1. Our children (and all of us) are sinners.
" Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." Psalm 51:5
2. There is more going on than what we see. We are in a battle against spiritual forces of evil.
"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood , but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:11 & 12
I felt this soooooo strongly this week as I seemed to have a 3 day show down with one of my children. During one of the countless battles of this week, this PRECIOUS child of mine said to me, " I DON'T LIKE GOD! I DON'T LIKE JESUS!....................................WELL, MAYBE I LIKE JESUS, BUT I DON'T LIKE GOD!" After assuring this "gift" given to me that they may not like God/Jesus but He sure likes them, I threw in there that you can't like one and not the other because Jesus is God.
In this world that seems to accept God but often not Jesus, let me remind us of what Scripture teaches:
*"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well." 1 John 5: 1
* " Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
1 John 5:10-12
* "No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also."
1 John 2:23
* "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me." John 8:42
* "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." Hebrews 1:3
Do you see? According to Scripture, you can't love God and not Jesus and you can't love Jesus and not God. If you love one you love the other. You can claim to love God but:
"If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God...you are doing the things your own father does." We are not illegitimate children," they protested. 'The only Father we have is God himself." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me.." John 8:39-42
"My Father, whom you CLAIM s your God, is the one who glorifies me.' John 8:54
As we journey in our search for truth, and encounter all kinds of beliefs out there, may we know /remember this...Scripture teaches that God and Jesus go together. You cannot seperate them. There is only one God and Jesus is the way to him.
"I am the way, the truth, the life, no one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy
p.s. I am happy to say, I finally had a beak through with this Precious child, their heart has been changed and we had a WONDERFUL day yesterday. In fact, I overheard this child teach their younger sibling that "Jesus is God and you can't love one and not the other." Ahhhhhhhh.....may we persevere through whatever it is we are going through UNTIL we experience a breakthrough. The movie, "The Miracle Worker" (that I watched with my children last night) is a WONDERFUL picture/example and inspiration of this.
"I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26
