[ No Other Gospel ] I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan
Where do you go for hope? Purpose? Meaning? Where do you go when times get tough, you struggle, or have problems? Where do you go for strength, comfort, and encouragement? We have to turn somewhere. For some, they turn to alcohol or drugs. Others turn to hurting themselves or others. Some turn to a needle, a bottle, or a pill. Others turn to their own ego, strength, or power. Some look to one night stands, the internet, and using others. Others turn to the world, money, position, titles, and control.
The truth is we turn somewhere in both good and bad situations and times. We turn somewhere or to something or someone when we are looking for healing, forgetting, to bury, or to celebrate something. The problem with all the things we turn to in this world whether its ourselves, someone else, a substance, activity, event, or thrill, they all are temporary at best and only mask the pain, hide the hurt, fill the void, or make us feel good for a bit. Then back to reality and possible more problems because of where you turn.
We were designed by a creator and that creator is God. God created us and therefore is the only one who can give us purpose, hope, meaning, and value. God is the only one that can heal us, protect us, comfort us, give us strength, or unconditional love. God is the only one who understands our needs, feels our pains or joys, and knows what we need and how we need it. God is the one who created us with feelings, emotions, expressions, and needs. Therefore, creator knows His creation in both good and bad times, in both need and want, and both happy and sad circumstances.
God knows our strengths and weaknesses, hopes and dreams, struggles and temptations, and our past, present, and future. God knows all, is all, and is everywhere all the time. He is God after all, and He created me and you, so creator knows His creation.
There is no problem, struggle, temptation, or sin that God can't help you overcome. There is no past to big for God to forgive. There is no tragedy, depression, sadness, or pain that God can't give us hope, comfort, compassion, love, and strength to endure. There is nothing on this earth that brings joy, peace, and hope like an honest and sincere relationship with the creator.
But what happens? We don't turn to God, we don't stay in touch daily by talking to God in prayer. We don't study, learn, and grow because we don't take time or make effort to read and study God's Word He gives us alone or in our church. We don't tap into the gift of the Holy Spirit, that God gives all baptized believers so we have an unlimited resource in God's Spirit that we neglect to use to draw strength, guidance, and power. We aren't faithful to God's church in attendance or involvement, so we are disconnected and out of touch with God and because of that the body(church) suffers, but you also suffer because you are not attached or connected to the body.
So I ask you again today, Where do you turn? No matter the situation, no matter the issues, and no matter what turn to God. Let God be the first and only place you turn. No thing, no person, and nothing in this world will take the place of God, so stop trying to fit the round peg in the square hole and turn to God in all things in all ways and for all times.
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