Let
us always be self-aware or self-examining regarding the goodness and allness of
God's love and power to reconcile.
For instance, in the story of the Prodigal Son - the elder brother
becomes upset when his younger brother returns to the Father's house and is
immediately celebrated and treated like royalty.
Remember
what Jesus said of the Pharisees (those who believed they had to earn salvation
through works): that they "stand at the door... they will not enter and will
not allow others to enter." Those
who have the mission and harbor the mentality of keeping others out, never
realize that they, themselves have not entered. Furthermore, the reason many "believers" become so upset
with the ideas of Ultimate Reconciliation is because they feel they are
laboring in vain or that somehow someone else will receive the same reward for
doing less work.
Be
mindful of three things here: One,
that in the Kingdom the "last will be first and the greatest will be a
servant." Also remember that those
who come in at the "eleventh hour" receive the same reward as those who labored
all day.
Two, try to realize that
those of us who have been laboring faithfully in the field for the Father have
avoided the hell that is so often the consequence of disobedience and we have
bypassed many of the painful "hog pens" of life. Most importantly, realize that we have been privileged to
enjoy the Father's presence and to experience abundant life and the Kingdom of
God here and now in this earthly lifetime.
Three, many believers adopt
an exclusive mindset because they are ignorant of what the Father has already
given to them! Consider the words of the Father to the elder brother: "My son," the father said. "You are always
with me, and everything I have is yours." (Luke 15:31 - NIV)
There
is no cause to be jealous or angry. Everything is already ours. Our mentality should be a Kingdom
mentality; that if we seek first the Kingdom of God, all of our needs will be
met, and we will be given the Kingdom in this lifetime!
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Quote of the Week  "But
seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do
not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the
kingdom."
-
Luke
12:31,32
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