedness of men into the greatest good … For, when wicked men crucified the Lord, little did they know “that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them” (II Corinthians 5:19). Little did they know, that this event in history – the crucifixion of Christ – would bring “to nought” all this world’s wisdom. Little did they know that God had a secret eternal purpose in Christ:

“Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:8).

Study God’s Word, especially the Epistles of Paul, and discover that Christ is the great Victor over sin, death, the grave and hell. You will also be rejoicing in all that He accomplished on Calvary – “the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (II Timothy 2:10), and His “more excellent sacrifice,” to which all the types and shadows pointed. ~ Russell S. Miller

I WAS A BLASPHEMER

.
I was a blasphemer when I attended the organized hellfire churches. I worshiped a weak false god, that was afar from the sovereign God, that purposes and plans everything in love. God touched me and opened my heart to His real love. I then began to see the apostate church was not only wrong about hell, but wrong about everything else. Yes, the prideful whorish church counterfeits everything and stands herself at odds with the true bride of Christ. God help the poor souls bound by such falsity while working like the devil to escape a fictitious hell. Help them Jesus, to see that you leave the ninety nine to gather in your arms the very last one. Open their hearts to know, none will be lost, for you are the saviour of all your creation.

Before there was even a creation, the Lamb was slain. Before there was a sin problem it was solved. THINK ABOUT IT FRIEND!


That we should think that hell

is not also full

of love and mingled with compassion

would be an insult to our God.

By saying He will deliver us

to suffering without purpose, we

most surely sin. We blaspheme also if we say

that He will act with spite or with a vengeful purpose,

as if He had a need to avenge Himself.




The poem is based on the writings of Isaac of Nineveh

.

FREE WILL ?

.
FREE WILL?
J. A. FREEMAN

BABY MOSES, tucked away in his cradle, floating on the water, {cried}. Was it God's will, or the baby's will?

It was a cry that originated in heaven. The king's daughter was attracted. The child's life was spared. He entered a palace and eventually became the greatest leader of men this world has ever known. He was entrusted with the commandments; he talked with God on the mountain top.

Is any adopted son of God restless or over-anxious? Then let him think of this minute event and its consequences, and let him watch for the Divine Hand in even life's smallest events.

Here lies peace. John the Baptist arrived exactly on time to behold the Lamb of God, and be labeled the greatest of all men born among women. Saul was at the right spot when our Lord Jesus visited him.

All is of God. Life's minutest circumstances are under His control. Therefore, be anxious for nothing. He knows. He loves. He cares. One Captain is competent enough for any ship. We are all only passengers.

"He worketh all things"—absolutely all things, without any exceptions—"after the counsel of his own will." Eph. 1:11

.