Locked from the Inside

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
— 2 Peter 3:9

The Bible teaches that hell was not made for people. It's a place that God prepared for Satan and the demon powers that follow him. God doesn't want people to go there. In fact, God says, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways!" (Ezekiel 33:11).It breaks the heart of God to see a person made in His image make the deliberate choice to sin. That is why God sent Jesus to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.No other prophet, guru, or teacher ever died on a cross for you. Only Jesus was uniquely qualified to bridge that great chasm that separates the Creator from humankind. Only Jesus was qualified to connect sinful humanity with a holy God and take the sin of the world upon Himself. And more than that, He rose again from the dead. No other religious leader, teacher, or guru has done that. Jesus is the only way.It has been said that the gates of hell are locked from the inside. Believers know from experience that before their conversion, God's Spirit was tugging on the heart strings of their lives. They know that He reminded them of their need for Christ again and again.To reject Christ is not a single choice; it's a series of deliberate choices that one makes throughout his or her life. God doesn't send people to hell; they send themselves. They practically have to climb over Jesus and resist Him again and again to get there.

Trev Carpenter
www.btmcallen.com

On the Journey to Becoming Friends

Friendships are mysterious. They often begin and end when we least them expect them to. We sometimes become friends with people we are not initially drawn to. Sometimes we don't develop the kind of friendship we desire with someone we are attracted to. Some friendships take a lot of work, while others are as natural as breathing. Friendship is a gift waiting to be revealed with every person I meet. With just a few people, the gift of covenant relationship will be revealed. With very many people, the gift of friendly waves and weather conversations will unfold. In between are the gifts of healthy working friendships, close lifelong friendships, friendships born in crisis, celebration, a shared passion for coffee, golf, children, faith, travel, et cetera.Friendships are life-giving when we accept, nurture, and celebrate the particular gift that is present in each. Friendships are draining and difficult when we reject the gift by either not accepting the intimacy offered or trying to make the gift more intimate than it was ever meant to be. These gifts of friendship are scattered like ripe fruit in the gardens of our lives, waiting to be tasted and enjoyed. Each gift is given by a loving God, who knows what we need and who desires a friendship with every one of us. Therefore, while we may choose our friendships, we do not create the gift of friendship. We can work on our friendships, but we cannot change them into something they are not gifted to be. This is the pain and the joy, the poverty and the incredible freedom we experience on the journey to becoming friends.


Trev Carpenter
www.btmcallen.com

Timely, after 9/11’s fifth anniversary.

In a world so full of social and political turmoil and immense human suffering, people of faith will often be ridiculed because of their so-called ineffectiveness. Many will say: "If you believe that there is a loving God, let your God do something about this mess!" Some will simply declare religion irrelevant, while others will consider it an obstacle to the creation of a new and better world.Jesus often tells his followers that, as he was, they will be persecuted, arrested, tortured, and killed. But he also tells us not to worry but to trust in him at all times. "Make up your minds not to prepare your defense, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict" (Luke 21:14-15). Let's not be afraid of skepticism and cynicism coming our way, but trust that God will give us the strength to hold our ground.
Trev Carpenter
www.btmcallen.com

Speaking Words of Love

Often we remain silent when we need to speak. Without words, it is hard to love well. When we say to our parents, children, lovers, or friends: "I love you very much" or "I care for you" or "I think of you often" or "You are my greatest gift," we choose to give life.It is not always easy to express our love directly in words. But whenever we do, we discover we have offered a blessing that will be long remembered. When a son can say to his father, "Dad, I love you," and when a mother can say to her daughter, "Child, I love you," a whole new blessed place can be opened up, a space where it is good to dwell. Indeed, words have the power to create life.

Trev Carpenter
www.btmcallen.com