02 August 2026

Our Relationship with God vs. Others, Part 5 (TMF:2935)

Friday, August 07, 2026

Peace to Live By: Our Relationship with God vs. Others, Part 5 (TMF:2935) - Daniel Litton
(Tap to play feature or right-click to download)

If we believe are actions as individuals matter, and that all souls are not predetermined in one direction or another, then that puts a greater emphasis for us on sharing the Gospel with others as we want more and more human beings to be with God and with us in Heaven. We can make friends for eternity. And, as some of the New Testament writers tell us, and even Jesus pointed out a minute ago, God desires everyone to be saved. It isn’t that he specifically determines that ahead of time, but a lot of times it is dependent upon their personal choice as well as people’s choice to share the message. Thus, many of us get to be partakers in sharing how one can become saved so that more and more of those we love will hopefully be saved. So, if you look at it that way, it’s not a cold-setup that God has left us with. It’s a great setup where there is hope for anyone who doesn’t believe yet but is still living.

Our Relationship with God vs. Others, Part 4 (TMF:2934)

Thursday, August 06, 2026

Peace to Live By: Our Relationship with God vs. Others, Part 4 (TMF:2934) - Daniel Litton
(Tap to play feature or right-click to download)

It feels plausible there’s some natural dispensation within us to do so anyway. That’s often referred to as the God-shaped vacuum or hole in our heart. We have to remember in all of this, however, that while we do love God greatly, and grow in our love for God over time, it’s also true that Jesus, as well as the other New Testament writers, often told us to love our brothers, and even those who aren’t. Thus, God himself clearly has it in mind that we will, and should, love other humans. And, we know, that in Heaven, a large amount of them are going to be there with God and us throughout all eternity. In that respect then, while we may love God greater, it is true we will always have fellow humans around us whom we love. It has not been taught in our Colossians series that those who don’t know God when they depart this world will be with God anyway, or will end up being with God. That’s not taught here.

Our Relationship with God vs. Others, Part 3 (TMF:2933)

Wednesday, August 05, 2026

Peace to Live By: Our Relationship with God vs. Others, Part 3 (TMF:2933) - Daniel Litton
(Tap to play feature or right-click to download)

We do know, or should know by now, that God is the only One who is unchanging in our lives. So, this is a second reason, in that not only do we want to be close to God, but actually, he is the only one who is certain for us. It was mentioned how Paul only had Luke with him by the end of his life, that everyone else had gone somewhere else. But Jesus has also told us in Luke, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26, ESV). Therefore, he draws a firm line. He shows that our love for God will be far greater than for anyone else. It’s not that we must love God, but it seems better to say that we automatically will if we are a true believer. It will well-up from our hearts.

Our Relationship with God vs. Others, Part 2 (TMF:2932)

Tuesday, August 04, 2026

Peace to Live By: Our Relationship with God vs. Others, Part 2 (TMF:2932) - Daniel Litton
(Tap to play feature or right-click to download)

He wants us to actually draw near to him first, and then he will in turn draw near to us. It isn’t, as has often been taught, that the Father draws us to him, and then we are close to him, It is as Jesus told the Pharisees in John, when he said, “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40, ESV). Note that this is the same passage where, just a couple verses later, Jesus says the Father draws people to himself. Though, this drawing can’t be without a person’s will, for Jesus just told us it is the will of God that everyone comes to him. Accordingly, if it was that the Father draw people outside of their individual wills, then everyone would come to God because God would draw all to himself, Obviously, we know that’s not the case.

Our Relationship with God vs. Others, Part 1 (TMF:2931)

Monday, August 03, 2026

Peace to Live By: Our Relationship with God vs. Others, Part 1 (TMF:2931) - Daniel Litton
(Tap to play feature or right-click to download)

Getting started. It was discussed at the beginning of Colossians 3 how we are to seek the things which are above and to set our minds on them, that all earthly relationships are just that, earthly. Admittedly, that seems kind of cold. Can this be discussed further and about how it relates to those we are close to in this life? This is the call for everyone, really, to be in relationship with God, with the true God of the Universe. And, for us who have become Christians, it looks like that that is where we have found ourselves after some time, that we are very happy that we are now on right terms with God. We find that we love spending time with him, whether we call that meditation or prayer. We want to be close to God, and we discover that what James told us in his epistle, that we must draw near to God in order for him to draw near to us, we find that’s experientially true. The beautiful thing about that is that it shows us that God values human freedom.