Day 121 "The truth of God cannot be changed by man."

Day 121 Matthew 13:47-50 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” If this were the only passage you ever read or the only message you ever heard preached, what do you think your opinion of God would be? As we observe the world around us, we see and hear evidence of the enemy's ability to focus on the harshness of our God. I have often heard people say things like: "If your God is so loving, why did He make hell?" or "If your God is so great, why is He so mean?" and so on. I'm sure that many of you have heard similar statements as well, and I, for one, am a little tired of it. So how do we respond? First of all, we must remember that behind every deception is a negative spirit seeking to deceive. By doing so, our love for the person is allowed to show rather than our frustration with the ignorance of such statements. Secondly, we say a silent prayer and ask the Holy Spirit for the words to speak, the passages to be directed to, and favor of the Lord in this conversation. Some great passages to remember are in 1 Corinthians 13, where the description of love is given, for as we read this passage, we are literally reading about the character of our God. A second great passage is John 3:17, where we realize that Jesus did not come to condemn the world but rather to save it. And then there's John 15:13, where the greatest act of love that man could ever express by giving his own life for a friend, just as Jesus did, is described. Yes, these are only three verses of many that describe the incredible patience God has with mankind, as well as the grace and mercy He extends to all of us by giving everyone the pathway to salvation through His Son Jesus. However, for many people in this world, you will not win this discussion, for they have made up their minds. They have purposed in their hearts to bow their necks and not submit to the authority of another and, yes, they will be judged accordingly. Just a side note to remember: God did not make hell for mankind–He created it for the devil and the angels that fell with him and for those who choose in this life to, again, rebel against God. No argument man can make, no stand men choose to take, and no twisted form of the gospel we create will change the end result–mankind will be judged according to how they responded when faced with the truth. The same free will that allows us to live the life we choose is the same free will that allows us to be at peace or at torment for eternity. You and I don't need to defend it, we don't need to make it easy to swallow, what we need to do is speak the truth in love. I can remember as a young child when medicine tasted like medicine. My mom would place it in a spoon or a cup of sugar water, and while it helped for the moment, once that medicine hit my taste buds nothing could take away the truth of its taste. And so it is with our end of days–nothing can change the truth–all men will be judged–so, for those who try to make it taste good or for those who water it down, you really aren't doing people any favors. Daily Prayer: Father, please forgive me for the times I have tried to defend You rather than just speaking the truth in love. You don't need me trying to make the pill easier to swallow. I pray for the boldness and confidence to not fear men, but rather love them. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "The truth of God cannot be changed by man." Pastor Gene Burroughs