Delivered From Delusion

Realizing that some of you might have a hard time telling when I am being serious or not, I thought it might be appropriate to place a big smiley face along side the articles that are meant for fun and entertainment.
This article, in particular, would NOT have such an emoticon present.

This subject is so important that I have wrestled with the proper way to present it for some time. I know it to be important, not merely by its nature, but by the obstacles and distractions that have been laid in my path to dissuade and delay me writing this.

I hope you will read this to the end. I know some will and some will not. Regardless of how this affects my reputation, I must make it clear for you all what I believe and why I believe it.

It would be easy to simply keep silent in a time when the most popular voices in our culture belittle and ridicule those of us with faith. I cannot keep silent. My silence would be a disservice to you, and a dishonor to the subject and author of my belief. There are those that would call me deluded and dangerous for my beliefs. I could argue that I am far from either. But, I really don't have to argue my case, because my beliefs are based on more than something I read, heard or saw. They are more than the culmination of the teachings I was exposed to throughout my life. In fact, they are in spite of a large portion of those teachings. My beliefs are based on experience and relationship.

I believe in the Bible as the Word of The Living God, who is the Creator Spirit. God created everything that exists and He spoke all of creation into existence. He created man as another speaking spirit (in His image) and gave man authority over the earth.

I believe because man chose to doubt the Word of God and His goodness, that man became broken in his relationship to the Creator who loved him. I also believe that God loved His creation despite the rejection, because He is LOVE. He and His love are so complete that He spoke from eternity into time and continued speaking to His creation until His Word found purchase and became human.

I believe that human to have been Jesus of Nazareth, who was both man as he was originally created, obedient to the will of God, and God incarnate. He sacrificed Himself as the only acceptable and perfect atonement for the broken relationship between Himself and His creation. As obedient man He died, but as man created as God intended with God's Holy Spirit within him, death could not hold Him. God raised Jesus from the grave and after bearing witness to His disciples ascended to His place in the eternal Godhead.

Because this atonement was made perfectly, any person who chooses to believe in God's Word and His goodness can enter into relationship with Him and as a token of that relationship, He imparts His spirit to live within.

I have not always been able to claim these beliefs, because for many years I misunderstood the dynamic of the relationship. I was taught that a relationship with God looked a certain way. When my relationship didn't match up to that standard I felt like I had been rejected by God, so I began to look for other answers. Answers that caused me to question God's existence, my purpose and the meaning of such a pitiful group of beings called humanity. Frankly, I was at a loss. I studied other world religions, but none made sense or resonated in my inner man like Christianity. So, was there something unforgivable in my past?

I asked, and hoped for forgiveness. God answered that question. Into my spirit He spoke these words. "I HAVE NEVER TURNED MY BACK ON YOU. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE, BECAUSE I LOVE YOU."

I have not been perfect since then, but His perfect Holy Spirit has been faithful to stay in close relationship with me. Not because of my deeds, but in spite of them, because He loves me.

I am better than I used to be. I am more creative, and my art is my prayer language. I paint to glorify God. I write to honor Him.

If you have ever longed for a relationship that will never end, all you need do is pray this prayer. "Lord Jesus, I believe that You died so that I could have a relationship with God. Please, forgive all the ways that I have missed the mark because of my unbelief and doubt. Please, come into relationship with me."

That's it. If you believe and you call on Jesus, you will be saved from a life without relationship with God.

I am sure that there are those that will never read this blog again, because of this writing. God still loves you. So, do I.

There are those that will say that I am deluded in believing as I do. Delusion according to the dictionary is a persistent false psychotic belief regarding self or something or someone outside of self, which is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary. Looking at nature and all of creation, I can honestly say that one must be deluded not to recognize the handiwork of God.

Those popular atheistic voices might scoff and say, "There is no proof of God. You cannot see Him. Man is merely a bio-mechanical organism and all these thoughts and emotions you are talking about are just so many neural-chemical reactions. Love is only a random firing of your synapses." To those, I only say that you have eyes, but you choose not to see. You have limited your vision to what is in front of you. Love is not a chemical; He is the creator. The only proof I need of God is what I already have; His spirit within me. And He wants you to know that as limited as you are, He knows no limits. That is how He loves you even though you doubt and reject Him.

Ken O'Toole is a published author and abstract expressionist artist living in the Dallas / Fort Worth area.