Writing on His Hands

 “Everyday when I sit down to write, I have been praying or listening to my studies, and God speaks to me thru this and allows me the privilege to share my story. Sometimes I reference my life and the things God has changed me from, and sometimes I reference how people and work has influenced me. Sometimes I reference movies and songs and how they spoke thru me, but no matter what I reference, I use Gods word and how it relates to the experiences I have shared. I have never ever purposely tried to hurt or say something that is not true. I have mainly focused on my sin and shortcomings, and how God’s grace and peace and love continually change and reconcile me to His family. It is different daily and that is what I love about my Jesus. 

The Bible as I’ve been reading and studying thru it, is also very transparent about the lives of all the people God uses to spread His word. It also shows the world that He is God, because His book is filled with truth, spans many generations, and it all aligns with all of it. The beauty of it is that none of the people God used were sinless and constantly faithful, not that that is an excuse to sin, but just shows the full extent of the grace of God. I think of Abraham who is the father of faith; who lied and had a son with his maid servant because he didn’t wait on God’s promise, and yet his seed were the children of promise that we all came thru. The other neat thing is God used different methods with each person as we are all unique and our testimonies reflect that. 

My story can be similar to many and people can relate to the things I share to allow them to see that they are not alone. We don’t want to be like Jonah who ran from God’s plan because he felt the people of Nineveh were too evil and far gone. We need to realize two things; first if God calls us to do something we should probably do it as it’s a privilege. Second, God desires all to be saved, because as John Three sixteen says, 

““For God SO LOVED the world, that HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, that WHOEVER BELIEVES in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to CONDEMN THE WORLD, but in order that the world MIGHT BE SAVED through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only Son of God.” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

If Jesus didn’t come to condemn the first time, what makes us think that we can? I’ve been to churches where the “leaders” didn’t want people worshipping out loud because it was a distraction to the church? I don’t even have words for that! I’ve to churches where a pastor (a great friend and mentor to me) was told not to preach the word verse by verse because the church would t grow like that?! Again, no words! 

 Not everyone will hear and don’t get that confused with the word not being shared the message, but many people don’t want to hear or care about Jesus. Today people would rather trust in man’s, or science answers to solve their problems,  or give them answers to their questions. God is always speaking, even through His creation, and it is a matter of, are we listening, following, and believing? Second Chronicles Seven reminds us, even though the writer was speaking to the Israelites who would shortly be in captivity from their own refusal to obey God,

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”‬ (‭ESV‬‬) 

God will listen, when we humble ourselves and seek Him. Like all who are in the Bible, when they returned to God, He blessed them, not always monetarily, physically, but our reward is heaven bound! We can’t be like those Isaiah talked about and Jesus quoted from Isaiah Twenty-nine beginning in verse twelve, 

“And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.” And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, WHILE THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM ME, and THEIR FEAR OF ME IS A COMMANDMENT TAUGHT BY MEN, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”” (ESV) (Emphasis added)

So what is your story and where is your hope? Do you fear God or revere Him and His ways, knowing He wants to save you from Hell? May we humble ourselves and seek God. Your story is important and you matter to God! Don’t let the world and the enemy fool you with false hope! Don’t let the false prophets give you a false sense of faith and hope! The world is perishing and tomorrow is not promised, but Jesus will give you tomorrow, and forever, because He already paid your way, you just need to repent!” Jose Barajas