“Why So many People do NOT See…Feel…or Want the Love of GOD”

“YOU were created in the image of God…You are significant to God…And You are Amazingly Loved by God!   Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139:17-18

And yet SO many of His people…just do NOT see…feel…or want the Love of GOD in their life. We are a world of Agnostics, atheists, Buddhists, Muslims, Mormons and even Evangelicals…the list of mankind’s “religion” is very long. 

But religion was made by and for people.  And people were made by God…whether they choose to believe in God or not.

So why do SO many people choose to reject God and His word to his created people?  His message is SO beautiful…Look what Romans says about LOVE…

Romans 12:9-21 (NIV)

Love in Action

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Man…if their ever was a time to embrace this type of thinking it is NOW…as we have become SO intolerant and disconnected with each other, our families, our neighbors, our communities, our nation and our world. The heartfelt words of the Reverend Martin Luther King reflect this exact scripture of tolerance and to LOVE one another…Amen

In the bible, John quotes Isaiah saying… “He (God) has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I WOULD heal them.” John 12:40

Commentary from Jack Wellman:

“Jesus quotes, nearly word for word, Isaiah’s prophecy about the hardening of the hearts of those who would refuse to believe in Him (Isaiah 6:10). It’s not that God has hardened their hearts or that God has blinded their eyes, but as the author of Hebrews wrote “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Heb 3:12) so they are actually hardening their own hearts by refusing to hear the Spirit’s voice as in the Holy Spirit Who says, “Today, if you hear his voice” (Heb 3:7).

This warning about not hearing His voice, which is the voice of the Holy Spirit, is found throughout Scripture and is repeated many times as it is again in Hebrews 4:7 where it is written “God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

The point is you must hear His voice today; you must listen to the Spirit’s voice of putting your faith IN Christ. The more you suppress His voice, the harder your heart becomes until your heart reaches a point that you will not hear His voice anymore. Your heart hardens and your eyes become blinded to the glorious gospel in Jesus Christ.”

“The spiritual blindness of those who hate Christ comes not only from a refusal to hear the Spirit’s voice but also from the blinding by Satan, “the god of this world.” He has so blinded the minds of the unbelievers that they can’t see the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. God will move heaven and earth if a person genuinely seeks to know God but suppressing the knowledge of God, time after time, is where God finally gives them up to the lusts of their own flesh and Satan keeps them in darkness.”  Commentary from Jack Wellman*

 “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4

Jesus said “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me.   For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.  I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.  I will NOT  judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.  I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know His commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.” John 12:44-50 (NLT)

So what happens when you put your “faith” In Christ?

The “holy spirit of God” IS revealed…the blinded eyes and the hardened hearts begin to “SEE” with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn to God…and HE will heal them…Amen

“But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NLT)

Prayer: “Father God…no day is a surprise to you…each day is purposeful and useful to guide more into the knowledge of you and the Good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Continue to do your will on this earth…drawing us closer to the day you will return to claim your church!  Use this time and our paths to draw more people into the saving GRACE of your gospel message.  Transform our nation to reflect your words of love, tolerance, servant hood, and peace amongst each other in these days upon the earth.  And to those who still do not “hear” you…may you woo these hearts to desire to know you…to accept the love of Christ as savior, to receive the holy spirit, and to become a child of God.”

If this is you…there is nothing you need to do, or make right before you say this prayer…

If you truly are ready to begin this journey with Christ…follow along in this prayer.   “Father God I desire to know you…I want to hear you…I want my eyes to see you…and my heart to desire Jesus… I want to be transformed and become a child of God.  Today with all my heart I say this prayer and trust in you!  Thank you Jesus, “the veil is taken away.”   For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!  Thank you for the veil in now removed and I can see and reflect the glory of the Lord in my days. Jesus…you are the Lord—who IS the Spirit—who will make me more and more like you…and who changes us into your glorious image.  AMEN!

“How precious to me are your thoughts, God!  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them…they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you. Psalm 139:17-18

*Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren church in Mulvane Kansas