Author: cfwriter

The Character of Those Who May Dwell with the Lord

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The Character of Those Who May Dwell with the Lord

A Psalm of David.

15 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

2 He who walks uprightly,
    And works righteousness,
    And speaks the truth in his heart;
3 He who does not backbite with his tongue,
    Nor does evil to his neighbor,
    Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
    But he honors those who fear the Lord;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 He who does not put out his money at usury,
    Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.

My vision for Christian fiction: why it matters by David Bergsland

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In his post, David Bergsland says something important about Christian fiction.

It’s all about relationships

As we know, in the everyday world, discipleship is a result of relationship. That’s how it works between Jesus and each one of us individually. We develop an intimacy with the Lord which enables Him to purify us and make us fruitful. This is the only way discipleship comes to fruition—between two people who know and trust each other. This is why marriage is such a powerful tool for discipleship from the Lord. He can use your intimacy to confront each other about areas which need to be fixed, to encourage one another in missions of great difficulty, and to raise and mentor children.

That type of thing is what the Lord wants to do in your life. AND, that is what the Lord hopes you will do with the worlds, characters, events, and relationships you create in your novel. Whether you write romances, thrillers, fantasy, action/adventure, or any other genre of fiction, He is calling you to bring reality into your books.

Source: My vision for Christian fiction: why it matters

4 Reasons to Read Christian Fiction

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Why do readers of any genres read?

Ask them and you will typically get these answers:

  1. I read to escape my boredom, to be entertained.
  2. I read to be distracted.
  3. I read to feel, to change my mood, to make me forget my mood.
  4. I read because I like to believe life is more than what I see in my waking life. It is where I meet honorable people (characters).

Why do people read Christian fiction?

  1. Because they crave the Light. The common, all-too-human ugliness and darkness are what they see in their every day life. They want to believe there is still light (good people) in this world.
  2. Because they look for God, consciously or not. It is hard to find something you don’t know how to look for. You cannot find evidence if you don’t know what you are looking for. How do you recognize God? How do you see his footprint? People need to learn how to look for God’s work and figure out where God begins and where they end. The line is blurry for too many people.
  3. Because they seek a way to get to God. Too often, God is viewed as this deity perched up on the highest shelf, thus unattainable by humans. Christian fiction is their hope to find a way to get to him. It gives a tangible manifestation of their quest and if they read the right story for them, they will hear God’s whispers and find their way to him.
  4. Because they crave hearing from God. Of course, the Bible is God’s Word, but it is still cryptic. They are epic stories that relate very little to our humdrum lives. Christian fiction is a bridge. It can take epic lessons and apply them to our lives and it can take our lives and turn it into an epic story that has God’s name written all over it.

There are only a few ways to write stories that resonates deep within the reader:

  • Dig deep, get to the root of most human painful experience (abandonment, abuse, negligence, etc.), and you will create a story to which many readers can relate.
  • Look beyond appearances and let God’s works shine through. Show your readers how God works when He says “let there be light”.
  • God is not linear in his works, He is universal… He controls the chain of events, the ripple effect, and the consequences. One act, his word, doesn’t go back to Him without doing everything it was meant to do. Nothing – absolutely nothing – gets lost. For lack of better words, his work is holistic, multi-purpose, complete, and perfect.
  • God works where and when we can’t. Look for God in the impossibilities, in behaviors unnatural to human nature.

God can use anything – did he not use a donkey to speak to a prophet? – to ‘speak’ to anyone. A story is as good as anything to spark a real desire to know God or hint toward a way to find him.

Related links:

4 Reasons to Read Inspirational Fiction

Purpose for Christian Fiction

Praise the Lord for His Holiness

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The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.

2 The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.

3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.

4 The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.

5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.

6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.

7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.

8 Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.

9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.

Psalms 99 (KJV)

Be Imitators of Christ

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What does it possibly mean? What does “walking in love” entail?

Which part of ‘be imitators of Christ’ relates to destroying the sinner? Why are we, human beings, tempted to take upon ourselves to get justice? Why are we comfortable with being judge, jury, and executioner?

Sinners

I do not recall Jesus ever rejecting a sinner. I do not recall Jesus debasing the Samaritan woman at the well, I do not recall Jesus punishing the adulteress who would have been stoned to death if he had not told the people ‘let he who is without sin cast the first stone’, and I do not recall the thief – a criminal and sinner according to the laws and the Law – who was crucified beside him being told off and rejected when he asked Jesus to remember him. He did not send away the centurion – surely he had killed people – who went to him to ask him to heal his servant.

Jesus did not seek to destroy the woman even though she had sinned; Jesus did not show disgust toward the thief, and Jesus did not display contempt toward the centurion. He showed compassion to the woman, he welcomed the thief, and he healed the servant because of the centurion’s faith.

Does this means Jesus chose to love these people if he forgave them on the spot and treated them well?

Jesus gave his life to reconcile the sinner with his Father, would he render his sacrifice null and void by punishing those who seek him and the Father?

God is love, he so loved the world he sent his own son to die so we could have a relationship with him… God never destroys those who seek him, God blesses them.

Advice on Behaviors

 22Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
2 Timothy 2:22-26 (KJV)

I think reading what the amplified Bible says is worth it.

22 Run away from youthful lusts—pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those [believers] who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But have nothing to do with foolish and ignorant speculations [useless disputes over unedifying, stupid controversies], since you know that they produce strife and give birth to quarrels. 24 The servant of the Lord must not participate in quarrels, but must be kind to everyone [even-tempered, preserving peace, and he must be], skilled in teaching, patient and tolerant when wronged. 25 He must correct those who are in opposition with courtesy and gentleness in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and be led to the knowledge of the truth [accurately understanding and welcoming it], 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
2 Timothy 2:22-26 (AMP)

Beating righteousness into people is not being an imitator of Christ. Love does not coerce, love does not destroy, love from God does not debase. The Holy Spirit convicts, man doesn’t; God knows all, no man on Earth does.

8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

1 Peter 3:8-13 (KJV)

And last but not least…

23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

1 Peter 2:23 (NKJV)

Let God take care of those who have hurt or wronged you, let God show you justice, and let God judge righteously. He knows everything, no man on Earth does.

In a nutshell, be loving, compassionate, forgiving, and kind. Keep your mouth shut when someone hurts you or wrongs you… Jesus did. Forgive, Jesus did it too.

34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.”

Luke 23:34 (NKJV)

Would he have asked God to forgive them if he had not done it himself first?

Jesus would not have been God’s son if he had only forgiven those who actually hurt him and made the rest of mankind pay for the pain he felt. God’s love is not partial, it is whole. Vengeance and justice belong to God, no one else. Partial forgiveness is not forgiveness, it is misplaced anger… but that’s a topic for another blog post.

Cross Bearing

Being a good imitator of Christ is not always painless. As he was hated, criticized, met with opposition, ridiculed, and mistreated, so will we.

14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

1 Peter 3:14-2

It takes God’s grace to be an imitator of Christ. Without his grace, human nature gets in the way, our ego gets in the way, anger, violence, and wickedness get in the way.

It takes yielding to the Holy Spirit to be an imitator of Christ.

Character of the New Man

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:12-17 (NKJV)

Love is not judgmental, love does not discriminate, love does not accuse. Love is merciful, love is inclusive, love forgives.

Why You Need a ‘Contact’ Page

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Build it, and they will come.

Well, maybe not… but it will certainly make it easier to contact you.

Being reachable is important, here’s why:

Source: Why You Need a ‘Contact’ Page

I pressed this from Sarah Brentyn’s blog.

I have a contact page and a guestbook. You can also leave comments on blog posts. I am reachable and waiting to hear from you.

A Friend Loves Always

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One of the most striking stories of friendship between human beings in the Old Testament is that of Jonathan and David. In today’s terms, they were the first “bromance” in history.

1And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

1 Samuel 18:1 (KJV)

These following verses are the same verse, but from different versions:

New International Version
After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.

New Living Translation
After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David.

English Standard Version
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

Shortly put, Jonathan was King Saul’s son and King Saul hated David enough to “hunt him”, to seek ways and to attempt to get rid of him. As you might have guessed, David survived every King Saul’s attempts to kill him.

In the New Testament, however, it is a surprising relationship you will find in a letter from Paul to Philemon. You know, this letter everyone keeps skipping because they think the letters to the Corinthians, the Galatians, the Romans, the Ephesians, and the Colossians convey more crucial content than it. Paul’s letter to Philemon seems out of place among the other letters. First, the letter is addressed to one person instead of a group and second, Paul asked for a favour instead of teaching, scolding, or directly exhorting the addressee. The tone is intimate (read this word to mean that they know and understand each other), full of respect and consideration.

But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

Philemon 1:14 (KJV)

New International Version
But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary.

New Living Translation
But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced.

English Standard Version
but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord.

Why did Paul ask something of Philemon instead of commanding him to do it? Paul did not lack in authority; he pointed it out to Philemon and highlighted the fact he deliberately chose not to use it. Most of the people he wrote to were people who converted during his visits to these regions. Most considered him their “spiritual father”, their mentor, their teacher. However, in the name of friendship, Paul asks Philemon to do something instead of commanding him to do so.  Why did Paul choose it?

I read some commentaries about this letter and most agree on the fact that Paul provided Philemon with an opportunity to do one more thing for the Lord, a gesture done willingly.

2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.

1 Peter 5:2
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness;

But what if there was more to it?

From the beginning of the letter, we know Paul is confident in Philemon’s answer. Philemon is a man who loves the Lord and God’s followers. From the way Paul addresses Philemon in the beginning of his letter, I keep picturing him as the eager type: eager to please the Lord, fervent in his walk of love,  and ready to walk in obedience.

What if Paul gave Philemon an opportunity to grow? The letter mentioned an unpleasant history between Philemon and Onesimus; Paul must have suspected that the favour he asked of him would be a tall order and a sore spot in Philemon’s life. In order for Philemon to give Paul a positive answer, he had to make things right with God in regards to Onesimus and within himself over the past, and most likely forgive Onesimus. A positive answer to Paul required of Philemon to choose God, to choose to grow in maturity, and Paul knew it.

Since no one can coerce someone else into growing up; it had to be done willingly.

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Proverbs 27:17

New International Version
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

New Living Translation
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

English Standard Version
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

In my own opinion, the most potent verse about friendship is found in Proverbs:

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17 (KJV)

A friend loves at all times, and to know what love is and what it does, go to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NKJV)

People usually enter a friendship because they like and love their friend from the get-go. If you are in a friendship that does not engage your heart in a positive way, it is not a friendship and you are not a friend. Most agree that friendship happens between like-minded people, but it is not always the case; something common brings them together but they might very well be opposites in terms personality and outlook on life.

Friendship, in God’s eyes, serves a purpose. Friendship is a relationship in which the friends are called to serve (to minister to) one another, to be there for each other. Friendship is also a type of relationship that heightens awareness.  We come to be (to exist, to label who we are) only in front of someone else. Difference in opinions, shortcomings, and subconscious and conscious emotions find an outlet through friendship and sometimes also get in the way. Friendship is never about self, it is always about the other person because love is selfless (love does not seek its own and love does not parade itself, is not puffed up).

Real friends are honest with each other, they are truthful, and they care about one another. A friend provides help and support and meets the needs he can meet. Friendship overall builds up the two people in it. Friendship is benevolent because love is kind and love thinks no evil. Friendship is one of God’s ways to show us his love, because a friend loves at all times and love forgives all.

Need a reminder on what love is and what love does?

Love cannot exist without free will. Love does not behave rudely, therefore love does not allow coercion, domination, and tyranny and coercing Philemon in any way would have been proof that Paul did not love him. Paul loved Philemon as a friend, hence the reason he granted him the opportunity to exert his free will, the opportunity to grow in God and in love, and thus become a more mature Christian. That’s what friends do for one another; they help each other grow closer to God by loving their friend unconditionally, by loving the way God loves, by God loving their friend through them.

Related articles:

Top 7 bible verses about friendship

Being a Friend

Bible verses about friendship: 20 good scripture quotes

True Friendship

Author Blogging: Some Advice

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Well, it seems I have been going all wrong about blogging according to this post: Your author blog: what should an author blog about?

Authors (published or not) don’t do what I do… post verses or talk about what they learn about God as they learn it… Authors don’t share knowledge or awe about God’s work… No… They network with fellow indie authors, use their long comments on someone else’s blog to publish on their own blog and they can talk about the craft, share their journey to the publishing world with the world but they cannot critique or whine. Those are writing career busters.

Established authors can talk about anything (their books, their research, their opinions, their pets even!), talk to anyone (interviews, profiles, guest posts), and basically nurture their readers’ morbid curiosity about their lives. As long as posts provide information or entertainment, just about anything goes.

And I am out my league!

  • No one gets my sense of humour: deadpan doesn’t work well online.
  • What entertains me doesn’t entertain anyone else. You see,  most people laugh in front of  stupidity, silliness, immaturity, revenge, etc., I don’t. Levity is fine, but too much of it makes me nauseous. Life is short, give me something that will help me understand, help me see something differently, help me expand my horizon and I am all ears. Make me laugh, I like subtlety, paradox, absurdity. Surprise me with the unexpected, with the odd association. That’s my sense of humour.  So, who else is with me here? That’s what I thought. (sigh)
  • I’m still trying to solve the puzzle:
    • How to promote without being boastful
    • How to speak of oneself without sounding self-centered.
    • How far to let people in without being invaded. I’m a private person. I don’t post my life on social media and that’s the way I want to keep it. However, I’m willing to divulge the basics… to a certain extent. This is, however, a non-issue at the moment.
  • I write on difficult feelings and topics. Would being a comedian on my blog be a matter of false representation as my themes are anything but funny?
So many questions, so few answers!
Then, other pieces of advice pop up, such as:
  • Find your unique voice, stand out, let your originality shine.
  • Give your readers what they want (Er…What readers? They haven’t let themselves be known to me yet.)
So basically, we have a cohort of people doing the exact same thing their peers do, expecting to hit the popularity jackpot and for the most part staying in the dark (such as ranking last on the fiftieth page of results when googling their own name plus author). Does that sum it up well?
My social media channels are interlinked, I post when inspiration strikes me, I use tags and categories (my attempt at SEO). Although I like to write, it seems I have no clue on how to reach people. I will keep at it, regardless of the size of my readership. The rest is in God’s hand since I can’t do it.

Praise to God for His Word and Providence

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Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

2 The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.

3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.

5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

6 The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.

7 Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

13 For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.

14 He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.

15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.

16 He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.

17 He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?

18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.

20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.

– Psalm 147 King James Version (KJV)

 

God’s Wrath: The Price of Repeated Disobedience

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The Israelites have done just about everything to test God’s infinite patience and love and they have often found themselves oppressed, diminished, and enslaved because they would not be humble before God. They were punished for their misconduct. When they were brought to their knees because of their punishment, they would cry out to God and He would rescue them, always reiterating what He wants:

And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Ps 50:15  (KJV)

However, they had a short memory span and probably did not fully understand the meaning of “glorifying God”. They ended up displeasing God all over again and finding themselves in the same (or in worse) circumstances than those they were rescued from.

There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (KJV)

Since God does not change, He still hates these things, even in people who know the Word of God.

16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?
17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.
18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.
21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

Ps 50:16-21 (KJV)

This sounds like the introduction to a lesson learned the hard way. God’s wrath hurts (Lamentations 2). Consider what happened to Adam and Eve for disobeying and see where it led mankind. Remember why Noah built an ark so a handful of righteous men would survive the flood while the rest of humanity was set to perish? Why was there a flood in the first place?

He does not only turn his wrath to the unbelievers, but also against those who are supposed to know him and those He chose.

5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

Hosea 6:5-7 (KJV)

God still teaches lessons to his children when they deserve it.

15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

Proverbs 29:15 (KJV)

God is  also just and loving.

 20 The soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22 All his transgressions that he has committed, they shall not be remembered against him: in his righteousness that he has done he shall live.
23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? says the Lord GOD: and not that he should turn from his ways, and live?
24 But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All his righteousness that he has done shall not be remembered: in his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.
25 Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
26 When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in them; for his iniquity that he has done shall he die.
27 Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
28 Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
29 Yet says the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, by which you have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, O house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, says the Lord GOD: therefore turn yourselves, and live.

Ezekiel 18:20-32 (KJV)

Just remember this:

10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Psalms 84:10 (KJV)

Related:

5 Truths about the Wrath of God

Bible Verses About the Wrath of God

Violence

The Bible Often Mentions God’s Wrath. Why does it matter?