Hi Stacy and Doves,
 
I want to express my thanks for your posts over the last several months of your unabashed stance of our Lord's unconditional and lavish grace. No, it is not always popular amongst ourselves to proclaim  that NO- thing can separate a true born again believer from the love of God. Yet, some will insist certain sins can cause God to leave us. Others may say good works are a necessary ingredient that seals our salvation in addition to God's grace. But what about the wayward believer that has seasons of rebellion, only to hit bottom in their immoral lifestyle and come back to Jesus ? Some living like this are like  yo-yo's.....up and down....in and out. Certainly these Christians are walking a precarious line that if death catches them in the wrong "state" they may face eternal punishment. Better to die when your "tight" with Jesus rather than doing your own thing. Right? Otherwise God's grace may not cut it for these backslidden,wayward,and rebellious believers. God after all has His limits. If you dare cross that line..... OUCH!
 
You see Stacy, you have come to realize something that is so true,freeing,and precious. That no matter what sin you do, how many times you sin, or whether you are in a season of open rebellion, nothing(NO-thing) can separate you from our God. It's a violation of His character, His Word, and His truly unconditional love. And there in lies the problem with folks who may disagree. UN-conditional love. Whether we admit it or even realize it, all love we have received our even given out has at least some condition to it some of the time. We could have had the world's greatest parents or have been the world's best mom or dad, yet love given and received has had at the least some conditions. It's simply apart of our fallen nature. Because we were born into sin, even the best of us cannot give perfect unconditional love to everyone all the time. If you can, you probably can walk on water too.
 
Yet we read about God's unconditional love, but deep inside we really don't believe it. We say, 'Surely there must be a limit to God's love and patience....even to His children. I know some pretty messed up believers that really have screwed their lives up royally. They're still on a path to destruction. You can't tell me God is still gonna save them from His wrath ? They have crossed the line. NO way do they get to be Raptured let alone a ticket to heaven.'  Well, are any of us able to cast the first stone ? I sure ain't. I belong in that tax collectors and sinners crowd Jesus often mentioned. For me it's two steps forward one step back. Sometimes it's just the opposite. Just being real !
 
For those of us who have struggled with believing God will never leave us, it's been difficult to fully embrace this truth. Perhaps you like me have had significant people in your life walk out on you. If this is your story, the Evil one would like nothing more for you to live in a constant state of fear that someday God may do the same. Evil begins to whisper lies that you have to do this or do that. Be this way or that way. Always accusing. Always telling us God has His limits.
'But wait' we cry out. 'He will never leave us or forsake us. The Bible says it.' We desperately want to believe it, but can't. Surely God has his limits ! Right? Somehow, we choose to believe the lie that God not only can leave us but will leave us if we are "really bad." For those who do not have abandonment issues in your life, this may not make any sense. For those of us that have had parents, a spouse, or other significant person walk out on us, we occasionally live in fear that God's unconditional love may really be conditional. Evil attacks us at our most vulnerable spots.
 
I thank God for His word. I can rest in His word. I will choose to believe His word. His grace is amazing. I'm the Prodigal. At times' I'm the brother. Yet through it all, He loves Stacy R.,me, and you, no matter what we have done, what we do, or what we will do. We have been completely justified. Can we simply rest in that truth ? I know, it's hard to fathom sometimes. I mean look how many times we've screwed up ?  But that's what the Gospel is really all about. His amazing grace
so lavished upon us. It's all about Jesus. Amen!
 
 
Blessings,
 
Steve W.