Your Heavenly Father LOVES YOU. He’s not waiting for you to mess up so He can punish you. He has never been like that, never will be. It was man who separated himself from God/ not God from man. Perfect love casts OUT fear. If God is love, and Jesus came to show us- how could we possibly fear God!? Because some mistranslated or skewed perceptions without any true historical, cultural, social context tells us to fear Him??? God has never wanted His children to be afraid of Him. Ever. God is the most, greatest, incomprehensible love that creation could ever know or wake up to. After all, He’s the author of it, and you were created for and from love. You do not need to fear God. You do not need to fear condemnation. You are chosen, loved, and made in His image and likeness. You ARE enough. Right now, in this moment. And He believes you’re good because He sees you as He sees the Son. I know this because I’m a living testament of His goodness and kindness. I know Him. And I can now see more clearly instead of being blindly obedient and closed off. I’m thinking for myself now with an open and active mind. I’m ashamed it took me so long to see God as a good Father who loves His kids, and that we are ALL His. All from the same bloodline- from the inception of creation. All of humanity to the core longs to be awake to this great love that quenches all and dismembers darkness with light. All of us long for Him, whether we know it or not- to be restored and awake and aware of our sonship and that we are not separated from Him and that He is the giver of life and all things Good! He is love, and He’s our Father. The search is OVER!!! It’s always been over… You have been chosen and found! Loved and redeemed, reconciled and freeeeeeeee!!!!!
No amount of Old Testament (man labeled it that) theology (often misunderstood) could ever discredit the true nature of an all loving Father. No amount of out of context New Testament (also man made label) could ever disprove the finished work of the cross and the divine love that has been reconciling ALL things (including all of humanity) to God through the Son. No amount of misunderstood historical, cultural, context of any kind will ever change His true divine nature of love, goodness, and glory, all which have been revealed through Jesus.
I’ll share just one example as plainly as I can with you to bring some clarity and context to what I’m talking about regarding end times, rapture, and judgment. But also, take note of this. If you’re really intrigued by it, or don’t like what I’m saying because it goes against your religious upbringing like it did mine- all the more reason to go and read it, please. I understand how hard it is to think differently and to allow your mind to be transformed, but it MUST be open. Don’t be like the Pharisee, clingy blindly to ideals and religion instead of Father, Son, Holy Spirit- missing the person and character of God through Jesus standing right in front of them. I have also regrettably been in those shoes as well- but because of it, I have much perspective to offer. It is OK to question and challenge. Much growth comes from honest questions, but you have to be ready for answers you don’t like or agree with, and you need to be ok with that. It does none of humanity any good to be unwilling to listen or learn from new perspectives. Be slow to speak, but eager to listen and discern through Holy Spirit- not your false identity by way of all you've been indoctrinated with your entire life. You are not your parents either. It's YOUR journey and you have every right to just BE and think for you. Have some grace for yourself, because Gods already given it. Faith, love, hope, and understanding is an ACTIVE, always moving and growing thing in Jesus in which you'll never arrive. Don't get stuck!!! Don’t be closed off to a more loving God. Don’t be closed off to the possibility that maybe you are wrong about some things. Humility is paramount and it’s how you become the wisest version of you- the most loving version of you. Let the pride and ego fall away too- you don’t need it. It’s not serving you or anyone better by being stuck in it. Today, I still can’t fathom how upset people have gotten with me about preaching more love and grace in context and agreement with Jesus instead of against it. You can see with new eyes and understand with a renewed mind. I did it, and you can too. Listen, I won’t ever know it all and neither will you, but you can be informed and make choices that come from an understanding of a loving Father rather than a damning, dominating religious figure. We don’t have an ever-perfect, all loving God/Father, who gets pissed off sometimes and sends creation to ‘hell” because certain neurons in our brain didn’t fire quite right, or we “messed up”. We have an ever-perfect, all loving Father who sees you in your humanity as a son or daughter- made for union with Him, heirs to the Kingdom of heaven right NOW, here on earth. Lakes of fire likely do not exist in the ways we’ve misunderstood them. He stopped counting sins, and to be frank, I’m not sure He ever really did or if we just associated it with shame and guilt from religious control through misguided hierarchy of ages gone long ago. Here’s that example I’m talking about- but there’s a LOT to unpack and acknowledge.
Read here: https://jonwelton.com/raptureless
Mathew 24, 25 - It’s already happened and has already been fulfilled in 70 AD. Nope- it’s not about future events. This link and source will also show you the dozens of other respected, highly trusted, credible, and authentic “Jesus followers, scholars, and teachers” who agree on this fulfillment- like Charles Spurgeon, John Wesley, Thomas Newton and many more. Jesus was warning people what would happen when the Roman armies would come, He was making people aware of forthcoming events of THAT generation, not ours- It wasn’t till the latter part of the 1800’s when views shifted to this future impending doom instead of its true context and meaning. AND- even if it wasn't already fulfilled, do you really think focusing on fear and condemnation is good news? Was that ever a part of Jesus' ministry? No, it was not. Just mistranslated and misunderstood. The gospel is GOOD NEWS!!!!
It’s time to stop making things SO complicated and twisting Jesus’ words into things they were never meant for. However well intentioned- if it divides people and causes hate, pride, and separation- it’s NOT Him. Why are people so hell-bent on being RIGHT, rather than being LOVE? In arrogance, we miss Jesus and replace Him with wanting to be so certain of each end or question, that we’ve ruined His image to others and have enabled religious hierarchy, lies, and fear instead- while at the same time gracelessly condemning other humans to death because we think we’ve got it all figured out. Yuck. I never saw or felt or read about Jesus doing ANY of that. HE IS LOVE!!!
Once you SEE it, you can’t UNSEE it!!! It’s beautiful, eye opening, and freeing. It’s liberating to view our Heavenly Father in such a way. He’s better than you thought, and better than you’ll ever think! His love more inclusive than you probably ever want to admit. Your perception of all of humanity changes- the logs come out of your eyes, the harshness in judgement towards others comes out (not that you won’t feel pain from others or be able to express it, because you will and that is OK). You truly start seeing things differently because your mind is transformed. JUST like Paul calls our minds to be!! He understood this concept. And it has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with deeper love, and again- understanding context.
The Bible is our most foundational reference we have. It’s our most vital PHYSICAL tool. I am not discrediting the Bible at all. It’s incredible, valid, and true. But the ways we understand it or do not understand it matter greatly. You can’t use a pair of pliers for heart surgery. Knowing the simplicity of it, how your tool works and for what is important to be able to use it. It’s why the Bible has caused more divide, entitlement, and pain- because it’s so misunderstood, misused. From the authors of the different books, to the totally misunderstood context of each book. So much of it doesn’t mean what we think it means and we end up missing the greatest point of ALL. Love. All of Jesus’ actions prove it. Everything He did. He is a non violent God who’s only ever wanted you to know His pure, unconditional love. Here’s the truth:
If forgiven and free is gonna make you mad-
If preaching love and grace ain't got enough bad-
If it hurts to see the good in EVERYONE,
Then maybe the Jesus that you serve really ain't Jesus at all.
He is GOOD and He LOVES all of humanity without conditions or religion.
Wherever you are in all of it, in your journey, it's OK. IT IS OKAY!! You are covered in grace as you go. You have not arrived and neither have I. But love endures all things and GOD is LOVE and He is with you, He's gone before you. His perfect love will cast out fear, not create more if it. Please know that and be aware as you journey onward. Fear is not of the Father. Be content to love and be loved. LOVE is the end all and Jesus is the proof of it. It's why you were made. Take heart, YOU will be OKAY. You don't lack or have to strive to do certain things to be more loved or known or forgiven or free- the Father son/daughter relationship is not transactional. REST in Him, you beautiful human. You don't have to try harder or go farther, you're enough right now and you always have been. Waking up to THIS pure love is what has the power to change humanity and it was Jesus' goal all along.
Jesus doesn’t begin or end with our limited understanding or when we were able to put language around Him or about Him (aka the Bible). His love and nature isn’t determined by your ability to grasp scripture or to try and prove anything and it certainly doesn’t have anything to do with your (probably misinformed) theology being “right”- because it’s all amiss without love at the center of it. None of us really know- and we don’t have to. We won’t. Seriously- you can read the Bible for 80 years and not know Jesus or any of it because your lens has always been the same stagnant, stuck, biased lens lacking love and every type of context. We all need new pairs of glasses at some point. It’s why Jesus calls us (yes, we can actually be included in this [con]text) to become like little Children. It’s not meant to be hard. We are to be children who are fully loved and confident in their loving Dad who provides all things, gives grace and goodness, and doesn’t forsake His children. We can rest in HIS arms with peace and contentment. He can always be trusted, and always be counted on. His door, heart, and home always open because that's what love does. He’s a sovereign Dad, not a controlling one. Even so- religion has made it far too complicated. Religion invaded “church” and ruined most all of it. It was never meant to be this formalized, organized, divisive club that looks down on others instead of loving them well. I’ve also experienced all of that too and have ashamedely played my part in that- spanning 6 different denominations over 18 years of ministry- much toxicity through self-righteousness has already ripped many bodies of faith apart that I have served, maybe you can relate to that as well. People that are so prideful in their belief that they just want to deter everyone away from you and cause fear, doubt, and pain- all while thinking they are “right” in doing so. HA! Hate disguised as justified righteousness- division in Jesus name. God bless ‘em, though- those dearly loved, log eyed booger butts. BUT…. Still there is HOPE. Jesus transcends the Bible all the more, though the entire thing is based on and about Him. He breaks through the high and snooty walls of religion and human knowledge. Blows past our ego and pride and self righteousness and what we think we know. God is alive in you and me, yes!!! It’s true!! He’s outside of scripture too! Jesus doesn’t just reside in the pages of some book- He didn’t happen to just start caring about humanity when people could put language around Him and write books. He’s always been and will be. He’s alive in you and I! Right now! He goes beyond our limited thinking, goes beyond our misguided religious stuff- and meets each of us where we are and says:
“Son, Daughter… I love you. You are free. Free from broken theology, from divisive church fall outs, free from fear mongering control and religious systems- free from the doubts and accusations- free from every mistake you’ve ever made or will make- it’s not your burden to carry- that’s been done. It’s finished. My design for you is to live in the fullness of who I am and who I am is love, and it’s who I’ve created you to be too - that’s never changed. Many men have gotten things mixed up about me, have become worshippers of literature and knowledge- but I’m here to tell you- No need to fear me or to try and earn something from me. You already have everything. Trust me and believe me when I say “you are fearfully and wonderfully made”- My son came to reveal me. To show the world what love incarnate really was. When I had the chance to condemn the adulteress woman in the courtyard, I didn’t. When I had the chance to destroy “enemies” I didn’t. When I had the chance to come down from the cross, I didn’t. When I had the chance to unleash wrath at the moneychangers in the temple, I didn’t. When I had the chance to conquer, retaliate, and kill- I didn’t. I have always been about the restoration of all things, the redemption of all things- that NOTHING can separate you from my love. From my forgiveness. From every good and perfect thing. From LIFE and life to the FULL!!! My passion is humanity. My passion is you. This life is a gift. Child, I’m wrapping you up in my arms and carrying you through your pain and struggle- all of it. I’m with you, for you, not against you. Your choices have consequences here on earth, but none of them will ever be able to reverse, refute, or undo your true identity as my beautiful beloved. My precious child. Fully loved, never alone. Predestined for glory all along. If it’s not in love, it isn’t me. Take heart and have peace, you will be okay. Rest in me. My love is all you’ve ever needed all along. Stop looking for answers apart from my true nature. I love you. I LOVE YOU. You are free.
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