Wednesday Wake Up #33

No God or Know God

As I was reading through 2 Thessalonians the other night I came across a verse that was not your feel good fluffy and pretty scripture, but one that nails down what happens to those that do not know God and those who believe in no God. The verse was 2 Thessalonians 1:8 and in regard to Jesus and his angels coming back to earth it says "in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus." Not so pretty is it? 

Why do we want to know God? Well, first we can know of something or someone. For instance I know of Michael Jordan, but do not know him personally (see where I am going). I can know that someone exists or intimately get to know someone on a deeper level, like a close friend or relative. We are to do the latter when it comes to God. We don't just know of him and kinda read and study. We need to stay focused on what He wants from us in all circumstances. Staying in 2 Thessalonians, in Chapter 3 verse 16 we see that God is referred to as the "Lord of Peace" and His peace can be with you all day when He is with you. You don't get that kind of peace by just kind of knowing someone.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus tells those who are weary and burdened to come to him. That is key when Jesus says "come to" him. He does not say stay there and I will find you. If you want to be comforted, seek Jesus. Isn't a moniker of Jesus "the Prince of Peace"? That is so. Jesus's load is peaceful. He will not make you busy. People pleasing and living according to the world's standards will stress you the heck out. Jesus's yoke is light. Seek his peace.

 

There are a bunch of verses and retellings in scripture about knowing God. We can either pretend like God doesn't exist or we can seek His presence and read and know Him. Get into a deeper relationship with Him.

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2 Corinthians 1: God of All Comfort

God of All Comfort

Life can be very hard at times. We all have problems of one kind or another. Whether it is health or relational, we all have problems. During these problems one thing that we need is comfort. We can want it from people and when it doesn't come we seek it from food or drugs or distractions. That is not real comfort when we distract ourselves. Yes, people can help but we also need to go to the Source and the Creator, God. 

In 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, Paul mentions the word comfort 10 times. Listening to it on audio makes me understand that it was important where when reading I could have skimmed over it without even thinking. Paul says that God comforts us in all our afflictions so that we may comfort others. Paul says while we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings we also share in comfort. Paul's point seems to be unity that what he felt from God was allowing him to help others feel the same. If God comforts Paul and the apostles and disciples then he can use that and help others feel comforted.

Also, Paul wanted to correct the accusations against him. He was accused of meaning one thing and saying the other. His example of Jesus being the Son of God and not just some guy and validating God's promises through Christ. God's son was not some guy, but was Jesus and we find truth in God's promises through Christ and his life (2 Corinthians 1:20).

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Friday Focus #16

Avoiding Hurts Doesn't Help

Have you ever heard the saying "hurt people, hurt people"? It simply means that people who have been hurt and are still hurting emotionally will go about hurting other people. In essence it creates a domino effect of hurt. I get hurt by someone and then I go on and say or do something to someone else that hurts them. The cycle continues. But, I ask you, is that the life God wants from you? Does God want you to go around being hurt? Does He want you to go around hurting others? Or does God want you to heal from that emotional pain?

One thing avoiding hurt does is it can eat at us. It can gnaw away at who we have become in Christ and slowly evolve us into someone else that has seemingly forgotten what Christ means to us. When carrying a hurt we can overeat, drink alcohol in excess, use drugs, even go on shopping sprees. All of these things (and others) can serve as band aids to the hurt that we feel when we think of that person, that time frame in our personal history or what was done/said that hurt us. When you break a bone, you don't put a band aid on it, you get surgery if necessary or at least a cast. But a band aid to a major problem does nothing. God wants you to stop putting band aids on your hurts. God wants us to come to Him for all things. We see that truth in Matthew 9:20-22. The woman who had had a monthly flow for 12 years believed that if she just barely touched Jesus's clothes that she could be healed. He acknowledged her when she touched his clothes and told her that her faith has made her well. Jesus wants us to reach out to him when we are hurt emotionally or sick physically. 

Tell God what is going on with you. Tell Him about what happened. You can complain to God. He can take it. He wants to hear from you the same way you want to hear from your own children (if you have them) if they have some hurt in their life. God wants to comfort us and heal our broken hearts (Psalm 147:3). Write down what bothers you. Put it in a journal if need be. For things in the past, try to remember that they are not still happening to you. Stop reliving that hurt too. Be around people who encourage you to do and be what God wants from you. Thinking about it often or all the time doesn't help to heal you which means you cannot be who you need to be for God's Kingdom. Be well, be with God.

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Matthew 10:39

Matthew 10:39 "Whoever finds his life will lose it, & whoever  loses his life for my sake will find it." commentary- The words of Jesus are strong here. He is not saying  'just do what makes you happy.' He is not saying 'there are many ways to heaven & I am  just one.' What is Jesus saying? He is saying that those who live their lives & are not seeking Christ have missed the  point. Many would rather do what they want for their own comfort but that is not what God wants from you. What is blocking you  from seeking & following Christ?