Musings, 7/08/08, My Reason for Writing, by John.

A person responding to one of my musings has caused me to do some serious thinking about Jesus, the Bible and salvation by grace through faith in Christ. I have no doubts about the reality or correctness of my views. For the most, they've been tried for more than 60 years without any serious changes, and my views are fairly consistent with the patriarchs.

How is it that some people can read the Bible and not believe it? I found myself in that position many, many years ago, but I grew up and my faith developed with age. How is that some people can read the Bible and not feel the Holy Spirit tugging at their heartstrings? My sensitivity to the touch of His guidance and the words He gave me developed with time also. How is it that anyone who claims to know God doesn't recognize that he is the God of real love, the true light of the world? If He presents Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, why can't some people just receive that? Why do some try to picture our God as some sort of grotesque, hideous creature instead of the wonderful, majestic God of the Hebrew Scripture Who is bathed in His Own wonderful lovely light?

I don't write this blog for personal pleasure or for any expectation of personal gain. I write it because God called me early in 1947 to preach the Gospel, and the Good News about Jesus is truly like a "fire in my bones." I have to speak them out! No choice! I understand what the Lord said in Jeremiah 23:29 "'Is not my word like a fire,' declares the Lord, 'and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?'" Having been called, I have no right to stop! God told Isaiah when he asked how long he should preach, (Isaiah 6:11) "Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken." The point was not until the job is finished, and it is not, and will not be finished before I go to meet the Lord.
There's a third reason for my writing. The love of Jesus makes it necessary. I'm not sure how much I loved people when God called me, but the first gift of the Holy Spirit to a believer is godly love. Galatians 5:22,23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." I love all of God's children now, and I love all who should be God's children but aren't yet.
I Corinthians 9:19 says, "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible." I don't put myself in the same category as Paul the apostle, but I am striving to fulfill his desire where people are concerned.