How does God see you?

 I just read about Kathryn Kuhlman, a famous American preacher. She had amazing spiritual gifts, preaching, word of knowledge and healings.

She said the secret of her ministry was complete surrender to God. Not my will, but your will be done.
I feel I should be inspired by this, but I feel overwhelmed and intimidated.

As a new convert, I was in a church that preached complete surrender and absolute obedience, week after week, sermon after sermon. The pressure was unbearable and I had a complete nervous breakdown.

So what do you do if you know your trust in God is not at this level? The preacher tells you that if you don’t put your whole life on the altar without reservations, God will not bless you or use you.
So you feel guilty, unloved, a spiritual failure, or even condemned and afraid of God’s judgement.

So if you read testimonies of great faith heroes, and you feel discouraged rather than inspired, what do you do?

Firstly, don't compare yourself with other believers.

What if Luke compared himself with Paul? There is no record in the bible of Luke healing the sick, preaching to crowds or raising the dead.

Luke knew he did not have the same gifts as Paul. He knew he could not do everything Paul did, but he did not let that stop him doing the things that he could do. 

He researched and recorded the history of the earthly life of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke.

Secondly, ask God how He sees you right now?

Does he want you to give up something? Or maybe not. Does he want you do do something new? Or maybe not.

Does he want you to keep doing what you are doing? Or maybe not.

Does he want you to dedicate your life in a new way? Or maybe rather rest in his love and mercy just as you are.

Ask God how he sees you right now. You can be sure he will show you his love.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Rom 8:1 NIV

So now, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in his promises, we can have real peace with him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

For because of our faith, he has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be. Rom 5:1–2 The Living Bible, Paraphrased

Don't let what you can’t do stop you from doing what you can do.

Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.

And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 1 Cor 12:14–17 NIV

Following Jesus with Childlike Trust

 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)  

 Moses was the light of his generation. After forty days alone with God, Moses came down from Mount Sinai a changed man. His face shone. 

The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light ... Matthew 6:22 (ESV) 

When a woman is in love, her eyes shine. Her whole face lights up. If we love Jesus and we are living in His presence, we are like young people in love and the world can see it. This love is not based on achievement or good work. It comes from the revelation that God loves you with all His heart. 

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (ESV) 

CHILDLIKE TRUST
How does a child grow up? By experiencing his parents´ love and trusting in their guidance. 

Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. Mark 10:15

In a healthy family, the parents exercise sacrificial love and the children enjoy that love. It is in enjoying the love of God, that we shine like lights in a dark world. Nothing makes a person’s face like up like the enjoyment of loving because you know you are loved. GOD IS LOVE. 

If we focus on our own striving to keep God’s commandments, we lose the childlike enjoyment of God, which is our source of love, joy and power. 

But isn’t obedience also important? 

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. John 15:10 (NKJV) 

Disobedience is not childlike trust in a good Father. Jesus spoke about good works that draw unbelievers to His light. 

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? Matthew 25:37 (ESV) 

And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. Matthew 25:40 (ESV) 

When we heal the sick or carry a shopping basket for an old widow, kindness motivated by the love of Jesus shows the goodness of God to the world. 

The obedience that Jesus loves is not based on an obligation to a ministry. Jesus is not impressed when we strive to win approval, escape criticism or please leaders. 

And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Luke 22:25 

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Matthew 23:8-9  

Preachers who intimidate and control are trying to make people good but they destroy the childlike love, joy and faith which is the real source of Christian goodness.

Fear is the opposite of faith. The fear of man (including church leaders) actually undermines trust in God.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:18 (ESV) 

Should preachers always be soft and comforting? Jesus was not. Godly ministers lead, teach and challenge but they do not control people with guilt, duty and intimidation. 

Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 

Any ministry which is not leading you into an enjoyment of Matthew 11:28-30 is not for me and I hope not for you.
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God's Mysteries

 Are you a child of God? Are you a beloved son or daughter of the great Creator?
Or are you a lost orphan in a confusing world? Are you not sure where you will end up after you die?

God has a secret that he wants to share with you. It is well known and by no means hidden, but it is a secret because it is only revealed to those who want to love God with childlike trust.

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 1 Cor 2:9–10 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

If you respond to the sacrificial death of the Son of God is given a whole new spiritual life, with the ability to perceive and receive the spiritual gifts of God.

Does this world need saving? Environmental activists warn us that our planet is perishing. We are like children who soil our own bed.

God will restore this planet in the end.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. Rev 21:1 NIV

But God doesn't just want to restore his creation. He has a plan to save you and me, to give us an imperishable future.

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Jn 5:24 NIV

The key to God's new world is faith, but what is faith?

You may have been taught Biblical doctrines as a child, but faith is not just agreeing with facts. It is personally trusting in God and experiencing God’s presence in your life.

Father God did not send his eternal Son into this world just to start a religion.

When Jesus was 30 years old, he began to proclaim the love of the heavenly Father, but not just to preach, but to save people from impossible problems.

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 NLT

Yes, there is a devil. The cruel horrors in this world do not come from God. We have an enemy, an invisible enemy, who makes us sick, who wants to deceive us so that we blame God for our sickness.
But then sceptical thoughts arise. This is too radical, too extreme. It's too good to be true?

Where do these thoughts come from? Perhaps from the no longer Christian world, but perhaps from the religious Christian tradition, from a watered-down version of the gospel.

Are you perhaps not sure what to believe? Why don't you ask God himself? He is not deaf and not dumb.

“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.

For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Mt 7:7–8 NRSV

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jer 33:3 NIV

FINDING A REASON TO LIVE

Because of his kindness, you have been saved through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not of yourselves; it too is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8 (TLB) 

• You were separated from God but God took the initiative to restore you to a relationship with your Heavenly Father.

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba (Daddy), Father.” Romans 8:15 (NLT)

The kind of FAITH that reconciles you to God is not just religious belief. 

It is trusting God as a child loves his mother and father. 

Of course there are children who have good reason not to trust their parents but God is never an unkind, unfair or abusive father.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV) 

The Lord Jesus was with the Heavenly Father in the endless eternity before the creation of the universe. Jesus, God the Son, no less divine than the Father, looked down the centuries and saw you in need of forgiveness and restoration. 

• He knew His Father was just. 

• He knew you would mess up your life. 

• He knew you deserved judgement but He wanted to save you.

 Before the first angel saw the face of God, before the first star shone in the sky, Jesus decided to be born as a baby just like us. He decided that He would submit to a cruel execution on the cross.

• Why? So He would be punished in your place. So you could be forgiven and be fully restored to God.

Jesus trusted His Father to raise Him up from death.You can trust the Father as Jesus did.You can trust Jesus who sacrificed Himself so amazingly for you.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NLT)

• We cannot earn God’s favour. 
• We all messed up our lives in different ways. 
• None of us can claim to be good like Jesus. 
• Our sin cut us off from the presence of God but God gave His only son to give us our lives back again. 

It is a free gift and you must accept God’s loving favour as a free gift or not at all. 

Jesus paid the full price to ransom us from death, from hell and eternal despair. We cannot add any co-payment. He has done it all.

But you must do something to receive His favour. 

Supposing you inherited a fortune from your rich father. He gave you a mansion and a huge bank balance. 

How can you enter into your inheritance?

• You must to see a lawyer and take possession of the title deeds. 

• You must move into the house.
• You honour the father who gave you everything.
• You learn to look after the mansion and use it to provide shelter and hospitality for your family and for those people that God wants you to care for.
• You invest your inherited money to be a blessing. You invest your life in the Kingdom of God.

Jesus taught the parable of the Talents. 

The master gave his servants wealth to invest and went away. Two servants invested wisely and doubled their money but a third servant buried his money and gave it back to the master when he returned. 

• He was like the passive believer who tried to use his faith as a ticket to heaven but did nothing with the gifts of God.

Jesus sternly warned people who passively use salvation as fire insurance.

So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

• For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 

And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness....Matthew 25:28-30 (ESV) 

Jesus AND also Paul taught:

REPENT and believe ....

Dare to believe and invest your whole life for Jesus.

He died for you but also for millions of others.