Conflict With Destiny.
What is your eternal destiny? Mark explains how he came to know that his destiny is to be with Jesus, his Saviour.
Story With a Sad Ending
How do you feel when a story ends sadly? Where it does not conclude with, “…and they lived happily ever after.” It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes a tale is told, and in the end, the main character met an unavoidable disaster, tragedy or even dies. Our inclination is to see a narrative come to end on a positive note. We expect resolve and closure when we read the last page of a story; but uneasiness is met with disappointment when happiness is not the outcome.
Perhaps we feel this way because we intend our entertainment to be an escapism from reality and we don’t want “hard fact” to be a part of our leisure, because all too often in life we are witnesses to unhappy endings.
Sad Endings We Face
What sad endings are you facing? …A loved one who died following a long battle against cancer? … A marriage that struggled for many years ending in divorce?
We don’t intentionally write these stories into our lives where the endings are out of our control. Not many people can say that the life they are living is the way they would have written it.
God The Author
We can continue to labor through this life, trying to write our own story against the grain of uncontrollable circumstances, or we can give the pen over to God and let Him be the author, the one who knows our beginning and our end:
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2
Have you heard the concept of everyone having a “hole in their heart that only God can fill?” Like that thought, the writer of Ecclesiastes said in chapter 3:11 God has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Essentially what they are saying is whether we recognize it or not, everybody’s need for God is built into them. To live life without God is an existence missing an integral need.
Regret in the Final Moments
What is it like to come to those final moments in life and feel regret for not doing or saying something that you always wanted too? That is not the time for God to be the last resort and the first time He has been seriously contemplated in your life.
God is not looking for a sub-chapter in your life, where you thought about Him for a few moments… He wants to be the lead role in every page of your biography.
Who is the author of your future? How do you want your story to end?
Conflict With Our Destiny
We have come to the final session of our series on conflict types. It has been made obvious throughout that conflict bombards our life in every way; from within and from without. There are natural, spiritual and self-inflicted battles we face daily.
Noticeably, sin is the source of all discord; the original sin of Adam and Eve, introduced turmoil into the natural world, which daily works against us. Humanity was inflicted with a sin nature (of which none of us are exempt), and the power that sin has over us causes us to sin in actions of selfishness and pride. As a result, we are at odds with others, God and even ourselves.
Adam & Eve’s Choice
Adam and Eve’s choice to be independent from the goodness God had for them was an offence causing separation. Their rebellion was inherited by all their children and their decedents; being passed from generation to generation. Now, here we are, thousands of years later, still dealing with this corruption within our DNA. Despite this, we have our creator God who still loves us, who wants to see the original relationship He had with humanity restored as it was in the Garden of Eden prior to the fall into sin.
He has made this reunion possible through giving His Son Jesus, as the perfect/sinless sacrifice for the sins of the world.
In John 3:15-18 we see that
…everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.
John 3:15-18
Peace With God
Peace with God is available to all who trust in the redemptive work of His Son, God does not want us continuing in conflict.
We are all guilty by association with Adam’s sin in the garden, but now we can be free by association with Jesus risen victory over death.
This is the plan and purpose of God for everyone. There are only two destinies set before us: eternal life with God or forever separation in hell.
Two Gates
Jesus describes our choice as two gates; Matthew 7:13,14 You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
Do you accept God’s plan of salvation? Many people for various reasons do not know full well the consequences if they reject God’s plan. The Apostle Peter said to his readers; 2 Peter 3:9 … God is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed but wants everyone to repent.
Saved By The Grace of God
In the bible we read about a book that has recorded the names of all those who are saved by the grace of God, having received the promise of eternal life; it’s called the Book of Life. Jesus says in Revelation 3:5 …he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.
Revelation 20:12,15 speaks of this,
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works…
Revelation 20:12,15
Destiny & The Book of Life
What an assurance and calm in your soul, to have a sense of security in knowing that your name is written in God’s Book of Life. God’s judgement is not associated with those whose names are written in it, only those who did not receive Christ as their savior, whose works are recorded for God’s review.
Sadly, for them at this point, it is too late to revoke or plead any case; no works of humanity has enough merit to stand against the perfect righteousness of God. The cross work of Christ is the only hope we can cling too, cleansed by the blood He shed there.
The War to End All Wars
At one time World War II was called, “the war to end all wars,” that was a very optimistic view with hopes of a forever peaceful future, but of course, that was not the case. Eternally speaking, Jesus is the truth, not an ill-founded optimism we have but assurance that our account with God can be settled, through the price He paid for us… His battle against sin, death and hell on the cross to free us, who were captive in our transgressions… This was the conflict to end all conflicts.
I remember the peace I felt within myself the day I received Jesus Christ as my savior. It was the end of many burning questions, concerns, doubts about eternity, and where I stood before God. I knew that Jesus was all I needed in life, death, and beyond this world. It is well with my soul; I hold no doubts that the sacrifice of my Lord is a sufficient payment for my sin.
My Destiny
I know my destiny is set to be with my savior.
Colossians 1:19-22 teaches,
…in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him…
Colossians 1:19-22
I know this is how my story will end; when I exit this world to begin a new chapter in eternity.
Is this how you want your story to end?
End your conflict with Him and surrender, recognizing that in giving up; “overwhelming victory is yours through Christ, who loves you.”
What is your destiny? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
The Complete Conquering Conflict Series Links
Mark Hillis
Mark lives in the small rural village of Fenwick, Ontario with his wife Michelle and three boys.
He joined the FBH International team in February 2022, coming from the business world with a design and art background.
Mark is particularly interested in seeing people come to Christ and grow in their faith. He recently produced the series entitled: Sow to Grow.
Mark serves as an elder at Brockview Bible Chapel in St.Catharines , Ontario.
Visit Mark’s contributor’s page here.
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