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"Belief in God doesn't automatically result in the belief- the genuine heart conviction- that God loves us."

A thought by Craig Groeschel, from his book, The Christian Atheist: When You Believe in God But Live as if He Doesn’t Exist (p. 60). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) But doesn’t the Bible say that God so loved the world?   Yes, but for so many, they don’t believe that means them. Craig says, “Oddly, our disbelief doesn’t necessarily question whether God can or does love people. We… can easily believe that God loves other people; we just can’t comprehend how or why he’d love us. We hide our real selves from other people to ensure they won’t reject us. How much more we hide from God! There’s just no way God could love someone as undeserving and evil as I am. ” Ok, ok, I know that may be how you feel but here is a fact.   Craig says, “Love is not something God does. It is who God is. And because of who he is, God loves you. Period.” He goes on, “According to 1 John 4: 8, God is love. That means God doesn’t pick an

"For many, it is difficult to accept that the past has passed."

A thought by Craig Groeschel, from his book, The Christian Atheist: When You Believe in God But Live as if He Doesn’t Exist (p. 54). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) We are now in the January, the first month of a new year but many people are still living last year or even farther back years.   They had done something in their past and the shame of it is still being lived and it is affecting them in this new year. Maybe that is you or maybe someone you know. Craig earlier says, “Shame usually follows a pattern— a cycle of self-recrimination and lies that claims life after life. First, we experience an intensely painful event. Second, we believe the lie that our pain and failure is who we are— not just something we’ve done, or had done to us— and we experience shame. And finally, our feelings of shame trap us into thinking that we can never recover— that, in fact, we don’t even deserve to.” As Craig says, “For many,

"Getting to know God is not difficult, and it isn't about a bunch of rules."

A thought by Craig Groeschel, from his book, The Christian Atheist: When You Believe in God But Live as if He Doesn’t Exist (p. 43). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I know, I know, this rules thing is for many the reason why they don’t want to know God.   Was that true or is that true of you? Craig says, “If you don’t know him, you can. If you used to be close, you can be close again. Getting to know God is not difficult, and it isn’t about a bunch of rules. Yes, God wants your obedience, but he wants your heart even more.” Craig goes on, “He (God) says over and over again that if you seek him, you will find him (Deut. 4: 29; Jer. 29: 13; Matt. 7: 7 – 8; Acts 17: 27). You can find him by reading your Bible; he’s been there all along. And when you begin to seek him, you’ll find that he’s already running toward you, his beloved child. Get to know him and allow his presence to impact every area of your life, every da