Thursday, October 2, 2008

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY: II Thessalonians 2:1-12

PSALM OF THE WEEK: Psalm 76

HYMN OF THE DAY: CH# 476 “Rejoice in God’s Saints” http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/r/r020.html

VERSE OF THE DAY: They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:10b NIV

 

Why does a loving God allow anyone to go to Hell?  Because God loves us enough to let us make our own decisions, even wrong ones.  Some people just refuse to accept God’s love and grace through Jesus Christ. They “delighted in wickedness” (verse 12b NIV) or “took pleasure in unrighteousness” (NRSV).  The people who want to spend this life fulfilling there own desires, even evil ones, for their own pleasure, are making the choice to turn away from God.  Money, power, pleasure, or anything else, can be a very tempting idol or “powerful delusion” (see verse 11).  Anybody blinded by a delusion can’t see the reality.  In this case, people who want to believe the delusion that only things in this life can bring true happiness, won’t see the reality of eternity through Jesus Christ.  We, who do see the reality of the All-powerful God, have the responsibility of showing God’s eternal love to everyone else.  Will they believe us?  Some will, some won’t.  That’s not our problem, it’s theirs.  We need to make sure that we don’t fall into their temptations, but live as those who have received the greatest gift in the world – eternal life, now and forever – from The Great God.  All of life’s petty idols pale in comparison to that gift.

 

PRAYER: O Great Loving, Saving God; thank you that I can see your reality of salvation and eternity.  Help me show it to others.  I pray for them too, that they may see your reality and accept your salvation and love.  Help me bring others to you with my words and my actions. Amen.

 

See you in Church Sunday,

Pastor Sandy

 

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