August 09, 2010 Monday Message:

Jesus: "Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, not peace, but division! It is going to be father against son, mother against daughter…” from Luke 12:51-53 Strange language coming from the one hailed as the “Prince of Peace.” Let’s dig in…

There’s a catchphrase heard at some churches that I like so much I printed it out and put it on the wall in my office: “Everything will be all right in the end. If it’s not all right, it’s not the end.” And that’s the point. There will be peace that passes all understanding at the end, but along the way, our bumpy road will be flooded with controversy and division. Until the end, there will be wars and rumors of wars.

God-the-creator loves us unconditionally, so much so that He sent his only Son to cover our sins. If we repent and ask God’s forgiveness, he will grant it, and adopt us into his holy family. But God is intolerant of unrepentant disobedience. It’s God’s way or the highway, and you don’t get to like it or not like it – that’s just the way it is. Our God will not have you worshipping false gods, and he will not tolerate you following false doctrine. Realize that it’s these false gods and false doctrines that result in the bumps in the road, the controversy and division, not anything that God said or did.

God will also not tolerate the teaching of false doctrine. “Not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.” James 3:1

Therefore, worship only the one God-our-creator and live your life by following the teachings of Jesus. Then you will find fewer bumps along your journey, and less controversy and division too. Living God’s way means things will be more like the new heaven and the new earth, when God sets everything right. It’s may be God’s way or the highway, but God’s path is paved with gold!

Norton Lawellin