What happens when you consider the facts?

     In this age of fake news, exaggerated emotional reactions and contrary thinking the facts have been conveniently laid aside so that we can all feel anything from rage to happiness over events ongoing in our world.  This just didn't start with any particular generation unless you consider Adam and Eve as the first generation.  Satan was there because he was cast to the earth for trying to make himself equal with God.  He brought the rationalization and justification we see so much of into the human race with a question: "Did he say you would really die?"  Because of the desire of Eve and her weakness to persuasion the entire history of mankind has been marked with events where facts have been conveniently omitted.  I could spend the length of a good long book providing examples of this from Adam and Eve through the book of Revelation.  However, for the sake of this blog, I won't.  Instead I was to concentrate on why we prefer lies to facts.  Half truths, by the way, are lies.  There are no harmless lies and no necessary lies that I can find justified within Scripture.  We in the Christian community have been just as duped as the rest of the world.  Why?  Because we want that instead of facts.  Facts are messy.
     James 4:17 states: "If we know what is right to do and do not do it, we sin."  That's a fact.  Everyone will have a second chance after death to get into heaven.  Not a fact.  The Bible is clear several times in the New Testament when we are told "there is no other name in heaven and on earth by which mankind may be saved."  That's a fact.  His name is Jesus.  The Bible doesn't tell us to be wealthy or to believe that pure faith will heal us.  Those are lies.  Why lie about life?  Because it's the effect of our desires circumventing the desires of God.  Where God wants to bless beyond measure, Satan wants us to desire the lies instead.  One leads to eternal life while the other leads to disappointment and perhaps eternity in hell.  Yes, there is a hell.  It's a fact.  Believing there isn't is a lie.  Some facts are easier to swallow than others.  When we get closer to the truth and engage Christ, we find the facts get in the way.  In order to have peace with the facts that Satan spews, we need to anesthetized those facts that Christ provides to us for life.  Hence, by accepting Satan's "facts" we deny the love of God the permission to live in and through us. Facts can be so messy!
     It's a fact that there is no Santa Claus as we contrive that character to be.  It's a fact there is no Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, or any other such entity we thrill our children and some adults with.  It's a fact that there are consequences, positive and negative, for every choice we make in our thoughts, words and deeds.  It's a fact that we will answer to the Father for "every idle thought we have".  It's a fact that you and I will have to account for why we haven't helped our children to come to know and love Jesus.  For others as well.  "Why didn't you tell me?" isn't something I want to hear from those I allegedly care about much less my enemies.  The facts are that nothing we have is our possession if we call ourselves Christian.  All of our being belongs to God.  That's why it says we give our life to Jesus.  While it may be convenient to think we have made our own way and done our own thing to bring us to where we are in life, it's not a fact.  It's a lie.  Without the grace of God there is no way any of us could even take in a breath.  Without the love of God there would have been no way for us to be saved.  Without the blessings of God we would no have our needs taken care of.  So, what happens when you consider the facts?  You need to make a decision.  Simple.  Remember it's always your choice.