Do we really…..

I’m sure we have all read those emails or even sent them that go a little something like this:

“I usually don’t forward these on, but this one was so good…”(then goes on to tell a cool story of how good, trustworthy, loving and blessing our God is. ) Then at the end it says, “If you believe in God, please send this to ten people, including me.  You are being tested….you have 20 minutes and if you do it you will see a blessing.”

Ok, so I know that these emails are always sent with good intentions and I respect that, but honestly they make me sick.  I believe they are planting a lie within our hearts.  Just hear me out for a second.  In reality, the very words that were meant for love and encouragement are portraying a conditional, guilting, confusing and contradicting God all wrapped up in a little fear.  You may think I am going over board, but it’s true.

Do we or have we passed them on because there is a little piece in us that is fearful of not being blessed unless we pass this test?  Do we think for one second that this is what shows others we believe in God?  Do we believe our faith lies in a God who says He loves us, but only if we do something? Do we believe that even just a bit?  I know I did at one time….

The very essence of our faith is come as you are, HE LOVES US JUST AS WE ARE….we have to do nothing to make Him love us, love us more or even love us less.  Our God is not a controlling God, telling us to love Him or do certain things to receive His love back.  He is not a narcissistic God who just sits on a pedestal gloating in how many people love Him.  HE  IS LOVE, A GOD WHO CREATED US TO BE LOVED BY HIM, CREATED US TO INDULGE IN HIS GREATNESS AND BE FOREVER DEFINED BY HIS LOVE.

I challenge us all today; do we believe that God is making us love Him?  Do we believe that God will love us more if we stop smoking pot or saying “shit.” do we believe that God will bless us the more we “look like a Christian” to the world, do we believe that we serve a God who is so in love with himself that He just wants us to praise Him all day, do we believe that God hates us because were having sex outside of marriage, do we believe that heaven is a place up in the clouds and someday we will see it?

OR do we believe that GOD IS LOVE, that He can’t possibility love us anymore, do we believe that we can be a mess in front of the world and if our heart is for and moving toward Jesus that is what matters, do we believe that we HAVE ALL OF GODS LOVE and our job is simply to let Him love us, do we believe that we have freedom to run from God or embrace him, do we believe that God has a sense of humor, do we believe that God simply said to wait for marriage to have sex because he knows the deeper things and cares about our hearts and souls more than we could ever understand, do we believe that He didn’t set out a list of rules for us to follow to set us up for failure, do we believe He set us up for success, do we believe that His Kingdom comes on earth as it is in heaven, do we believe that we can live a life of abundance and greatness right here and now?

Think about it…….

If you want to hear some sweet teaching on this….click here and scroll down on the right side to the two-part series podcast by Anthony Chapman.

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