No, it doesn't have to be that we just want to be part of a winning team. It could be that we want to do the right thing ...provided we would know what that would be.

We can be excited about good things happening ...but, not to take anything away from that (and certainly we should aim at good things), yet the big picture often requires us to experience a bit of 'not so good'.  This is not just to provide perspective ...it is just abundantly clear (at least it should be) that God knows more than we do.

It is very dangerous if we feel we can reach a level of intellect where we feel there is no direct link to God, or no God at all.  

(https://thecowerofbabble.blogspot.com/)

Jesus made our link to God more than just a traditional or cultural hope ...truly, Jesus made it possible for us to have a future reality of life with Him.

Jesus has provided a place for us ...yet, we also need to know our place.  We need to know and trust that we have a future place, yet we also need to know our place here on earth.

We all have positions, places, and purposes.  The last Chapter of the Gospel According to John, tells of an event of discussion ...Peter turning around, and seeing one of the other disciples, he asked Jesus, "Lord, what shall this man do?"

I had a friend who was going to therapy sessions ...and before I tell of the example, I must also say that sometimes excitement and enthusiasm causes us to often lack in judgment.  Yes, we all make mistakes ...and if we say we don't, it would be difficult to convince others that we still have a pulse.

My friend shared with me something that perhaps should not have been shared with him.  It was shared because we do feel we want to share in things that others have experienced during the times we feel were among the most spectacular of spiritual moments.  The mother of Zebedee's children (I wish she had her own name) was given a very interesting response from Jesus. And part of what I got from that is that we often want the good (and that is not a bad thing) without full view of all the surrounding considerations.  Some people go so far as to even wish they could literally move mountains without the vision of what the resulting effect would be from where that mountain would be moved to.

One of the first biggest mistakes was made by one of the most highly esteemed of God's creations ...Lucifer.  Now, he is mostly referred to as Satan.  And he was not satisfied enough with his esteemed position ...he wasn't then, and he still strives to stir up evil. 

I don't know how many angels there were ...but, even a third of them must have been a staggering number. And the campaign to convince the third to go against a most loving God, must have been a terribly cruel and conniving coup.  I don't even know if his strategy was so much to go against God ...or to just build his own empire or following.

How do do those today get us to follow what they believe ...instead of believing in God??

Doubt ...questioning, not with good questions, but with what erodes our previous trust.

Get them to compromise.  Find something they value, and see if they are willing to give up something for that one coveted thing. Yet, don't let them have it until their values have been compromised in the area you want them to surrender to. 

Do not accept less than absolute commitment.  "If you want to join, and be one of us ...you have to be one with us.  You are either all in ...or you are not.  Breed doubt as one would aim at acquiring a purebred ...establishing the propagation of new way of thinking, replacing a truth with your own.  

Now you have followers ...and it is critical for them to get involved.  The more they act, the more they are going to realize they are in this as much as the next guy.

In the Garden of Eden, the serpent questioned the truth of what had been accepted ...and implied deceitfulness on the part of God, also implying motive for why something was withheld. 

Even with Jesus, Satan tried to bargain ...but for more than just a compromise.  Satan wanted to be free to rule.  Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world.

Now, doesn't that give a disturbing truth about how the kingdoms of the world are being run?? Even the ones who hold to believing the truths of God ...are not holy, nor wholly committed to what they often profess to be committed to.

There are many people who believe a wide range of different things.  It would be good for some of them to doubt what they presently believe.  Truth is so evasive for those who believe absolute truth does not exist ...or that it cannot be known.

And often society paints an ugly picture of those who claim sin exists.  They don't like the word ...sin.  Yet, sin admits that though we all have compromised ...we can work to surrender those things that do us no good.  Commitment in this case is not a manipulation, nor is it a tool to twist the truth ...but, it instead draws us to more truth and from the consequences of sin.  Commitment is something that benefits each and every one of us ...that is, if we seek a world where all can benefit.

That seemed like the right way to follow ...so, I have chosen to follow Jesus.

And I would never want to steer you on the wrong path.  I want you to benefit from all the same promises I believe in.


(   http://whosoevershallnotperish.blogspot.com/   )

(   http://moralemoralsandmorels.blogspot.com/    )

(   http://whatdowewanttobelieve.blogspot.com/     )

(   http://whodecideswhatisrightandwrong.blogspot.com/   )