God is not mad at you!!

Here I am again. I am so completely fed up with religion. Not my relationship with Jesus, just religion. Rules, laws, self imposed unreasonable expectation, control and manipulation....religion. I can see how much it has injured people. I can see how much we injure one another! That was never His intent. God doesn't love that way. God isn't waiting on the other side of that bush with a baseball bat ready to let you have it. He really had to remind me of that again today. He has to remind me of that often. I can go there so easily. I come before Him cowering and fearful ready for a good slap down. I really think most of us can. I tend forget about my loving relationship with Him and go back to trying to "perform" to meet what I think are His expectations. I think I do that with others at times too. Both in expectation of them and of myself.

Do you want to please God? Love Him, that is all. Really. Not rocket science. In loving him your motives will be altered. In loving Him it becomes about Him, not you. You very naturally won't want to do anything that would hurt Him or cause Him disappointment. He knows that heart and that is the heart that pleases His!

Does God get disappointed with us? Yes. Is He mad at times? Yes....not at his children, but at our behavior. We can make him downright furious. Do your kids make you mad? Mine do! Do I toss them away when they anger me? No, they are my kids! I may not like what they do, but I love them.

Come boldly before the throne! Come like a child, not an enemy. Come expecting His love, grace, mercy and forgiveness!

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

If someone came before me with an attitude like, "I know you are a harsh person and not a loving individual so I really don't expect much from you, but would you get me out of this tight spot I am in?", how do you think I'd feel? How would you feel? How do you think the heart of God feels when we come to Him like that? I think He feels hurt and completely misunderstood.

God is not mad at you! He is not mad at me. He may be hurt about some of the choices we make, but understand my friend that deeply, deeply loves you.

Galatians 5
Christian Liberty 1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,[a] and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

More Than A Conqueror

Rain

Seems it never rains in Southern California

Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before

It never rains in California

But girl, don't they warn ya

It pours man it pours



I never have been a big fan of rain. I don't know if it comes from being raised mostly in a very sunny place or what. In the past I have seen rain as dark, depressing and lonely. My association with it probably comes from one of the most difficult, yet amazing times of my life, spent in the Seattle area many years ago. It was a difficult time in my life, but also one of the most intimate times I have ever experienced with God. It rained for for almost two months solid when we moved there. It was drenched outside, and it seemed a cloud hung over me while I was indoor as well. It was a dark time and a dark place but God met me there. He showed me during that time that He would never leave me and our relationship transformed into something very personal and very real. He was in my every moment and I learned that the world can be falling apart around you and you can still have all you need....in Him. I learned a deep dependence on God that I had never known before. Those years were very difficult, but they were also a very glorious time in my life.

Eventually the sun came back. I had my doubts that it would at that time, but thankfully it did. It had been dark for so long and I had learned to function in that state. When the sun appeared I staggered back into the light and struggled to adjust my vision to the bright light. I eventually got the color back in my face and the bounce back in my step. I was grateful for the sun but even more grateful for the lessons I learned in the rain. I thought maybe that might be the last time that kind of rain came into my life. I hoped so anyway. As much as I enjoyed the close fellowship with God during that time it was a period of time that I did not want to repeat. However, we do live in an imperfect world and rain will come from time to time.



I think you can look at rain one of two ways. Rain does bring darkness, but it also brings refreshment. Rain can keep you inside alone and isolated or you can choose to go outside and dance in the rain anyway. Rain can make you sleepy and you will have to rest, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. When the rain comes you will get wet, but you will get clean too!

I recently have had a time of rain in my life. This one has lasted for a good while. I can see the sun starting to peek through the clouds. Again He has met me during this time. Even if sometimes it was so stormy that it was hard to see Him I could feel His presence. I know that I will look back on this season of rain and take away from it some good things.

Matthew 5:45:45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

Heavenly Father I lift up anyone who might be reading this that is hoping the rain will go away and I ask you to meet them there and help them to embrace the truths you will bring to them during this time. Put your arms around them and bring them comfort and strength and whisper hope into their ears like you have for me. I give you Praise for the rain. In Jesus name, Amen.