God and man
God formed man out of the red clay of the ground (Adam). God gave man life by breathing His spirit into his nostrils. We are created in the image of God ... we share certain attributes of God like life, emotions, personality, creativity, love, and other good and wonderful things. God created us to have a personal relationship with Him. He loves us very much and He desires our love in return. But to return true love requires a free will. God created us with a free will ... we are free to love or free to ignore or free to hate. Without a free will ... God would have created robots. God did not want the fake love of programmed robots ... He wants the true love of a free will. Initially man shared a wonderful relationship with God. Man and woman walked with God in the cool of the garden ... like close friends ... they talked directly to each other in peace and in harmony. Satan and evil
In the garden also roamed a created being called Lucifer (Satan). Lucifer was a beautiful and powerful angel who once lived in heaven. Lucifer's beauty and intelligence made him arrogant, egotistical, and self-righteous (religious) ... so much so that he eventually desired to take God's place. These desires were and still are the birthplace of evil. Lucifer gathered a force of other angels and attempted to over throw God. Lucifer lost the battle and was thrown to the earth along with his evil dominion of angels called demons. This occurred sometime before Adam and Eve were created. The fall and the promise
One day Satan spoke to Eve and tempted her to disobey God. Adam and Eve, out of their own free will, gave in to the temptation and disobeyed God. After man sinned, evil thoughts and desires increased, as they now knew that they were naked. Even though man disobeyed God ... God still searched for them in the cool of the garden. But the man ran away from God and hid among the bushes. God found the man. Since God is 100% perfect ... He can not tolerate a speck of sin. God's perfection in love and in justice required the expulsion of man from the garden and broke the relationship between God and man. But God's love for this man and woman was so great ... that He promised to send a savior that one day would allow man to reestablish a relationship with Him again. God did not abandon man ... man abandon God. Sin contaminates the world - God provides help
Man's sin brought about never before seen death and suffering to the world. Disease and illness became part of life outside of the garden. But God's love, grace, and mercy provided man with the herb of the field for food and for medicine. As time and disease progressed (that man brought about himself), man learned how to use the natural resources that God gave him to strengthen and maintain the health of the body. The man worked in the dirt for food, medicine, and for shelter. The woman gave birth to new humans in pain and in blood. God becomes flesh - just to die for us
Since life is in the blood God required constant animal sacrifices to cover the ongoing sins of man. One day God kept His promise. God sent His one and only begotten Son into the world to be the one, the only, and the final sacrifice for man's sin. God's Son is Jesus Christ. Jesus voluntarily suffered, shed His blood, and died on a Roman cross for us. Jesus gave up everything ... including His own life. Jesus' sacrifice satisfied God's requirement for the cost of sin. Jesus took our place and paid the ransom required to free us from the stain of sin. When we are covered by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) ... God no longer sees our dirty rags ... He only sees the beauty and perfection of His Son. When our sins are covered by Jesus ... that wonderful Father and child relationship with God can be re-established again. This is the Good News ... this is the Gospel! It is simple, free, true, and available to you RIGHT NOW. Historical fact - get spiritually healthy
It is a historical fact that Jesus lived, taught, performed miracles, died, and rose from the dead here on this earth. Remember that God did not create or want the fake love of robots. To get your sins covered ... you must of your own free will ... accept and receive the free gift that Jesus poured out for you on that cross so long ago. Once you do that ... you are eternally secure in Him and spiritually healthy. This is the first and most important step to true joy, wholeness, and health. To be spiritually healthy is to be eternally secure. And with that security begins the process of emotional health and physical well-being. Remember ... we are all going to die one day. Your spirit and soul cannot be destroyed ... these attributes are eternal. The condition (heaven or hell) of your eternal life after death is based on your relationship with God upon your physical death ... after that ... it is too late. The Way, the Truth, and the Life
Deep down ... you know all of this is true. Do you know why? Because God created in you an empty vacuum that only He can fill. Money won't fill it ... sex won't satisfy it ... and your own self-righteous and religious traditions and procedures are pitiful attempts compared to what Jesus is and did. God wants you as you currently are ... dirty, sinful, and imperfect. Do not wait until you are "religious" or "perfect" ... you will wait forever because you are lost without God's intervention. God hates religion because it is man's attempt at being his own lord and savior. Let go ... and let God. God is searching for you. God wants a loving and close RELATIONSHIP with you. Listen to God's Word ... and the Truth will set you free. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) |
