Not Our Favorite Verse

This admonition by Paul in his letter to the Romans is not the most popular verse in the Bible:

"Pay your taxes, too... For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do." Rom. 13:6

http://read.ly/Rom13.6.NLT

For Good

As I read this passage today: 

"For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone." Romans 11:32

I was reminded that everything God does is salvific. He never gives up on us. Everything he does is intended to win our hearts and minds to (eventually) love and follow him. This is so different from our human nature that sometimes I need to be reminded. When I read a passage that says God punishes disobedience, etc., I tend to envision something harsh or angry going on because that's my human experience. But with God this is not so.

Whenever God corrects or disciplines us, it is always for our good and it is applied with love, gentleness and patience. (i.e. ... Love is patient, love is kind...etc.)

Faith is the entry point.

Rom: 4:22

And because of Abraham's faith, God counted him as righteous.

Faith is that little opening into our lives, our character, that God needs to start changing us into his image... So he declares us righteous because from this tiny mustard seed of a start all else He will change.

(By contrast the only unpardonable sin is blasphemy against Holy Spirit, for this is the opposite of faith... This is to declare in your heart that God is worthless and unable to save us.)

Lawlessness of man...

While reading 2 Thess.  this morning, I got to wondering if the expression "man of lawlessness" might actually be intended as a figure of speech representing the evil influence of Satan within all humans?  That there is a time when God steps back (in response to being rejected by humans) and then our true lawless nature will be revealed... The lawlwssness of mankind as a whole.

It does make for an interesting reading that way, especially in light of what I see happening in the world around us.

2 Thessalonians 2:3

"...For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction."

(insert lawlessness of man for man of lawlessness)

I Wonder As I Wander

I am now officially starting my Christmas celebration! As I listened to this song I realized it makes a great theme song for this blog:

I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I;
I wonder as I wander out under the sky

When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all
But high from God's heaven, a star's light did fall
And the promise of ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing
A star in the sky or a bird on the wing
Or all of God's Angels in heaven to sing
He surely could have it, 'cause he was the King

Wishing everyone a Wonderful Christmas (& A happy thanksgiving celebration to my American friends.)