Check out the stats on this, but most people here think that they will go to heaven, are headed there, and most funerals verbally put dead people in heaven. How comforting. I'm all for comforting the hurting, but many loved ones tell me that God needed an angel and that's what their dead relative has become (even if he or she was a crack dealer etc). Is that true? Well they aren't now an angel.
Jesus said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it. Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.…" Matthew 7:13-15a
Sometimes "my God" (the Bible Jesus) says some hard things that my mind.. that the minds of many people just don't understand.
"Let the Dead Bury the Dead.." (Matthew 8:22; Luke 9:60. Christians have limited time here for fulfilling the specific callings they have related to bringing closure on the Great Commission).
How could Jesus be so insensitive as to provoke a grief-stricken seeker to forego a proper burial for his parents? Some scholars have discovered a Jewish custom for having two ceremonies. It may be that Jesus was referring to this second, redundant ceremony. Others still suggest that the wording of the young man’s request means that the father was still living, and the son was asking for permission to fulfill his family duties until his father passed. Either way, Jesus is heightening the urgency of his kingdom work and placing loyalty to his cause above cultural expressions of family loyalties.
"Whoever Divorces and Marries Another Commits Adultery.." (Matthew 5:27-32; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18).
The western church has seemingly lost its right to speak to issues concerning sexuality since it has looked the other way when professing Christians divorce without biblical warrant. Could it be that Jesus, even against the Jewish culture of his day (which permitted a certificate of divorce for the most trivial of reasons), actually leaves room for very few exceptions to this covenant commitment (see “Remarriage and Divorce in Biblical Perspective” by Craig Keener)? Perhaps the church needs to repent of its loosening the bonds of marriage. This isn’t to say that divorced and remarried persons should live with perpetual shame for past mistakes. However, we should acknowledge that Jesus’ teaching here touches a sore spot for his church body.
"You Must Hate Your Parents, Spouse, Siblings, and Children.." (Matthew 10:37 Luke 14:26. Your love for them should be like hate compared to your love for the Father).
If loving your neighbor must extend to include your enemies, how could it be that it is now restricted to exclude your family? Clearly this is an instance where Jesus is employing rhetorical hyperbole to drive home a point. This is obvious since in the Matthean account the author softens the effect by recording it as, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” (10:37) This interpretation comports well with Paul’s admonishment in 1 Timothy 5:8 that caring for the family is essential to being a Christian. Nonetheless, it’s true—sometimes family ties can be so consuming that it leaves us with little time or resources in the way of working for his kingdom. I believe this temptation is all too real for many families today.
When graciously, kindly biblically witnessing with the word just know.. you already understand this but it's good to be reminded..
When the inquirer or hearer says, "No, that's not my God. My God would never command me to live holy or pure. How verklempt! My truth is as good as your truth, and my God is just as valid for me. He is only and always positive energy, he is gracious and never speaks anything hard to me. He wants me to live free, loving myself more, only positive, so that I can do what I feel. He only speaks loving, kind things to me. My God is this way, or that way ___they fill in the blank as they feel___ (customizing their religious or New age view of god [that has never existed] into whatever they wanted she or it to be.
Something like that). That's how those of the world are today but the god of the Bible does say things to us that are sometimes hard to hear cuz my fleshly nature and yours doesn't always feel like denying self, like doing or applying his word. it's not like he's always saying hard things to ask cuz off and he's comforting and encouraging but it goes well for me when I hear the hard things and obey Jesus.
Go check it out in the Bible, our dear heavenly Father God through all of the Scriptures sometimes says some hard things to his people.. like repent, believe, turn away from that sin (that's fun for a season), abandon that idol.
Jesus and the HOLY Spirit often said things that were hard to hear and still do but it always greedy with the Bible. even to the proud Pharisees and Sadducees whom we're sad you see but he loved them too.
Think about the Old Testament Israelite pattern we've seen. God blessed his people, then after a time they went off into idolatry. Then God allowed pain to come their way via say some enemies. Then the Jews earnestly prayed, and prayed some more, and then God delivered them from bondage. Then God blessed them again and they rejoiced. Repeated. Repeated. We don't need to backslide.. take a stride from our Master's side!
Qs: Was it always idols.. is it for us or just trials to get our attention.. to keep us from going off into idolatry? Ask yourself. What idols take up your time and heart? What do you think about, do, and talk about the most? Has God said some hard things to you when you were straying away from your first-love, Jesus Christ?
Have you ever felt kind of angry at God for allowing trails, harassment from sinners, or pain and loss -- how could he allow such unfair treatment to us, this getting ripped off over and over again while here? I'm supposed to love that manager or co-worker, God. Really?
Perhaps the expectations of future promotion (or rewards at work) were so built up in you ..for a long time by what appears to be liars at your workplace. Perhaps.
We all still have room for thanksgiving, believer. Hey, got a lot of blessings mixed in with those managers at work burning the workers for too long? I think we believers don't need to allow many rip offs or rip-off artists, but sometimes.. isn't that's part of normal Christianity for Christians of every age. How can Jesus expect me to pray for, forgive and show love to my enemies? Does he think I'm stupid? Doesn't that say that they were right?
Religious people in the world and lost kids in the world will at times burn Christians over and over. We can learn. We can protect people even our families.
You can't expect (as you perhaps have done) that things will go super good, or fair for you here, believer. Think about those of the early Church. The believers were burned at the stake and killed in other ways too.
They didn't expect to get treated better than they actually did by the lost people of their day. For me, I know that I really don't deserve my wife, my parents, my grand kids, my fairly nice house, my employment or income. But there've been times (after I prayed over a tough situation) when I felt upset and even angry at God for allowing so much unfair treatment to my wife at her work, or to me, or to my friends. After awhile though, after spending some time with the Lord.. I can let it go and even thank Jesus. Sometimes, when I look back, I can even understand why God said hard things to do, or allowed those hard trials in my life.
"He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those selling doves He said, 'Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!' His disciples remembered that it is written: 'Zeal for Your house will consume Me…'" John 2:15a
As a kid being raised in a formal religious church every time I heard the term "mysteries" used, I was told it was because God wanted to keep these things as mysteries to the people, we just could know and must accept that. But Jesus still delights to, by his Spirit and word to, reveal mysteries to us, believers. If you aren't his son or daughter, then mysteries will probably remain mysteries until you get saved and filled with his Spirit who will explain it to you.
God still has a plan for you, believer. Hasn't given up on you.
“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Romans 11:29
“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call].” Romans 11:29 Amp
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your entire spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24
