relationships (Jeremiah 7:1-34) Avoiding Derangement Syndrome

(Jeremiah 7:1-34)  

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “Stand at the gate of the Lord’s house and proclaim there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah, who enter by these gates to worship the Lord!’” 3 This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you live in this place. 4 Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’ 5 For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a person and his neighbor, 6 if you do not oppress the stranger, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor follow other gods to your own ruin, 7 then I will let you live in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.

8 “Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail. 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, offer sacrifices to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known, 10 then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are saved!’—so that you may do all these abominations? 11 Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I Myself have seen it,” declares the Lord.

2 “But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I made My name dwell at the beginning, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. 13 And now, because you have done all these things,” declares the Lord, “and I spoke to you, speaking again and again, but you did not listen, and I called you but you did not answer, 14 therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to the place which I gave you and your fathers, just as I did to Shiloh. 15 I will hurl you out of My sight, just as I have hurled out all your brothers, all the descendants of Ephraim.

16 “As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not plead with Me; for I am not listening to you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make sacrificial cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to provoke Me to anger. 19 Are they provoking Me?” declares the Lord. “Is it not themselves instead, to their own shame?” 20 Therefore this is what the Lord God says: “Behold, My anger and My wrath will be poured out on this place, on human and animal life, and on the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and not be quenched.”

21 This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat flesh. 22 For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. 23 But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you shall walk entirely in the way which I command you, so that it may go well for you.’ 24 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked by their own advice and in the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and they went backward and not forward. 25 Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets, sending them daily, again and again. 26 Yet they did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck; they did more evil than their fathers.

27 “So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you; and you shall call to them, but they will not answer you. 28 And you shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God or accept discipline; trustworthiness has perished and has been eliminated from their mouth.

29 Cut off your hair and throw it away,
     And take up a song of mourning on the bare heights;
     For the Lord has rejected and forsaken 
     The generation of His wrath.’

30 For the sons of Judah have done that which is evil in My sight,” declares the Lord. “They have put their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it. 31 They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of Ben-hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, and it did not come into My mind.

32 “Therefore, behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when it will no longer be called Topheth, or the Valley of Ben-hinnom, but the Valley of the Slaughter; for they will bury in Topheth because there is no other place. 33 The dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the sky and for the animals of the earth; and no one will frighten them away. 34 Then I will eliminate from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride; for the land will become a site of ruins.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

The Lord wants us to walk entirely in His way, which is in the opposite direction that the world walks.  God's love, itself, is different from any worldly love, because it is selfless, sacrificial and unconditional.  God, Himself, came in flesh to suffer and die for our sins, to take on all the punishment that was meant for us, and rose again to have victory over death, so that in Him, we can have eternal life.  Salvation in Jesus is retroactive to all believers who lived before the time that He went to the cross.  Salvation is all about faith, the condition of one's heart, and having a personal relationship with the Lord.  (Romans 4:3)

Because Jesus died for all sin, most certainly, no one ever has to sacrifice their children, or anyone, or anything in attempts to save themselves.  There isn't any way in which any of us can work our way up to heaven.  If anyone says there is, these are all just lies that people invent and are inspired by Satan, to mock and distort the beautiful and amazing things that God has created, ordained and done for us.  These are lies to keep us away from having a close, personal relationship with the Lord, and fully trusting in Him.  

Satan, and all things related to him and his realm, is born out of hate and sin, while God is love and righteousness.  Satan doesn't care about anyone, and is not interested in fostering any sort of meaningful friendship, it is all about hating God and hating those who love God.  It totally is God-derangement-syndrome!!!  

Meanwhile, God desires that all come to know Him and trust in Him.  In salvation, He adopts us, and He is our perfect, heavenly Father who wants to do everything for us, and guide us into a better way.  In verse 23, the Lord says that when we walk ENTIRELY in the way which He commands, it will go well for us.  

A person cannot pretend to be a Christian, then do as they please, thinking that they are saved and protected from punishment.  God is not a fool.  He sees everything and knows everything.  And even if one prays, if one has not repented of their sins and doesn't have any remorse, God will choose not to hear.  As for believers, while we cannot lose our salvation, unconfessed sin will still impede our prayers, as well as distort how see view our relationship with the Lord.

Living in God's will is to enter the gates of the Lord's salvation.  Wanting to know Him personally, we will want to listen, hear and worship Him and only Him.  We will want to amend (change) our ways, to live a righteous life in the Lord's strength and guidance.  When we do things God's way, He sorts things out for us, and we will experience spiritual peace, joy and gladness!

relationships (Jeremiah 6:1-30) Misleading Shame and Anger

(Jeremiah 6:1-30)

1   “Flee to safety, you sons of Benjamin,
     From the midst of Jerusalem!
     Blow a trumpet in Tekoa 
     And raise a warning signal over Beth-haccerem;
     For evil looks down from the north,
     Along with a great destruction.
2   The beautiful and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, I will destroy.
3   Shepherds and their flocks will come to her,
     They will pitch their tents around her,
     They will pasture, each in his place.
4   ‘Prepare for war against her;
     Arise, and let’s attack at noon.
     Woe to us, for the day declines,
     For the shadows of the evening lengthen!
5   Arise, and let’s attack by night 
     And destroy her palaces!’”
6   For this is what the Lord of armies says:
     “Cut down her trees 
     And pile up an assault ramp against Jerusalem.
     This is the city to be punished,
     In whose midst there is only oppression.
7   As a well keeps its waters fresh,
     So she keeps fresh her wickedness.
     Violence and destruction are heard in her;
     Sickness and wounds are constantly before Me.
8   Be warned, Jerusalem,
     Or I shall be alienated from you,
     And make you a desolation,
     An uninhabited land.”

9   This is what the Lord of armies says:
     “They will thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like the vine;
     Pass your hand over the branches again 
     Like a grape gatherer.”
10 To whom shall I speak and give warning,
     That they may hear?
     Behold, their ears are closed 
     And they cannot listen.
     Behold, the word of the Lord has become for them a rebuke;
     They take no delight in it.
11 But I am full of the wrath of the Lord;
     I am weary of holding it in.
     “Pour it out on the children in the street 
     And on the gathering of young men together;
     For both husband and wife shall be taken,
     The old and the very old.
12 Their houses shall be turned over to others,
     Their fields and their wives together;
     For I will stretch out My hand 
     Against the inhabitants of the land,” declares the Lord.
13 “For from the least of them to the greatest of them,
     Everyone is greedy for gain,
     And from the prophet to the priest 
     Everyone deals falsely.
14 They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially,
     Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
     But there is no peace.
15 Were they ashamed because of the abomination they had done?
     They were not ashamed at all,
     Nor did they know even how to be ashamed.
     Therefore they will fall among those who fall;
     At the time that I punish them,
     They will collapse,” says the Lord.

16 This is what the Lord says:
     “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,
     Where the good way is, and walk in it;
     Then you will find a resting place for your souls.
     But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 And I set watchmen over you, saying,
     ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
     But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
18 Therefore hear, you nations,
     And know, you congregation, what is among them.
19 Hear, earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people,
     The fruit of their plans,
     Because they have not listened to My words,
     And as for My Law, they have rejected it also.
20 For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba,
     And the sweet cane from a distant land?
     Your burnt offerings are not acceptable 
     And your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me.”
21 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
     “Behold, I am placing stumbling blocks before this people.
     And they will stumble against them,
     Fathers and sons together;
     Neighbor and friend will perish.”

22 This is what the Lord says:
     “Behold, there is a people coming from the north land,
     And a great nation will be stirred up from the remote parts of the earth.
23 They seize bow and spear;
     They are cruel and have no mercy;
     Their voice roars like the sea,
     And they ride on horses,
     Lined up as a man for the battle 
     Against you, daughter of Zion!”
24 We have heard the report of it;
     Our hands are limp.
     Anguish has seized us,
     Pain like that of a woman in childbirth.
25 Do not go out into the field,
     And do not walk on the road;
     For the enemy has a sword,
     Terror is on every side.
26 Daughter of my people, put on sackcloth 
     And roll in ashes;
     Mourn as for an only son,
     A most bitter mourning.
     For suddenly the destroyer 
     Will come against us.

27 “I have made you an assayer and an examiner among My people,
     So that you may know and put their way to the test.”
28 All of them are stubbornly rebellious,
     Going about as a slanderer;
     They are bronze and iron.
     They are, all of them, corrupt.
29 The bellows blow fiercely,
     The lead is consumed by the fire;
     In vain the refining goes on,
     But the wicked are not separated.
30 They call them rejected silver,
     Because the Lord has rejected them.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

I grew up in a town that was considered Christian.  It was and still is a great place for couples to raise families.  Even unbelievers can see the value and benefits in being surrounded by moral people.  But where the outreach is strong, so is the spiritual warfare!  And with one's own sinful, selfish, self-centered nature, it's very easy for people to start resenting this kind of culture.  

I remember how many kids and young adults became very embarrassed at our town's reputation, and began to see moral integrity as being the bars of a prison.  They became more and more angry, resentful and rebellious.  In fact, so much so, that the kids of our town gained a reputation of behaving more badly than city kids!  While they were greatly ashamed of the gospel message and very angry at God, they had no shame in their debauched pursuits.  They were actually proud about how bad they were!

One year, there was a house fire where many kids were partying and doing drugs.  Two young men died.  Most of those who were there, and most of those who knew the two men, while sad that they were gone, decided that these guys would have wanted them to carry on partying, so they were going to party harder in their honor.  But there were a few who saw the futility in this lifestyle and began to question life and purpose... and I know of at least two men who became Christians because of this experience.

Putting one's faith in the Lord sets us free from our sins.  And moral integrity and God's instructions are not prison bars!  They are there to help us all get along, and most importantly, help us to have a closer relationship with the Lord, because this is what it is all about.

God never causes pain and suffering, but He allows it to happen, so consider pain and suffering as a way for God to get our attention.  Even as believers, anytime we go through struggles, if we haven't strayed from Him, consider all of these as tests and trials which God uses to refine us and make us stronger.  The key to all of this is to always put our attention on the Lord and depend on Him.  

The world is cruel without mercy, but the Lord has mercy for those who seek His forgiveness and salvation.  Then when we trust in Him to guide and help us, we can rest in the Lord... which is to wait on Him to sort things out for us.  As verse 16 says, walking in God's will is to find a resting place.  While the world hates and mocks us, we do not have to be ashamed of the Lord, for He is truth and righteousness, and He already has the victory!  And we never have to be angry at God, because He wants the best for us, and He is fair and just and knows exactly what He is doing!

relationships (Jeremiah 5:1-31) A Much Better Way

(Jeremiah 5:1-31)

1   “Roam about through the streets of Jerusalem,
     And look and take notice.
     And seek in her public squares,
     If you can find a person,
     If there is one who does justice, who seeks honesty,
     Then I will forgive her.
2   And although they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’
     Certainly they swear falsely.”
3   Lord, do Your eyes not look for honesty?
     You have struck them,
     But they did not weaken;
     You have consumed them,
     But they refused to accept discipline.
     They have made their faces harder than rock;
     They have refused to repent.

4   Then I said, “They are only the poor,
     They are foolish;
     For they do not know the way of the Lord
     Or the judgment of their God.
5   I will go to the great 
     And speak to them,
     For they know the way of the Lord 
     And the judgment of their God.”
     But together they too have broken the yoke 
     And burst the restraints.
6   Therefore a lion from the forest will kill them,
     A wolf of the deserts will destroy them,
     A leopard is watching their cities.
     Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces,
     Because their wrongdoings are many,
     Their apostasies are numerous.

7   “Why should I forgive you?
     Your sons have forsaken Me
     And sworn by those who are not gods.
     When I had fed them to the full,
     They committed adultery 
     And stayed at the prostitute’s house.
8   They were well-fed lusty horses,
     Each one neighing at his neighbor’s wife.
9   Shall I not punish them for these things?” declares the Lord,
     “And shall I not avenge Myself 
     On a nation such as this?

10 “Go up through her vine rows and destroy,
     But do not execute a complete destruction;
     Strip away her branches, 
     For they are not the Lord’s.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah 
     Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” declares the Lord.
12 They have lied about the Lord 
     And said, “Not He;
     Misfortune will not come upon us,
     Nor will we see sword or famine.
13 The prophets are as wind,
     And the word is not in them.
     So it will be done to them!”

14 Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of armies says:
     “Because you have spoken this word,
     Behold, I am making My words fire in your mouth,
     And this people wood, and it will consume them.
15 Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from far away, you house of Israel,” declares the Lord.
     “It is an enduring nation,
     It is an ancient nation,
     A nation whose language you do not know,
     Nor can you understand what they say.
16 Their quiver is like an open grave,
     All of them are warriors.
17 They will devour your harvest and your food;
     They will devour your sons and your daughters;
     They will devour your flocks and your herds;
     They will devour your vines and your fig trees;
     They will demolish your fortified cities, in which you trust, with the sword.

18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not make a complete destruction of you. 19 And it shall come about when they say, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Just as you have abandoned Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’

20 “Declare this in the house of Jacob 
     And proclaim it in Judah, saying,
21 ‘Now hear this, you foolish and senseless people,
     Who have eyes but do not see,
     Who have ears but do not hear.
22 Do you not fear Me?’ declares the Lord.
     ‘Do you not tremble in My presence?
     For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea,
     An eternal limit, and it will not cross over it.
     Though the waves toss, they cannot prevail;
     Though they roar, they will not cross over it.
23 But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart;
     They have turned aside and departed.
24 They do not say in their heart,
     “Let us now fear the Lord our God,
     Who gives rain in its season,
     Both the autumn rain and the spring rain,
     Who keeps for us 
     The appointed weeks of the harvest.”
25 Your wrongdoings have turned these away,
     And your sins have kept good away from you.
26 For wicked people are found among My people,
     They watch like fowlers lying in wait;
     They set a trap,
     They catch people.
27 Like a cage full of birds,
     So their houses are full of deceit;
     Therefore they have become great and rich.
28 They are fat, they are sleek,
     They also excel in deeds of wickedness;
     They do not plead the cause,
     The cause of the orphan, so that they may be successful;
     And they do not defend the rights of the poor.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things?’ declares the Lord,
     ‘Or shall I not avenge Myself 
     On a nation such as this?’

30 “An appalling and horrible thing 
     Has happened in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy falsely,
     And the priests rule on their own authority;
     And My people love it this way!
     But what will you do when the end comes?

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Ignorance is not a defense for being a sinner and rejecting the Lord's way.  God will judge and punish the unbelievers for every wicked deed they have done.  But if we repent and turn to Him to accept the free gift of salvation and forgiveness of sins, then God will judge and reward us for the good deeds we have done with right motives.  

So the question we have to answer is:  what or who do we love and serve?  Sin and having our own way - or - the Lord Jesus Christ who died in order to pay the price for all sin and have victory over death so that He can lead us in His way towards a life of peace, joy, blessings and eternal life?

In this, we have to know that what we say and do doesn't save us, it is only the Lord who can save us.  And it is not saying and doing what we think is right in our own eyes, but saying and doing what is right in the Lord's eyes.  These things are clearly written out in His word for us to read and understand.  There is a big difference!

Some of these instructions include: 

- not being involved in promiscuity, which is to not lust or have any sex outside of marriage

- not being selfish, cheating or stealing, which is to not take advantage of people, but to help those in need

- not being involved with illegal activities, which is to uphold the law, to manage criminal behavior with swift justice, and protect the innocent, especially regarding the vulnerable, like the poor and the orphans

- not manipulating, lying, deceiving, or swearing falsely, meaning to use God's name when you are not sincerely talking about Him or talking to Him

- not being prideful, meaning to fear the Lord, respecting all that He says and does

- not trusting the Lord by worshiping other people or things, which is to stray away from our personal relationship with the Lord and not putting Him first in our lives

While this looks like a list of do's and don'ts, these are practical guidelines.  When we are embracing and looking to the Lord in a personal relationship, He will change us from the inside out.  As we ask and allow, He will be working for us, in us and through us.  So these things will be the evidence of our faith and trust in our heavenly Father, as we become more and more like Him.  To say and do the right things with right motives is to say and do the right things in the Lord's strength and love, and to His glory.  This will be the outpouring light to those around us, so that others might also come to know Jesus in a very personal way, for a much better way, and for a much greater purpose!

relationships (Jeremiah 4:1-31) Wanting the Best Father

(Jeremiah 4:1-31) 

“If you will return, Israel,” declares the Lord,

     “Then you should return to Me.
     And if you will put away your detestable things from My presence,
     And will not waver,
2   And if you will swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’
     In truth, in justice, and in righteousness;
     Then the nations will bless themselves in Him,
     And in Him they will boast.”

3   For this is what the Lord says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem:

     “Break up your uncultivated ground,
     And do not sow among thorns.
4   Circumcise yourselves to the Lord 
     And remove the foreskins of your hearts,
     Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
     Or else My wrath will spread like fire 
     And burn with no one to quench it,
     Because of the evil of your deeds.”

5   Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say,
     “Blow the trumpet in the land;
     Cry aloud and say,
     ‘Assemble, and let’s go
     Into the fortified cities.’
6   Raise a flag toward Zion!
     Take refuge, do not stand still,
     For I am bringing evil from the north,
     And great destruction.
7   A lion has gone up from his thicket,
     And a destroyer of nations has set out;
     He has gone out from his place 
     To make your land a waste.
     Your cities will be ruins,
     Without an inhabitant.
8   For this, put on sackcloth,
     Mourn and wail;
     For the fierce anger of the Lord 
     Has not turned away from us.”

9 “And it shall come about on that day,” declares the Lord, “that the heart of the king and the hearts of the leaders will fail; and the priests will tremble, and the prophets will be astonished.”

10 Then I said, “Oh, Lord God! Surely You have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You will have peace’; yet a sword touches the throat.”

11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A scorching wind from the bare heights in the wilderness, in the direction of the daughter of My people—not to winnow and not to cleanse, 12 a wind too strong for this—will come at My command; now I will also pronounce judgments against them.”

13 “Behold, he goes up like clouds,
     And his chariots like the whirlwind;
     His horses are swifter than eagles.
     Woe to us, for we are ruined!”

14 Wash your heart from evil, Jerusalem,
     So that you may be saved.
     How long will your wicked thoughts 
     Lodge within you?
15 For a voice declares from Dan,
     And proclaims wickedness from Mount Ephraim.
16 “Report it to the nations, now!
     Proclaim to Jerusalem,
     ‘Enemies are coming from a remote country,
     And they raise their voices against the cities of Judah.
17 Like watchmen of a field they are against her all around,
     Because she has rebelled against Me,’ declares the Lord.
18 Your ways and your deeds 
     Have brought these things upon you.
     This is your evil. How bitter!
     How it has touched your heart!”

19 My soul, my soul! I am in anguish! Oh, my heart!
     My heart is pounding in me;
     I cannot keep silent,
     Because, my soul, you have heard 
     The sound of the trumpet,
     The alarm of war.
20 Disaster upon disaster is proclaimed,
     For the whole land is devastated;
     Suddenly my tents are devastated,
     And my curtains in an instant.
21 How long must I see the flag 
     And hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 “For My people are foolish,
     They do not know Me;
     They are foolish children 
     And have no understanding.
     They are skillful at doing evil,
     But they do not know how to do good.”

23 I looked at the earth, and behold, it was a formless and desolate emptiness;
     And to the heavens, and they had no light.
24 I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking,
     And all the hills jolted back and forth.
25 I looked, and behold, there was no human,
     And all the birds of the sky had fled.
26 I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a wilderness,
     And all its cities were pulled down 
     Before the Lord, before His fierce anger.

27 For this is what the Lord says:
     “The whole land shall be a desolation,
     Yet I will not execute a complete destruction.
28 For this the earth will mourn,
     And the heavens above will become dark,
     Because I have spoken, I have purposed,
     And I have not changed My mind, nor will I turn from it.”
29 At the sound of the horseman and archer every city flees;
     They go into the thickets and climb among the rocks;
     Every city is abandoned,
     And no one lives in them.
30 And you, desolate one, what will you do?
     Although you dress in scarlet,
     Although you adorn yourself with jewelry of gold,
     Although you enlarge your eyes with makeup,
     In vain you make yourself beautiful.
     Your lovers despise you;
     They seek your life.
31 For I heard a voice cry as of a woman in labor,
     The anguish as of one giving birth to her first child.
     The voice of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath,
     Stretching out her hands, saying,
     “Ah, woe to me, for I faint before murderers.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

While this scripture is prophetic, and gives us information on the end times, we can see that the Lord is to be respected - and feared!  And loved, because even though He will punish those who reject Him, He loves every person, of all time, so much that He came to suffer and die for our sins!  And so when we put our faith in Him, it should be in Jesus alone.  God will know the sincerity of our hearts.  Just like circumcision is physically obvious, but very personal, so is the circumcision of our hearts, to humbly give it to the Lord to have a personal relationship with Him.  Once we are a believer, there isn't anything that can cause us to lose our salvation;  but if and when we stray from the Lord, it is us who dampens our relationship with Him.

If one's faith is "also" in one's self, and/or in another person, and/or in another god, and/or in horoscopes, etc.. then that person has to ask themself, have they actually put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?  Or have they just made it a religion with a set of do's and don'ts?  Have they actually gone to Jesus in humility, realizing that they are sinners, asking for His forgiveness, and making Him Lord, Savior and King of their life?  

And one of the biggest questions to ask oneself in this decision is, do you believe that Jesus is God, and that we can trust in Him unequivocally, and that His word (which is the Bible) is true, right and relevant?!  Because the answer to all of this is "yes", and in our walk with the Lord, He will strengthen, heal, nurture and equip us.  And as we ask and allow Him to work for us, in us and through us, He will bless us, and we will experience His peace, courage and joy.

Imagine a person who wants the blessings, but not the relationship!  They break into a home, where there is a loving and generous father, with a heart so big, that he is willing to adopt those who need and want a home and a parent.  But this person just tries to blend in, eating from their food, feeling entitled, getting angry when they can't use the car or that the father won't pay their college tuition, as well as feeling disdain for the father's actual children, accusing them that they aren't doing enough around the house... all the while completely ignoring the father.  And when they do talk to the father, it is only to ask for something.  

Meanwhile, the father knows exactly which kids are his!  Imagine being this father.  He'd be hoping that this person would decide to actually want him as a father, and be part of the family.  But it becomes more and more evident that this person never wants this, and starts to mock and disrespect the father, as well as hurt his children, and even tries to turn the children against the father...  The father's anger would be very justified, and he would have every right to throw this person out of his house!

Obviously, God knows exactly which people are His children, and who will become His children.  And God knows that as Christians, we will experience doubts, our trust will waver, we will stumble and stray.  This is why our salvation is eternally secure through His grace!  This is why when we doubt and question things, we can go to Him and ask that He help us know and understand.  And this is why, when we stray, He disciplines us, so that we can mature and grow in our trust in Him, realizing that we can depend on His strength and guidance for everything, because He does want the very best for us!