In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. Isaiah 54:8 KJV

Billy Graham wrote:

If God is all-powerful and all-loving, it would seem inconsistent with His nature to allow anyone to be lost. Here again we rationalize because we do not understand the nature of God. God cannot go against His own laws and against His own nature. God is holy. He cannot tolerate sin in His presence. He created us free to choose how we would live. He invites us to come His way, but leaves us free to pursue our own ends with tragic, natural consequences. We glibly say, “Surely a loving God would not allow a person He loves to be lost. He just wouldn’t allow it.” Far from allowing it, God has done everything He can to prevent it! Talk about love! “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…” This is good news. Because of what God in love has done for us, we need not be lost.

I have heard this statement so many times “If God is a loving God, then why does He send people to hell?” Sadly for some, they don’t really understand the fact that God is not sending anyone to hell. He actually desires everyone to be with Him in heaven, but He has given us the free-will to live our lives as we chose, just as Dr. Graham said above. As your Army Chaplain, I send these “Words of Thought” out in order to encourage you to have a relationship with the Lord; to know Him; to Love and Worship Him. You have the free choice to reject His love and saving grace through His Son, Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate this month. But if you reject that free gift, then you will receive your just judgement on judgement day and the Lord will grant you your wish……to be separated from Him and His love forever. Don’t wait and say you have time, accept Jesus today, right now, this very minute, for we do not know at what time our life will end. Once it ends, there are no second chances.

May these “Words of Thought” be a blessing unto you.
Troy Chandler
Chaplain, Army of Trans-Mississippi