Judgement, Liberty and the Love of God

We must never forget that salvation is God's idea, not man's. therefore, it has immeasurable depth. Salvation is not an experience. Experience is simply the door through which salvation comes into the conscious level of our life so that we are aware of what has taken place on a much deeper level. The Dedicated Man does not preach the experience - he preaches the great thought of God behind the experience.

The Dedicated Man will never come to you with the demand - "Believe this and that:' he will demand that you align your life with the standards of Jesus. We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One whom the Bible reveals (John 5:39-40). We are called to present liberty for the conscience of others, not to bring them to liberty for their thoughts and opinions.

The Dedicated man always measures his life solely by the standards of Jesus. It takes God a long time to get us to stop thinking that unless everyone sees things exactly as we do, they must be wrong. Don't get impatient with others. Remember how God dealt with you - with patience and gentleness. But never water down the truth of God. Let it have its way and never apologize for it. Jesus said, "Go . . .and make disciples . . ." Matthew 28:19, not, "make converts" to our own thoughts and opinions.

Have a blessed and sacred week.

Shalom!