Who is God and what is God is a question that has a lot of answers. The Lord God cannot be explained easily. He is more than we have the ability to comprehend. But what we do know is that Jesus presented us with a person version. Let’s start with what we do know. We know that God is our creator, He cares for us, and He loves us with a love we can never understand. That is why most people can’t understand or believe they can be forgiven of everything. The Lord forgives in a different way than we do, He not only forgives but, He forgets our sins as well. He does not hold them in His mind as we do when we forgive others.
Most people limit the forgiveness of God because of their understanding, but God is so far beyond our understanding that He truly can do more than we can understand. The Lord has made promises to all who are His. Who repent and live according to His word. We aren’t perfect and at times we fall way short, but God in all His love, compassion and grace easily forgives us. He lifts us up and keeps us close to Himself. He truly is our rock and salvation. All we need to do is give Him all our troubles and cares and trust Him to take care of it. I know from experience that He does, and He acts quickly on our behalf because of the love that is so difficult for us to grasp.
Our God is Love in the purest form. He is the father of all who love and obey Him. He, in all His glory and grace has provided the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. The Lord our God has made salvation easy for us through the ultimate sacrifice. All we need to do is accept the payment made. All any of us has to do is accept Jesus Christ as our savior and Lord, confess our sins and be forgiven. The Lord God has proven over and over again how willing He is to accept us back to Him when we repent and turn to Him. The Old Testament is full of examples.
Jeremiah31: 1 "At the same time," says the Lord, "I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people."
2 Thus says the Lord: "The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness-- Israel, when I went to give him rest."
3 The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
4 Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, and shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.
Even after they had turned from God, worshipped idols and practiced sacrificing their children to an idol, God loved them enough to not turn away from His people forever.
He does the same for us, and for all generations to come. We are loved by the creator and the most powerful being ever, so much so that we are forgiven easily by Him. The question has to be asked, why wouldn’t anyone not want this? The Lord God is still providing a way back to Him, so He can bless those who love Him.
Jeremiah31: 7 For thus says the Lord: "Sing with gladness for Jacob, And shout among the chief of the nations; Proclaim, give praise, and say, 'O Lord, save Your people, The remnant of Israel!'
8 Behold, I will bring them from the North Country, and gather them from the ends of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and the one who labors with child, together; A great throng shall return there.
The Lord God has sent our way of salvation and eternal life in the form of Jesus.
Acts4: 11 This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.'
12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Jesus is the final sacrifice, this is our belief as Christians. We can believe this because those who gave us this word, were witnesses to Him. They are the ones who were given a commission to spread the word, the gospel and truth of Jesus. That though His death and resurrection, we may have eternal life with our Lord God. We will not be lost, but will be in the presence of The Lord forever.
The guilt we carried in our hearts and minds because of our past life and sins, are gone upon salvation. After the forgiveness from God, we are no longer condemned or chained to that guilt or sin. We are forgiven by God and are made clean, He states that are sins are remembered no more by Him. What an amazing love that is. We have all forgiven others of things in this life done to us, but it is still remembered. The Lord says He will remember it no more.
Acts3: 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.
23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.'
24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days.
Repentance is the first step, accepting Jesus as savior is second and followed by baptism. The rebirth that is mentioned by Christ.
John3: 1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."
3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Outwardly this may sound odd, even impossible, but the rebirth is more than the first birth, it is a change of heart and mind. It is a totally new life. It is a new way of living and conducting ourselves.
John3: 4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.
Acts2: 38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
The Holy Spirit is a gift from God to counsel and guide the new born Christian throughout his life.
The Lord God has so much love for mankind that He has provided the only acceptable payment for sin, once and for always. Christ died so we could live. It really is that simple. Live in the faith given to us by our Lord and praise God daily, both in word and action. Live a Christ like life to you best ability and when you slip, ask for forgiveness and the Lord is not slow to forgive. His love is unconditional, and eternal. Accept His love, His offering of redemption and be saved.
1st Peter3: 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles--when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.
5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."
God is love, and spirit. He is our great creator and is our haven from the storms of life. As Jesus presented when peter walked on the water and began to sink, Jesus stretched out His hand and saved him. The Lord is always reaching out His hand to save all who wish to be saved. All Peter had to say was “save me Lord”.
That’s all we have to do is ask, repent and be saved from our sins and the condemnation that comes with it. Why would anyone not accept the offer of salvation from God? Why not ask and be cleansed and made pure and holy?
The way is clear and well-lit by the Lord, walk in the light of His word. No the truth and live in it. No sin can be hidden from the Lord. Take the opportunity while it is still available if you haven’t already, for none of us no how long our lives are, or how short. Tomorrow is never guaranteed. The Lord is always available to hear and to forgive. Live in His grace and be at peace. AMEN.