For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8: 38 - 39 NKJV
I had the opportunity to watch the film heaven is for real the other night. I believe that I have seen this movie before, but this time it was different in the way I viewed it. See, the last time I saw this movie I had a totally different understanding of who God is. I had a different knowing of who Jesus is. I believe that my reaction to this movie the first time I saw it was that something such as what happened to young Colton Burpo could certainly happen to anyone, if they followed the Lords path. That is, if a believer was strong in the Lord, then such a experience could certainly happen. Just look at the family depicted in the movie, the father was a pastor and they were very religious. But is that the real reason why God chose to reveal to young Colton that which He did? Knowing what I've learned about God I'd say no. I say no because I know that God does not separate His children {Galatians 3:28}. I know that the love of God is all encompassing {1 John 4:16}. Therefore, I don't believe that there are any requirements if God should choose to show us what it is He wants us to see. But this isn't about a movie. This isn't about how a young kid saw things that were beyond physical description. This is about how my own understanding of who God really is has changed. Anyone who has seen the movie heaven is for real knows that by the end of the film, people began to see God differently. As for myself, I refuse to know God as a giver of rules who rewards those who do well and punishes those who don't. Yes, this might be the God of popular religious teaching, but I don't believe that it resembles the Lord too well. Ask yourself, does God love you more than me? Does He favor me over you? So, if Gods love knows no end and with Him there is no favoritism, how then is it that God can punish one yet bless another? Again, that is what we're taught. Trust me, if I taught you for 2,000 years that the sky was brown, you'd believe it. I was taught to be the good Christian and that God would reward me. Well, along the way I had things happen in my life which made me wonder if God was somehow mad at me. I was questioning God. Now, I am neither a blasphemer nor a heretic, I simply wanted to know if God was upset with me. It turns out He wasn't mad, and that I didn't know Him as well as I thought I did.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1 John 4: 7 - 8 NKJV
What is it that you know about God? Do you know that He is holy? Do you know that He created the heavens and the earth? Congratulations, you were paying attention in church. Now, what is it that you KNOW about the Father? What is it that you feel in your heart about who He is? For me, God has a very special place in me. The apostle Paul tells us that it is Christ Jesus who lives in us {Galatians 2:20}. Yes, that old man we once were has been nailed to the cross of Christ and put to death never to return {Romans 6:6}. Yes, despite all you have done, God loved you enough that Jesus would take your sins upon Himself upon the cross {2 Corinthians 5:21}. We now have no basis to believe that our sin can keep us from a close relationship with God. How can something that's dead keep us from knowing God? If you have any doubt that sin is something we still need to fear, heed the words of Paul when he claims that we reckon ourselves to be dead indeed to sin {Romans 6:11}. Indeed, there is nothing which stands in our way of knowing who God really is. Who is God? Well, if you have ever felt His love within you, then you know Him already.
We love Him because He first loved us
1 John 4: 19 NKJV
~Scott~
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