Utopia

       There’s a new tv series on this season based in the U.S.  It is a reality show with 15 people who go to live in a sparse community where they try to thrive and survive with very limited resources.  There are no rules and chaos ensues.  I only saw the first show but overall it made me think of one fact: there can never be a Utopia (a place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions) as long as two human beings reside in that place, due to our sinful, selfish natures.

       Not that I think 15 Christians would make a better go of it because the truth is we are still all sinners and struggle with selfishness.  In fact, until sin is gone and righteousness reigns in the hearts of ALL, there will never be a Utopia on earth because one man’s utopia is another man’s hell and visa versa.

       Even during the Millenial reign of Jesus Christ- while Satan is bound (Rv. 20:1-3), man will not be perfect, as Jesus and we will have to reign with a rod of iron (Rv. 19:15; Ps. 2:9 and Rv. 2:26,27).  That means some will not want to behave righteously.  People will live very long lives, a child of 100 (Is. 65:20) and then after the thousand years, Satan convinces many to fight the Lord again, and they are destroyed by God (Rv. 20:7-9). 

 

       See, man from the start wants his own ways (Gn. 3:6,7) and then later at the end of the time of judges, Samuel and God are upset for the people desire a fallible human to rule them (1Sm 8:5-8) instead of God. So, no utopia in the Garden of Eden- two fallible humans, and no utopia after Israel is given the Promised Land and definitely no utopia now!  There will only be a utopia when sin is no more (nothing defiling Rv. 21:27), all enemies are vanquished (Rv. 19:20; 20:10,14,15), and God is on the throne forevermore.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And the sea no longer is. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband. And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.

And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes. And there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying out, nor will there be any more pain; for the first things passed away. And He sitting on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful. Rv. 21:1-5

A Parent’s Love

       I’ve loved my daughter since the first day I held her in my arms- at two days old.  Even though I was scared, wondering if I’d be a good parent, just looking in her eyes made me want to share all the love I had with her.  Four years later we brought home our son who was 3 ½ and all I wanted to do was share my love with this child who had a troubled start and suffered loss in his life.  Two children: both my own by adoption, both dearly loved, both so different and with different beginnings.

       Boy, have I been frustrated as a parent!  Despite how I tried to instill certain morals, values and beliefs, in the end they have made their own decisions and some of those decisions have caused me great pain.  It has been very difficult to watch them get hurt or suffer for choices they made when I tried to advise them on better options.  It has been difficult to watch them accept worldly standards in morality, beliefs and values.  Some of their actions (given their standards) truly bother me, and sometimes, are very hurtful towards me, but they are adults and I cannot change them.

       Both my children have hurt me, mostly unintentionally but not always.  They’ve pushed the limits I set, lied to me even when I saw with my own eyes, and ignored me for lengths of time that I wanted to spend with them.  They’ve both gotten in trouble and had to figure out how to fix it.  In many ways as parents, we let go and hope they come back to us in the future.  There is no manual for the kids given to us, only the assurance that God knows what He is doing and it is best for parents and children both.

I still love them very much no matter what they say or do.  They are and will always be my children.

       Given my past history with the Lord, I believe He loves me ever more than I love my own children; and He is patient beyond measure.  He watched as I made bad decision after bad decision, wanting to be in control of my own life only to muck it up.  He watched as my standards caused me to choose actions harmful to myself or others.  He watched as I got angry at Him and ignored Him time and again.

Yet my Father still loves me very much, no matter what I’ve said or done.  I am and will always be His child.

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rm. 8:38,39

The Little Green Man

       When I was young I had quite the imagination.  Still, when the phone would ring and I was told it was for me I would get nervous because it could be that creepy little voice of nightmares, the evil Little Green Man.  It was real and not my imagination.  And the voice would start out calling me by name and then telling me some horrible thing he would do.  I don’t remember much more, but I’m sure it scared me at the time, especially from ever going down any Texas Rd. where he lived just in case it was his!

       Meanwhile, on the telephone downstairs (back in the days when you could call your own house), one of my sisters was placing that call to me while they both laughed at my gullibility.  To me, it really was the voice of the Little Green Man.  I was sure of it.  Obviously I was wrong.  It wasn’t the voice of that non-existent evil troll, but my sister’s voice.

       Though God could choose to speak audibly to us His followers, He often speaks through His Spirit in us.  There are three main voices we hear: our mind, the enemy, and God.  Of course, He often speaks through His Word, but He said we could hear His voice. 

But you do not believe for you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice*, and I know them, and they follow Me. Jh. 10:26,27

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you will hear His voice*, Hb. 3:7

the disciples heard God’s voice audibly. 2Pt. 1:17,18

(*voice- G5456- phone- sound, tone, voice/ uttered sounds, speech)

       So how do we know whose voice we are hearing?  Usually our mind will cater to our flesh and desires, the enemy will tear us down or lift us in pride, and God will always speak truth, urging us to holiness and humility.  One of the ways we get to know His voice is to spend as much time with Him as possible -draw near Him (Jm. 4:8), seek Him with all your heart (Jr. 29:13; Dt. 4:29)- not just talking but LISTENING.  We must also use discernment. “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Hb. 5:14) “The simple believes every word, but the wise man watches his step.” (Pr. 14:15)

Test all that we hear against the Word of God.

-Is it Scriptural, good Christian principles, and agrees with God’s names, character and nature?

‘God’ tells me to leave my husband. Nope. Not God. Against the above.

‘God’ tells me to make peace with someone who spoke lies about me to others. Pray. Probably God. Agrees with the above.

‘God’ tells me to say something mean to my enemy.  Nope. Not God. Against the above.

‘God’ tells me to love the person who just hurt me and ask for forgiveness for my part in it.  Pray. Probably God. Agrees with the above.

For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing apart of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hb. 4:12

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but try the spirits to see if they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1Jh. 4:1

…God, who cannot lie… Titus 1:2 (also Nm. 23:19)

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Jm. 1:22

       We must discern the voices we hear or the thoughts we have, to know if they are our own, the enemy or of God.  

The following list from 2Cr. 11:3,4 also helps because it encompasses basically all things not of God.  I list examples to help in understanding…

We must watch that our thoughts are not deceived and corrupted by:

     another Jesus- an unforgiving, selfish, vengeful, mean, lazy, uncaring in actions, Jesus was 

                          none of these.

     another spirit- confusion, anger, bitter, covetousness, pride, condemning, money or status 

                         loving

     another gospel- gospel of: self improvement, prosperity, name it claim it, etc

Don’t be afraid to hear God’s voice, just use wisdom and know God doesn’t lie so He would never go against who He is or His Word.