Chapter 6 ~ Rescued By Faith

This one is a little long, please, for my sake if nothing else, hear this one out. Leave if you need to read it a little at a time....

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What were you doing on 9/11?

What goes through your mind when you read of another shooting?

Do you think a particular segment of our population should be eliminated? Maybe the Muslims?

Or when a group like "Black Lives Matter" get more headlines than the officers who have been traumatized?

I ask these questions because we here in the land of the free have very little persecution. Now you may want to argue with me, but the only reason you may argue is because, unlike the most of the history of Christianity, we have a majority.

Again, with all the social changes we have seen, you may argue with me. But think about this, even with the liberal thinking that has prevailed in our culture and in our faith communities, isn't it interesting that Americans still consider themselves "Christian".

In most times throughout history, the believers were minorities. Look at the history of Israel itself. In many of the days of the prophets, those whose lives had been blessed with "milk and honey", God said, "they will turn away." (Deuteronomy ch. 8, ch. 31)The whole book of Judges is a testament to the unbelievable fickle faith of God's chosen people.

Without sounding too negative, I want you to think about it, EVERY New Testament letter written by Paul was to address misguided believers and those who were often leading them astray. Jesus hadn't been gone but a few years and they had already went back to "religion".

Why all this when we're talking about Grace?

Please read on, some of you will remember this story (some parts I removed from the last time I shared it)...

"Have you ever looked a man in the eye and killed him?"

It was an eye opening question that seemed to come out of the blue at my breakfast that cool morning. The man sitting across from me, a WWII vet was obviously focused on a time when life's economy dealt him a difficult equation.

As a former WW2 paratrooper he was part of what history calls the "Bulge". During his descent into enemy territory he sustained a shrapnel wound. He lay in a fox hole for a little over 23 hours before medical help was able to find him.

In light of Andy's words, this question came to mind, what did God think about the Nazi's? Now, don't get too distracted by that question, nor the next one, what does God think about the Muslims?

Is it God's grace when a group of people are able to take control of a place where innocent people suffer? I think it can be. Again, don't rush the thought. I refer to the passage on Pg. 80 "The sin of the Amorites has not yet reached it's full measure" (Genesis 15:16).

In this statement I'm not trying to justify bad, but if bad is what Grace is for, then why wouldn't it be sensible to think that God is, as scripture says, "...not slow in keeping his word, as he seems to some, but he is waiting in mercy for you, not desiring the destruction of any, but that all may be turned from their evil ways." (2 Peter 3:9 Bible in Basic English)

I have to say, when God is gracious to the evil, he is gracious to me! I was once evil. (Romans 5:8)

I still have a struggle with sin and it's effects today.

As a people pleasing, "salesman" personality, I fight the good fight against offending, sometimes to my dismay.

How about you? Isn't it wonderful that God saw you as you were and still gave you time to see his love in the light of grace?

I know it was wonderful for the gentleman from WW2, he wandered for 42 years, leaving home at the age of 14 because of a disagreement with his father over the behavior of his step-mother. He wandered around allowing alcohol to control his life, went into the armed services at 18, went AWOL 2 or 3 times until he was later discharged as undesirable. They took away his awards from his service time in WW2 because of an attempted murder charge.

His first wife threatened to steal his child from him if he didn't meet all her demands. Then after a power struggle over relational conflicts, she divorced him anyway. He didn't see his child, a daughter, until she was in her teens.

He married a second lady whom he had 2 children with. Since there were big enough to drink a cup of fluid on their own, he allowed his 2 children to "have a drink" of his booze from time to time, especially as part of the holiday season. One of them has struggled on and off with alcohol his entire life. The other is a people pleasing person who, to this day, still has issues with acceptance and insecurity. All part of being an alcoholic family.

At age 56 this man whose life had been impacted by a war, a divorce, a second marriage and miscellaneous different other "adventures", got drunk and called a preacher in the middle of the night. Their conversation was to the point, and after asking him some questions, prayed with that preacher and gave his life to Christ.

In his 70's he would be given back the honor from serving his country as the US government reviewed his appeal and determined that he would be granted a renewal of his status as a veteran and changed his military dismissal status to "Honorary Discharge".

He is now in heaven and I miss him.

He was my father.

The same grace my father found, I found. It was the same grace that reached out to the German people on both sides of the political conflict. It is the same grace that reaches to the people on all sides of the struggle today.

I don't like it that evil triumphs for a little while.

I don't like it that people get hurt and derailed by sin.

Some days the fact of evil makes me have more questions than answers.

I wish that I could fix the world, but what would the world look like if my fix was in place?

I think that God's grace is a better tool, since he has the answers...

What about Chapter 6 were you "surprised" by?

What do you think of Andy's words...

~The fact is, God is both terrifying and merciful. God hated evil and he loves people. God punishes sin and he extends grace to sinners. (pg 78)

~When it comes to your labels (conservative, liberal, dem. or Rep., Baptist, Catholic, "those people", the "problem people", leaches, lazy, too rich, too pretty, not smart enough, privileged, entitled... etc.) current or past, God is slow to judge and more than willing to deliver. (pg 89)

~What do you think of Andy's prayer on Page 90... "Heavenly Father, I believe that your grace is more powerful than my label. I believe that Christ died to pay the penalty for the sin my lavel represents. I believe you are offering me a new label. Forgiven. Accepted. Loved. Today I declare that what you say about me is true. I am forgiven. I am accepted. I am loved. Teach me to live my life in accordance with who you ay I am.. Amen

If a Muslim prayed this prayer, would they be any less of the things Andy states?

If an abortionist prayed this prayer, would they be any less of the things Andy states?

If a conservative prayed this prayer, would they be any less of the things Andy states?

If a liberal prayed this prayer, would they be any less of the things Andy states?

How about a Tea Party member? Democrat? Republican?

You see, the issue is you would say "yes they are forgiven or accepted, or loved or.... BUT... once they struggled with some ideology that you think God should have "magically" removed when they committed their heart to Jesus, would you think they had not "really committed" their life to Christ?

What would you say about the alcoholic in your family who turns back to alcohol like a dog to his puke? Maybe something like "give them some time, they are only a new believer."

Did all of your "ways" magically transform once you became a Christian?

Do you have a total grasp on your unloving attitudes?

Is your anger always righteous?

Does your jealousy have the same value as God's, that it is thinking of the well being of the "Beloved"?

Do your unforgiveness issues come back around only for you to say, "but you don't know what I've been through?"

Just asking, wrong is wrong, sometime we're wrong. in every case where we limit grace, we're wrong!

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor (grace) is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning". (Psalms 30:5 NKJV)