Love to All

Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

I was a pothead for over 20 years, not just getting stoned, but staying high all the time. One of my best friends told me at the time, “If you are high all the time, they will never know you are.” Brilliant… When God got ahold of my heart, I saw the err in my drug use. It slowed pretty quickly, and I haven’t smoked a joint in well over 10 years. I had never struggled with anxiety or depression, until I stopped getting high, and then Satan saw the door to torment me with them both. It is a battle now on a very high scale, and there are days that are hard to cope. Mental illness runs on both sides of my family, and I killed enough brain cells that now in my fifties I am feeling the effects of them all. My memory and analytical abilities are fading, but my heart for the deep things of God is growing. I want to know more.

Religion breeds condemnation, brings lofty attitudes that look down on society, builds up walls that those that are on the outside fear to climb. The religious become snobs, look down on sinners, point fingers and shout shameful things to those not sitting in church on Sunday. The religious gossip and scoff at those struggling, all while hiding their own sin behind lies and hard hearts. Without love, without compassion, you are nothing in God’s eyes. 1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. Oh how so many of us Christians need to look in the mirror….

Peter was the first to go tell the “outsiders” that God loved everybody. Peter was the first to go tell them that Jesus died on the Cross for everybody. There is nothing you have ever done that God will not forgive you for when you ask for forgiveness. There is nothing special about any Christian that cannot be freely given to you! Satan wants you to think that God will not forgive you, wants to torment your mind with evil thoughts and desires, wants to steal the joy you can have with the eternal hope of Heaven. Even on my worst days, days I just retreat to solitude, I still know this pain is temporary. Jesus loves me in all my struggles and failures, and I love you too.