In the 1st Chapter of the Book of Genesis (the Bible) we can read of the Creation.
God is creating everything, and He is saying repeatedly at the conclusion of each of the six days of Creation ...'that is good'.
So, I'd say God liked what He was doing ...and He likes us.
God doesn't like sin ...and most of us have heard the saying that 'God hates the sin, but not the person'. And there are variations on how that is phrased. And I feel the main problem with people struggling with that ...is that we should understand that none of us should think that our sin defines us. And if we try to argue in defense of sin, we are not helping ourselves. We can continually remind ourselves that sin does not define us, or who we are ...and I feel we'd all do much better through our day in reminding ourselves of that.
I guess I should ask: When do you feel you are most experiencing God's love??
Is it during times when things are going well??
Well, that didn't work well for a third of the angels.
I see that the 'King's Kids' presently focuses mostly on children's books, daycare, and pre-school programs.
Yet, when I was getting out of college (yes, many years ago) the messages I heard in reference to King's Kids, well, it was a prosperity message ...and mostly a financial prosperity message. And it was often associated with phrases like: 'Name it, and claim it!!' ...and it worked in the idea of faith, or lack of it (when one did not get what one claimed).
Our prosperity is in the richness of knowing Him, and knowing of the inheritance that He is offering us in Heaven.
Of course we feel good when we perhaps are able to obtain what we desire to have. And if we continue to obtain things we may feel even better.
I'm reminded of my loving Aunt Evelyn. She taught Elementary School ...I can't remember the grade, but I think it was 2nd or 3rd grade.
She knew how important reading was, and she also knew how important it was to have an interest in reading. So, for Christmas each year, she gave us a monthly subscription to Walt Disney comic books.
Of course there was Mickey Mouse, but I am going to refer to a character in the Donald Duck stories. His name was Gladstone Gander.
If God had been incorporated into the story, perhaps Gladstone could have been the 'Name it, claim it' type. But, in the comics they called it 'luck' ...and it was unbelievable luck.
I mentioned about whether, or to what extent we feel God likes us. Well, I didn't like Gladstone. He wasn't mean ---he was perhaps a bit spoiled, and selfish ---by he wasn't mean. But, I didn't like him. I could relate better to Donald Duck. Things often did not go well for Donald, and it seemed he had to struggle to make things right.
I know that we need to pray to God to make things right ...and often we struggle more when we don't turn to Him. But, turning to God does not mean we won't struggle ...and though it may be true at times, I don't believe that our struggles are always due to lack of faith.
I'd rather be like Donald than Gladstone ...yet, without the comical part of Donald having tantrums. And I should also add at this time that both Donald and Gladstone liked Daisy. I do think they liked Daisy in different ways ...I could be wrong, but it seems Gladstone looked at Daisy more as a prize. And as a child, I guess I felt Donald loved Daisy.
Even today, I feel Donald was more mature ...or at least potentially so. And I also believe we can be more potentially mature through our struggles.
Another question arises, and it's based upon the fact that God loves us.
The question is: Is it possible that God allows us to struggle sometimes because He loves us, and He is guiding us to more potentially understand His love???
Isn't the best way to experience God's love ...is by understanding it???
That does not mean that we should use our struggles as our 'badge on honor'. But, in understanding His love, perhaps we can also assist in lessening others struggles. And that does not mean that we should focus most of our assistance through financial means ...but by assisting them with understanding His love.
Phillip assisted the Ethiopian who was sitting in his chariot ...and having difficulty understanding what he was reading.
So much more could be said ...but that's it for now,
God bless!!!
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