The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

The Holy Spirit illustrated to me one day, that His bride (the church) acts as if they are being held hostage by God. In their heads they think one wrong move and you’re gone. You slip up again, and He’s taking you out with His celestial hammer. They live their lives walking on eggshells. I guess He’s not as patient and slow to anger as His word says.

• There is an unhealthy pressure that is being placed on the bride, to perform better, behave better, work Hader. It’s never good enough, and you’re not measuring up. But… it’s not from God.
• They are so focused on “not messing up” or “not sinning” that they are no longer focused on Him who will keep them from sinning by His Grace. They are not even focused on loving their neighbor.
• They see Him as the “Godfather” instead of “God the Father”. As a result, they continue to fall into sin, living in a vicious cycle of guilt, shame, condemnation and fear that God is going to take them out. 

Either we have been taught this, treated this way, or we are unaware of the truth, failing to seek out and understand the character of God. I’m reminded of the story In Luke 9 when the disciples (James and John) wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan town that didn’t want to welcome Jesus. Jesus rebuked His disciples and told them they were in the wrong spirit, for He didn’t come to destroy people’s lives but to save them. 

God is not planning brutal ways to punish you with sickness, poverty, or taking your loved ones from you. Most of the time these things are either brought on by us in the way we think and act or the enemy who comes to kill, steal, and destroy.

If you seek God to know Him, you will find that His love for you goes beyond your behavior, flaws, and worse mistakes. In your absolute worst state, He still loves you. You will see that the Agape love of God has this effect on you that voluntarily causes you to not want to sin because you are so in love with Him. 

So, you tell me… what’s more fruitful or will produce more fruit? You focusing on not sinning, or focusing on Jesus? He’s not out to get you, but He’s inside you to transform you into His image through a lifestyle of repentance, and to cause you to prosper in all you do. He loves you and is for you. Never forget that!!!