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God is not an Option

Joshua 24:15

People in Church and the world think that believing in God or giving His son Jesus true worship is an option. When we look at those iconic words Joshua said in 24:15 “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Now, when Joshua made that statement, he was making one in the face of the world you might say because we still read this today. We are still hearing his declaration to the whole world about whom he believed in without a doubt. He detached himself from the world around him, including the people whom he led across Jordan.

People in the world say that to believe in God is an option. I can have faith in Him or not have faith in Him, I can believe in Him or not believe in Him; I don’t have to because He isn’t really real anyhow. If He turns out to be true, then He is God. He is understanding, plus He’s faithful. He understands my heart, “He understands what I’m going through; He will take me into heaven still. He knows that I really love Him, even when I didn’t believe in Him.” People will defend their beliefs. People will be quick to say God is not real, but when the evidence came out that the places the Children of Isreal traveled were found, people said “I have the right to believe what I want  to believe.” God says yes you do have the right. However know this, your life is an opinion but God is not.

Hebrews 11:6

But with out faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

How can anyone please God when they don’t know Him? If you didn’t believe in Him.  How all of a sudden can you say you love Him, if you’ve not had a relationship with Him. Some might say “I kind of figured He was true; I kind of knew He was always in my heart.” Jesus said in John 20:29 “…blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” The whole point is, we have to realize that God was never false, He’s always been real. You need to search the scriptures to find Him. So having the faith that God is, and that He is a rewarded of those who diligently seek Him, you have to realize that whether you believe in Him or not, He is real. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord God.

Most people want an option. “If God turns out to be real, then I’ll worship Him, I’ll believe Him, and He’ll understand me and I will go back with Him. It is not that easy. You can’t go back with someone who does not know you. If there were several babies in one room with all their mothers, and one of the babies cries out, are all the mothers going to go to that child? No, only the mother which belongs to that child; that mother who knows the cry of her child. That is the same way with those in the world, who have no relationship with God, yet try to cry out to Him. Will He hear the cry of those who are His or those who aren’t His? Only those who are His. He won’t touch something that is not His. He will not hear the cry of a sinner to help them continue in sin, unless their cry is to deliver them from this life of sin. He reins on the just and the unjust, Matt. 5:45. He loves all  of his creation, but if He does not know you personally, then who are you calling on and you don’t believe in Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah (Christ), then again, I ask you who are you calling on for help? The false gods of this world which are demons and evil spirits.  But if you don’t believe in the real and true God then who hears you pray,  if your life is linked to this world system and philosophy which is totally against the words of God and His son Jesus (Yeshua)?

You’ve got to know who you serve. People think they have options. We’ve been given options so much in our lives, we don’t even recognize that options were started by the devil. It happened during the time of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Option A: don’t eat of the tree and be obedient to God. Option B: eat of the tree and you’ll be like God. We are taught to look for options. With God, there are no options. Either you live with Him in the Kingdom to come forever or you die in the World in sin, and can look forward to live forever in Hell. God does not give options. It is the choices we make that determine our end.

Rev 21:8

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Many people are going with option B. They will flip the script when they find out God is real.” He is ever loving, ever faithful and will accept me so I can get in”. That is not the way it’s done. You have to have a relationship with Him. This life is the training ground for living with God forever in heaven. If you can’t do what is right down here, how will you do it in heaven? God does not give options, Satan does!

1 Kings 18:21

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

We need to understand that this is our preparation for going to heaven. How can you do what you want to do, not listen to God, and think you’ll go back with God. How can you live lavishly in this world, doing drugs, drinking, crimes etc, and at the last minute finally decided to believe in Jesus when He appears? While you are allowed to see another day, let that time be spent trying to find out who He is now. Build a relationship with Him.

God does not want us to rely on options. He wants you to have life, but you can choose either life or death.

We are Who we Serve

Happy Sabbath to all! A day of rest, that is surely needed among the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. Praise and worship this morning was nice and set the tone for us to hear what God has in store for us.

“We are Who we Serve: But I invite you to abundant life” is our topic today out of Isaiah chapters 53, 54, and 55. Are you tired and there seems to be no peace in your spirit? Things just feel out of balance? No fulfillment in your life, in your being? Looking for love that makes your life complete, alive and at peace? That will quiet those quiet moments? A peace not as men call it, but a peace that will hug you when your down and out, or when you feel like your not even worth being alive? A peace when your mind has so many conflicts. Too many decisions so many questions. There is a peace, a peace that passes all understanding.

Isaiah 53:1-12, 55:1-13
Isaiah 53:5- “but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” The word chastisement means to punish bodily. In the greek its spelled PAIDEUO meaning to train children. The word stripes means strokes or blows with a hammer, the mark or print of blows in the skin. Iniquities means wickedness or wicked acts.

All this was done to him for us. He suffered all the pain, crying and headaches that we would have had to experience, and experienced for Himself on our behalf. Because He suffered for us, we should not have to struggle. All we have to do is live for Him. We lack faith, when we don’t see an opportunity for faith, we should sill have faith. Its hard these days to really hold on to something that we can’t see, because we want to do it our way. Thats why the word says lean not to your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path. We have to stop questioning His motives.

Isaiah 54:4-17
“Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood anymore. For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called” 4-5.

The name Christianity has become synonymous with fanatical, uncaring, unloving, vengeful people. The name Christian really turns people off today. So how will we be able to invite  people to Christ; how are we going to overcome that stigmatism of Christianity that the world sees? In some ways we try to defend being a Christian. The term really means Christ like. When the world sees Christians (or people posing as being Christ like) acting a certain way, they say if this is the way God is, I don’t want to be a part of that God. Majority of times its a male who is seeing and saying these things. Even in the church, there are mostly all women in the church. If you see men, you’ll see them as musicians, a few deacons, a few ministers, security, or janitor. But in the actual service, you’ll see few, the church is full of women, which is not bad its a blessing. But God wants to bring men to cause that oneness to be there. So it leads you to the point; what are we doing to recover the whole family, the men to the house of God? We teach our women and children. Even in Isaiah 54:13 “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” We need to walk boldly in the words of God as a true Child of God, I don’t’ use the term Christian, but Child of God. We need to let men know that God needs them, young and old alike. So you need to welcome them to a life in God, showing them that they are needed and loved by God. In Isaiah 54:17 “no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” There is power in this verse for both men and women.

God is not so much concerned about your money or clothing or food to eat or money you may have to give. Isaiah 55:3, 6,7 “incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” This is not being told to men. When a church has a strong men foundation it makes for a strong ministry.

In conclusion, we need to begin to not talk like the church, but walk like the chruch. No matter what comes against us remember this “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, for whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth” Psalm 121.

If you have questions concerning what we’ve talked about today, comment below or email us ataocministries@yahoo.com.