The Love of God

 

We have seen many incredible stories thus far that can only be explained through the power and work of God.  Sometimes in the States, I am slow and reluctant to share my faith in Christ Jesus.  There are no excuses for this, but when we come on a mission trip for the very purpose of sharing about the love of God, we must be prayerful and diligent in this discipline of sharing.  I am trying to do some reading on the trip, and this reading has caused some serious conviction and excitement in my heart.  The book is by Tim Keller called The Reason for God.  As I read through this book and read God's word, I begin to wonder and ask why there are so many that either reject or do not even consider God's love.  Is it because we are too busy with other things, is it because we have rationalized that we just do not have time for the things that we cannot touch, taste, see, smell, or feel?  A guy named Bart Ehrman, a professor at University of North Carolina, has written several books arguing that the Bible cannot be trusted and it is fallible.  I have listened to some of his lectures, and he begins by asking the question, "How many of you have read the Bible?"  The response is usually very few, and then he ask this question, "If God wrote a book, don't you think that we would want to read it and want to know what he had to say?" 

I would ask myself and others, if we do not open the Bible and read it, how will we be able to discern for ourselves and make an informed decision on whether or not God wrote this book.  The historical evidence is overwhelming that Jesus was a real man who walked on this earth and claimed to be the Son of God.  He also said things like, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one gets to the Father but through me." He says things like, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send me into the world to condemn the world, but to save it."  We see Jesus teaching these things which were a treat to those religious people, those Pharisee and chief priest in the temple.  Their power and position was being threatened by this one who claimed to be God.  Even to the point where they devised a plan to kill him.  Jesus' followers did not give up the mission, they moved forward, because they saw that this was truly the Son of God.  Many of them were killed including John the Baptist and Peter.  One of the things Jesus also said was that he desired to gather people up like a hen gathers its chicks, but we are not willing. 
 

Bart Ehrman makes a claim that if God wrote a book, don't you think we would read it.  Maybe we would not read it.  Maybe we all are running away from the one true God, because he gets in the way of our passion, possession, position, and power.  Do Christians ever doubt God? Absolutely!  There is a never ending spiritual battle that is taking place until the return of Jesus Christ.  When I read the Bible and then when I obey what Jesus told me to do, it brings incredible blessing in my life and the lives of others.  We have seen many here that have stopped running away from God.  We hope to share those stories with you in some coming post.
 

I hope you will join me in considering what Christ has done.  The Bible says that "there is no greater love than this that a man would lay down his life for his friends."  There is such a divide in the States between those that believe and those that are skeptics.  God has given us free will to believe what we want to believe.  He uses his church to spread this Good News about his love for us, and we have a choice to receive it and to follow it.  God would not force his love on us no more than a man should force his love on a woman who does not love him back.  He desires that we follow him, but we must be willing.  I know one thing for sure, if all the Bible is true, then what Jesus said is true and he is the Son of God, then I want to know him and spend my life living for him.  The Bible says that one day Jesus will return to take his bride the Church, those that have heard this message and been willing to believe and follow.  There will be many who will be surprised by this, and there will be others with great joy who have been longing for this day, the day of the return of our Savior and Lord.
 

We landed on Saturday, and we have seen 223 people place their faith in this love that God has for them.  We will share some of these God sized stories in coming post.

 

 

David and I took a quick picture one night before the festival at the park began.

Look at the vegetation on the hillside! God's creation is so beautiful!

Our entire Faith Baptist Church team, all 15 of us, out for dinner one night.

I snapped this picture from a bus window. I was trying to get a picture of the
mountains on the horizon.