Being stubborn

Revelation 9: ²⁰ But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! ²¹ And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

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“Wow!” I thought to myself as I read these words.  What encouragement could I get from these words? I mean it seems like a hopeless situation for all humans. What good could possibly come out of this predicted situation?

Here are a few things I realize…

• GOD is giving me plenty of time to turn to HIM.
• GOD is giving me ample notice to turn to HIM.
• GOD is giving me full warning that if I do not turn to HIM HE will turn against me.

Many times I only want to see the loving, “forgive and forget” side of GOD, this way I can continue in the sin I desire to remain in.  I convince myself that there are no consequences for my actions because “HE will forgive me anyway.” There is a better way to look at this “win lose” situation.

• GOD understands I will sin the rest of my life but loves when I make every attempt to seek HIM.
• GOD knows when I feel like being greedy but loves when I finally sacrifice.
• GOD sees when I doubt HIM but loves when I place my dependence on HIM.
• GOD watches me try to justify my lusts but loves when I focus my energy on HIM.

The great news is JESUS did save me from myself. HE knew I would never turn to HIM so HE took the eternal consequences of my sin but that doesn't mean my relative consequence goes away.  I mean if I were to rob a bank and get shot in the process then my consequence for my action would be served.

I do not profess to understand why every sin I do is not met with immediate consequence, in fact it scares me. I do know that when I turn to GOD I am blessed ever time!

• Are you doing something GOD doesn't want you to do?
• Is your heart getting hard toward “that” person?
• Even though you are forgiven for all sins, can you turn away from some of them sometimes?
• Won’t you put your trust in GOD and know HE forgives?