Holy Diversion program?


It's funny the way some preach the gospel is like it's some Holy Diversion program.

For those that don't know, in the legal system if you get convicted of a crime, or in the pre-trial phase they will sometimes offer a "diversion" program for an offender, where they go to some classes, do community service, or a variety of other things in lieu of going to jail or prison.

People jump at the chance simply because they don't want to go to jail, not because they necessarily want a change in their life or have it in their heart to help others, and definitely not for relationship building.

I see not only preachers, but many Christians, preaching the gospel as a "get out of hell free" card or a Holy Diversion program.

What a shame.

It's insulting to what Jesus accomplished on the cross.

I don't preach the gospel in this way. I preach the gospel as a powerful event that left not one stone unturned. I preach Father, Son, and Spirit.

I don't speak of hell in sharing the gospel, because I am not concerned with it.

What do I preach and share?

Through the work of Christ we have a wholeness, a completeness that nothing in this world could ever bring us.

We have the power to raise the dead, heal the sick, cast out demons. No matter what occurs in our lives we have a peace, a peace that defies all understanding.

No wave, storm, disaster can come against us to steal our joy. We can rebuke and remove the wave, storm, or disaster. But even if it is unmoved it can't touch us.

Jesus is not a diversion program to keep us from hell, He is the one who enters us and turns a hell on earth into a heaven for us and those we come into contact with.

We have a oneness with our Father, a relationship with Him where He longs to hear from us, He longs to experience the newness of the day with us every morning.

Where He longs to see our eyes light up when we look at the majesty of His creation.

He longs to feel our heart when we share our first kiss with the one we love.

Where He longs to feel the warmth in our hug of a hurting friend.

A relationship where when we gaze upon our child the moment they are born and a myriad of emotions run through our heart, He screams out "That's how I felt when I made you!!! that's how I felt when I was counting every hair on your head!!! That's how I feel watching you go to sleep!!! That's how I feel when you wake up to hang out with Me another day!!!"

A Holy Diversion program, a get out of hell free card?

As if.

If the gospel on it's own isn't good enough for you to share with someone where you have to try to scare someone into wanting to be with God. I don't think you have experienced the real gospel, nor understand just what your relationship with God actually is like.

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