relationships (Matthew 23:15) Our Only Fulfillment

(Matthew 23:15)

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

There are a lot of things in this world that lead people astray, be it money, power, fame, fun, desires of the flesh... These will consume time, energy and resources, and become a person's idol/s and god/s.  But when people realize that there's still something missing in their lives, and consider seeking more important and something bigger than themselves, they can easily fall prey to any of the many cults and religions of this world.  

One might feel fulfilled, at first, because now one's life will be filled (consumed) with all sorts of do's and don'ts and rituals.  And even if one of the religions seem close enough to Christianity, it is still not "close enough".  They are all empty, as these also consume time, energy and resources, simply because one is still trying to do things in one's own efforts and thinking.  And to what end?  What is actually being accomplished?

God created all of us with a free will, and with a soul, that can only be filled by Him.  He created us, so that He'd have children to love, with a desire that we will choose to love Him back.  The whole purpose of creating everything was because God wants to have a close relationship with each and every one of us.  But because Adam and Eve sinned, and brought sin and death into this world, we are all born into this sin nature, spiritually dead, separated from God, and slaves to sin.  

Since God is holy, He cannot have a relationship with sin.  But our loving God didn't just throw up His hands and walk away, He came to earth in flesh, to be fully man while still being fully God, to save us - to save us from death with His eternal life, to free us from the grips of sin with His forgiveness, grace and mercy, through His own death and resurrection.  Heaven belongs to God, therefore it makes sense that we can only get to heaven through Him!  Anything else would be a lie.

Since God is love, He will not force anyone to love Him back, but He will pursue us.  One of the ways God will reach out to us, is to use other believers.  He has given us "the key" (the gospel message), which we are to share with others.  Another way that God pursues us is with His Holy Spirit, who convicts the hearts of sinners (who knocks at the doors of one's heart).  Our souls will remain empty, yearning for something or someone, until we let the Lord in, to fill us completely.  Nothing else or nobody else can do this.  Only the Lord can fulfill us, complete us, and satisfy us.