Michael Colunga (24 Feb 2012)
"If the Holy Bible ever offends you, read on..."
 
Hello, John and Doves,
 
The Holy Bible is alone in all the world as a book with a map to get from exactly where you are all the way to heaven.  You just have to be willing to die to self.
 
Ironically, it is Isaiah, one of the most hope-inspiring prophets that puts the perfect love of the Holy God in perspective:
    "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
    "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear."
Isaiah 59:1
 
No Book in the Bible is all bad news.  Even Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, was given this piece of Good News:
    "This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place.
    "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
 
How in the world do I get from a place of separation from God to hope?
It is written,
    " ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you
great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ "
 
This is a downright happy chapter!  The bottom line is that if we turn our lives over to God, even if we experience disaster or catastrophe, we remain in the LORD's hands!
It is written,
    "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand."
 
Just to confirm the marvelous idea that the one who trusts and leans on Jesus with his heart, soul, mind, and strength never need fear separation from God, Rabbi Saul writes:
    "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
    "Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
    "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
    "As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”l

    "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
    "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,m neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
    "neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
 
All in the world a person needs to do is to come to God with meekness and humility.
It is written,
    "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
 
How do we know that we know this is true?
It is written,
    "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
 
To be double-minded is to be the intended audience of this verse:
    "Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing."
 
Now, here is the offensive part that makes people close the Holy Word and miss out on the "God" life:
    "You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God."
 
We've come so far as to discover "the Christian's bar of soap."
    "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
    "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
    "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."
 
Obviously, this bar of soap has a little pumice.  But the payoff is fantastic.
It is written,
    "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
    "that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
    "that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."
 
It's all about balance [and faith, hope, and love, but that's another lesson].
It is written,

    "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

    "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

    "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

    "Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

    "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

    "To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen."

 
 
Baruch HaShem Yeshua Ha Mashiach,
Mike C.