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SOUL DANCE (excerpt): IF

by Tonja Taylor
8/08/2024 / Salvation

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.

So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. - I John 1:5-10, NLT (emphasis of if mine)

Wow. That little two-letter word "if" makes all the difference!

God is the Spirit of Freedom, and He is a Gentleman.

He is Love (I John 4:8). He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in Love.

He is also holy--clean; santified; pure; set apart.

He gave Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice to pay for all our sins by shedding His pure blood on the cross, because we could never be right with the LORD, Who is holy.

The blood of Christ Jesus is the only thing that can make us holy; not doing good works, nor abstaining from wrong ones.

God never sends anyone to hell. Hell was created for the devil (who used to be Lucifer and was holy, before he rebelled against God and decided to do his own thing) and the fallen angels who wrongly (and eternally!) thought that if they followed the one against God, they could do what they wanted and win.

Wrong! So very very wrong!

So to get back at God, the enemy could only hurt God's creation, and especially try to turn us people against God, by deceiving and destroying. He deceived Eve and Adam followed, and plunged all mankind forever into the sin nature of the devil, because they listened to the "if" of the enemy, where he said, in so many words, that if they eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil--which is the only tree the LORD told them not to eat from!--then they would be like God, knowing good from evil.

First, they were already like God, made in His image and likeness--but God never wanted them to have to experience evil!

We all like to have choices, for it is a great empowerment. The LORD gives us the freedom to choose--Christ Jesus and Heaven, or death, torment, and hell.

If we choose to submit to Him; if we choose to go His way, and obey His commands (and His commands are not greivous, nor hard. He is a good, good Father (He becomes our Father once we receive Christ Jesus His Son as our Savior and LORD, that is, and repent of our sins, and allow Christ's blood to cleanse us from all wrong, and cover us, so we can be acceptable to the holy Father God!)

But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” - Joshua 24:15, NLT

But the LORD God, Who is so merciful, loving, and gracious, and Whose understanding no man can fathom, has a much bigger and better "If":

Jeremiah replied, “You won't be handed over to them if you choose to obey the LORD. Your life will be spared, and all will go well for you. - Jeremiah 38:20, NLT

And that was from the Old Testament!

In the New Testament (given to us when Jesus died on the cross to pay for all our sins, because we could never pay enough to be forgiven and get into Heaven, and then rose again to be with us forever as the Spirit of God, when we repent and receive Him!), Christ Jesus, the LORD, give us the ultimate "IF":

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. - Revelation 3:20, NLT

Friend, there's no "if" about it right now! Right now, you are hearing the Voice of God; the Spirit of God is drawing you to Himself! He is the Truth (John 14:6)!

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. - John 14:6, NLT

He loves you! He created you, knows every thought and word and detail otherwise about your life. He has a wonderful Zoe Life for you, and He is wooing you right now to Himself. He wants to be your Savior, LORD, Best Friend Forever, Protector, Provider, Spirit Guide, Comforter, Peace, Joy, Victory, Freedom, Satisfaction, and More!

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. - John 10:10, NLT

If you are wise, you will choose The One, The LORD Jesus Christ, the only One Who can truly save and help you from this dark, horrible, angry, crazy world--and give you a life so much better than you've dreamed!

What are you waiting for? Tell Jesus you are sorry for sinning against Him, that you want Him to cleanse and save you, and He will! It is that simple!

You'll never regret it! You have nothing (but hell!!!) to lose, and everything (including Heaven!) to gain!

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. - Romans 5:6-11, NLT

Through books, courses, presentations, service, prayer, worship, and more, Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. Her series for girls, P.O.W.E.R. GIRL ADVENTURES, is now out (books I-V), along with LEGACY; YOUR HOLY HEALTH: VISIONS OF THE KING, and more. See the "River Rain Creative" YT channel.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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