Secret Church

"We have denounced God's sovereignty, dishonored God's holiness, despised God's righteousness, disregarded God's wrath and denied His love. Our minds are blinded, our emotions are disordered, our bodies are defiled, and our relationships are broken. We are slaves to sin, dominated by Satan, lovers of darkness, children of wrath, morally evil, sinfully sick, and spiritually dead... And we want what's fair?" -Secret Church '12, Study Guide pg. 191

 "Do you really want nothing but totally effective, instantaneous justice? Then go to hell." - D.A. Carson

Tonight I went to Secret Church. It was from 7 pm until 2 am. This event was to identify with brothers and sisters around the globe that are persecuted for believing in Christ. It was a night of studying the Word, drawing near to God, and learning about how our suffering is ultimately used for His glory, not ours.

The first two quotes are really, really important. These two things... They show who we are, and who God is. God, in His Word, is described as sovereign, holy, righteous, loving, perfect, and just. We, as stated in that quote, are anything but. We take everything God proves himself to be and throw it in His face. We defile it, and make cheap, twisted versions of His glory. Yet, when we experience hard times and suffering, we look at God and say, "That's not fair!" "If there really was a God, we wouldn't have to suffer," we say. "If there was a good God, famine, poverty, disease, and death wouldn't exist in the world," we say. This, friends, is a LIE. I believe in the God of the Bible. I believe this God is who he says He is. I believe that His standard of perfection is something I can never reach on my own. I believe that, on my own, I am forever separated from the love and mercy and grace of God. I believe that were God to give out the justice I say I yearn for, I would be sent straight to hell. No hope, no love, no mercy.

I am a sinner, and I would be going straight to hell.

HOWEVER.

I praise my God, now and forever, because He is a merciful God. He doesn't give me the justice I deserve. He doesn't give me what I think I want. He doesn't give me what I ask for. Instead, God sends a man by the name of Jesus Christ. He sends a Savior to die on a cross. He sent a man who took my sins, my shame, the portion of wrath that God had for me, and took it all on himself, so that I may have the mercy of God. God sent his own son to die for me. God gave Himself so that I might have fellowship with Him.

God is so merciful that He doesn't give us what we ask for. Instead, he gives us a way to know Him and His fullness.

HALLELUJAH, WHAT A SAVIOR!