DISCOURAGEMENT & GOD

Paul says in Ephesians 5, be imitators of God as God loves us and gave Himself for us – a pleasant sacrifice to God the Father.

WOW, what an instruction.  First of all it tells us something about God.  He is loving.  Second, it tells us that we can mimic that God of the universe, the One (in three persons) who made everything and is without limit on His power except by the rules that He alone has set.  Can we really imitate God and be something like Him?

Paul seems to think so.  The 10 Commandments told us to do so (love God and our neighbors are implicit in the Commandments). 

God says to leave the sinful pleasures of this world (drugs, ungodly sex, uncontrolled life) and don’t just seek your own pleasures, but rather seek love and help for others also; don’t be greedy, but rather give, don’t lie, cheat, steal – speak truth, don’t deceive and don’t worship the idols of money, things, position and fame.

Implied is TRUST in and for God – that if we do what He says He will make a way for us.  I have proved this and lived it, but also lost some very important battles and suffered heartbreak and have lived through discouragement.

Know that in the extremely intense battle ground we live in, ruled by the devil and his hordes of evil and his many operating systems controlling mankind, there will be loss and discouragement and even hopelessness.  And those are the key points I want to address:  loss and discouragement.  Even as I write this I am encouraging myself, as well as you, to take up faith, trust and love for God -- to resume imitating Him in love, service, giving, kindness and doing right and leaving ungodly pleasures.  He has remained with you and still has a daily plan for you, as well as a destiny in heaven and service to Him there.  Pick up love, service and Christian community again.  Go back to the love for God you once had.  Push yourself to do it, even as I have to push myself to do it again.  Be brave, be strong, TRUST God and give your brokenness and broken heart to Him.

Remember also, that after you leave here, your life, connected to Jesus, goes on FOREVER.  You will be you in the heavenly dimension but free of the weight of the sin of this world, and you will know and love and serve God with joy and pleasure.