On December 17, 1903 in Kitty Hawk, NC, Wilbur and Orville Wright flew a powered aircraft. It went a 120 feet in 12 seconds, But it was a first for flight. Within 2 years of those first short flights, the Wright brothers had refined their 'flying machine' into a practical airplane. They had some idea of the tremendous value of their invention and became obsessed with reaping the financial rewards. In following years, others began to use innovations of the Wright brothers without paying them. They filed suit after suit in court against those who were infringing on their patents. They became so focused on the legal struggle, they lost sight of continuing development of their flying machines. Ten years after their first flight, others had stepped in and developed the technologies, eclipsing the valuable work of the Wright brothers.
I wonder what might have been if the Wright brothers had kept their brilliant minds focused on developing aerodynamic principles and refining the technologies they created. They had solved the problems with created a viable powered flying machine, what might they have developed in the next ten years? We will never know.
Disciple, we must remember that losing sight of the important to focus on the urgent will always rob us of the best in life! It is oh-so-easy to get sidetracked by secondary issues, isn't it?
When we take our eyes off of the goal and start to question:
"Am I getting respect from others?”
“Am I having all the fun I think I deserve?”
“Am I being compensated fairly?”
“Are others getting a better deal in life than I am?"
- we cannot effectively do God's work and we will not remain faithful servants of the Kingdom.
The wisest people are those who know how to choose the most important things and stick with them, come what may. In this age and culture, we are blessed to have multiple opportunities in life, but the grand buffet spread in front of us demands great wisdom. None of us is rich enough in time to have it all! We must choose.
What will you spend your time on today, friend? Will it be wasted, just ‘killing time?’ Or, will it be invested? Will it be invested in things that please the Lord or in things that have little lasting value? Will you obsess over money, success, pleasure, or reputation? Or, will you live courageously, selflessly, and with Heaven’s rewards in view?
Here is a word from the Word!
"Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.
Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.
When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed!" (Hebrews 12:1-4, The Message)
Like Christ, keep your eyes focused on the IMPORTANT. See how He lived. Trust that your Father in Heaven sees, knows, and will ultimately reward you.
STAY THE COURSE!
_________________
Keep me true, Lord Jesus,
keep me true!
Keep me true, Lord Jesus,
keep me true.
There's a race that I must run,
There's a victory to be won.
Every hour, by Thy power,
I'll be true.
- Unknown
Friday, July 09, 2010
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Kids and the Kingdom
It’s kid week, or so it seems! My grandsons, ages 8 and 5, are in the house. They good boys, full of questions and curiosity about life. Their optimism about each morning, the sense of ‘newness’ that they bring to the day, inspires! They are attending our outreach week at church with about 150 other children each morning. All these kids, with their boundless energy, their enthusiasm, and their readiness to be taught - turned my thoughts to Jesus’ words.
"Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting." (Matthew 18:2-7, NLT)
The Master urges us to become like little children before our Heavenly Father. Did you meet Him this morning with an expectation of discovery, with joy just because He is? Is your attitude like that a child who accepts each day as it is? Or, have you become so cool and sophisticated that you will not trust God for what this day holds? We are all tempted to turn from simply delight in Him, to seek the approval of people around us. Apart from delighting the Lord, that need can grow so strong that we are ready to do things we don’t enjoy and buy things we don’t like just to have the approval of those we give the power of influence over us.
The Lord also warns us about turning a person who is like a child before Him away from their faith by pressuring them with temptation! We can’t avoid living around temptation, but we surely can avoid pulling people away from their Father. If we are struggling with sin, we only deepen our despair if we choose to drag others down to our level. Instead, Jesus says that we should welcome those who trust Him with a simple faith, letting them lift us up.
One of the wonderful things about a little child is his readiness to live in this moment. The kids who are part of our Vacation Bible School are not staring at the clock, moving to push to the next thing. They are ‘in the moment!’ What delight they find as they explore the opportunities and possibilities that present themselves. Take Jesus’ words to heart today, disciple. When you find yourself fretting, complaining, or wishing you were someone else, or that life was something other than it is, or that you were somewhere far away; stop and give the Spirit the opportunity to renew your joy in the moment. Humbly accept the day and let joy find you!
____________________
Let me be a man
With a perfect heart,
Let me be a son
Who will please You, Father;
Let me be a child
Who reveals Your will
In all I do and say.
Fill me with Your Spirit,
Lord, I pray, that Jesus
Will be seen in all of my life;
Let me be a son
Who will please You, Father,
Let me be a man
With a perfect heart.
A Man With A Perfect Heart
Hayford, Jack
© 1995 Annamarie Music (Maranatha! Music [Admin. by The Copyright Company])
CCLI License No. 810055
"Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting." (Matthew 18:2-7, NLT)
The Master urges us to become like little children before our Heavenly Father. Did you meet Him this morning with an expectation of discovery, with joy just because He is? Is your attitude like that a child who accepts each day as it is? Or, have you become so cool and sophisticated that you will not trust God for what this day holds? We are all tempted to turn from simply delight in Him, to seek the approval of people around us. Apart from delighting the Lord, that need can grow so strong that we are ready to do things we don’t enjoy and buy things we don’t like just to have the approval of those we give the power of influence over us.
The Lord also warns us about turning a person who is like a child before Him away from their faith by pressuring them with temptation! We can’t avoid living around temptation, but we surely can avoid pulling people away from their Father. If we are struggling with sin, we only deepen our despair if we choose to drag others down to our level. Instead, Jesus says that we should welcome those who trust Him with a simple faith, letting them lift us up.
One of the wonderful things about a little child is his readiness to live in this moment. The kids who are part of our Vacation Bible School are not staring at the clock, moving to push to the next thing. They are ‘in the moment!’ What delight they find as they explore the opportunities and possibilities that present themselves. Take Jesus’ words to heart today, disciple. When you find yourself fretting, complaining, or wishing you were someone else, or that life was something other than it is, or that you were somewhere far away; stop and give the Spirit the opportunity to renew your joy in the moment. Humbly accept the day and let joy find you!
____________________
Let me be a man
With a perfect heart,
Let me be a son
Who will please You, Father;
Let me be a child
Who reveals Your will
In all I do and say.
Fill me with Your Spirit,
Lord, I pray, that Jesus
Will be seen in all of my life;
Let me be a son
Who will please You, Father,
Let me be a man
With a perfect heart.
A Man With A Perfect Heart
Hayford, Jack
© 1995 Annamarie Music (Maranatha! Music [Admin. by The Copyright Company])
CCLI License No. 810055
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
A moment of reflection
This CWTW is from the archives today …
Why do we celebrate birthdays anyway? After a time, it's just depressing, isn't it? I found this information which I thought interesting enough to pass along. Celebrating birthdays dates back to pre-Christian eras. It was a common belief that evil spirits were more dangerous to a person when he or she experienced a change in their daily life, such as turning a year older. As a result, birthdays were merry occasions celebrated with family and friends, who surrounded the person of honor with laughter and joy in order to protect them from evil. Instead of gifts, most guests brought positive thoughts and happy wishes for the upcoming year. However, if well-wishers did bring gifts, it was considered an especially good influence for the birthday person. In most ancient cultures, however, only birthdays of nobility were marked. The common people were too poor and/or unimportant to have a celebration!
I also learned that in many cultures birthdays are only celebrated until adulthood! Now there is a tradition I could learn to like!
A birthday is a good time for reflection, serious evaluation of how we are spending the precious time God gives to us. This prayer is one I often remember - "Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." (Psalm 90:12, KJV) We can think about our mortality without being morbid. There is no need to obsess on death, but we are foolish not to allow ourselves to sense the irresistible ebb of time. No one lives forever on this earth.
I realize that someday, perhaps sooner, perhaps later; I will step through the doorway of eternity. I want to use this day to prepare for that appointment. Jesus spoke frequently of the importance of preparing for eternity. He said, "Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven..." (Matthew 6:19-20, CEV) Yet, most of the people I know are frantically acquiring temporal treasure. They work endlessly to buy those things that will not last so they can impress people they do not like! Lord, help us to be wiser than that! If we are not, we may end up hearing words similar to these found in a story Jesus told about a rich old fool- "God showed up and said, `Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?' That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God." (Luke 12:20-21, The Message)
The Word teaches us a better way to use our lives: "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." (1 Timothy 6:18-19, NIV)
So, today, I am 'taking hold of life that is truly life!' I am not afraid of being a year older because it means I'm just a little closer to my eternal home and the Presence of my loving Father.
I may not be all that I once was,
but I am surely not all that I will be!
Thank the Lord.
_________________
Why do we celebrate birthdays anyway? After a time, it's just depressing, isn't it? I found this information which I thought interesting enough to pass along. Celebrating birthdays dates back to pre-Christian eras. It was a common belief that evil spirits were more dangerous to a person when he or she experienced a change in their daily life, such as turning a year older. As a result, birthdays were merry occasions celebrated with family and friends, who surrounded the person of honor with laughter and joy in order to protect them from evil. Instead of gifts, most guests brought positive thoughts and happy wishes for the upcoming year. However, if well-wishers did bring gifts, it was considered an especially good influence for the birthday person. In most ancient cultures, however, only birthdays of nobility were marked. The common people were too poor and/or unimportant to have a celebration!
I also learned that in many cultures birthdays are only celebrated until adulthood! Now there is a tradition I could learn to like!
A birthday is a good time for reflection, serious evaluation of how we are spending the precious time God gives to us. This prayer is one I often remember - "Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." (Psalm 90:12, KJV) We can think about our mortality without being morbid. There is no need to obsess on death, but we are foolish not to allow ourselves to sense the irresistible ebb of time. No one lives forever on this earth.
I realize that someday, perhaps sooner, perhaps later; I will step through the doorway of eternity. I want to use this day to prepare for that appointment. Jesus spoke frequently of the importance of preparing for eternity. He said, "Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven..." (Matthew 6:19-20, CEV) Yet, most of the people I know are frantically acquiring temporal treasure. They work endlessly to buy those things that will not last so they can impress people they do not like! Lord, help us to be wiser than that! If we are not, we may end up hearing words similar to these found in a story Jesus told about a rich old fool- "God showed up and said, `Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?' That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God." (Luke 12:20-21, The Message)
The Word teaches us a better way to use our lives: "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." (1 Timothy 6:18-19, NIV)
So, today, I am 'taking hold of life that is truly life!' I am not afraid of being a year older because it means I'm just a little closer to my eternal home and the Presence of my loving Father.
I may not be all that I once was,
but I am surely not all that I will be!
Thank the Lord.
_________________
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Turkeys or Eagles?
If you choose to hang out with turkeys, don’t be surprised when you end up in the roaster pan of life! If you choose to hang out with eagles, in time you’ll learn to soar to the heights. In the short-term, turkeys are the easier choice because they don’t make any demands of us. They don’t challenge us to do anything with excellence. They don’t lead us to push ourselves to learn new things, to exercise self-discipline to gain a long-term goal, or to deny our own selfish whims because we love God, family, and other people. Turkeys just like to sit around and swap stories of how it might be ‘if only they had better luck.’ They are content to scratch around on the ground until they become somebody’s supper. Eagles spread their wings and ride the winds, even the stormy ones, to higher heights.
The Bible teaches the same principle a lot more eloquently: "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." (Proverbs 13:20, NIV) I knew a boy of lesser innate ability who chose to associate himself with students with brains and discipline. He was challenged to rise above what most people thought he was capable of achieving. I have also known teens with all the ‘right stuff,’ who chose to hang with the crowd that is going nowhere but to parties. When they chased the good times, the laughter, and the acceptance of turkeys who were happy to welcome them to their unchallenged group, their bright promise faded to mediocrity, a fact they only realized when they were still telling the same stories with the same people two decades later!
Here’s the saddest story: it’s when a Christian disciple decides that pursuing the best things of God, a holy life, a disciplined life of devotion and service, is ‘too hard.’ He seldom actually says that to himself or anyone else. Instead, he says, “God is leading me in a different direction.” That is almost always out the door and away from friends who would challenge him to do his ‘utmost for God’s highest.' Instead, he finds a group where all that’s expected is that you ‘hang on’ at the fringe, where hard teaching is never heard. Instead, the emphasis is on glory stories, easy to believe miracle tales, and promises that you can ‘get all of God’ in a few minutes of emotional response to the Spirit. Turkeys misuse the grace of Christ, twisting it inside out, and making it and excuse to indulge whims. It’s a life without commitment, without sacrifice, and lived in sin, which he no longer calls by its real name!
The eagle determines to leave that behind. He finds those who will coach and encourage, whose lives of excellence show the way. "Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires." (Romans 13:13-14, NLT) Truthfully, if you want to soar on wings like eagles, enjoying the vistas from the heights of life, there are no miracle solutions or short-cuts. It’s a path of discipleship, led by the Holy Spirit, through times of trial and victory, weeping and celebrations.
In the book of Acts we read the story of the developing Church. One of the eagles is Paul. In Lystra, he preached the Gospel and a man was healed. The citizens were impressed and thought he was the god, Zeus, so they tried to worship him. Being fickle then, as people are now, in a couple of days later they turned against the preacher. They dragged him out the city where they stoned him and left him for dead! With classic understatment, Dr. Luke says when Paul recovered he went back to Lystra to teach the Believers he had left there. "Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God." (Acts 14:21-22, NLT)
Don’t forget those last five words: enter the Kingdom of God! That’s the true home of those who live in Christ, who refuse the low standards of those going nowhere. Is it because they earn more favor with God? Heaven forbid that we think that. It is because their lives are lived in a way that maximizes God’s ability to work in them, through them, and to lead them to peace and perseverance.
Find a band of eagles. Let them teach you to soar higher than you thought you could. Let their commitment to authentic Christian living be a model for you. And, enter the Kingdom of God, which is the destiny God purposed for you before time began.
__________
I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith on Heaven’s table land.
A higher plane than I have found.
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground!”
I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”
Johnson Oatman – public domain
The Bible teaches the same principle a lot more eloquently: "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." (Proverbs 13:20, NIV) I knew a boy of lesser innate ability who chose to associate himself with students with brains and discipline. He was challenged to rise above what most people thought he was capable of achieving. I have also known teens with all the ‘right stuff,’ who chose to hang with the crowd that is going nowhere but to parties. When they chased the good times, the laughter, and the acceptance of turkeys who were happy to welcome them to their unchallenged group, their bright promise faded to mediocrity, a fact they only realized when they were still telling the same stories with the same people two decades later!
Here’s the saddest story: it’s when a Christian disciple decides that pursuing the best things of God, a holy life, a disciplined life of devotion and service, is ‘too hard.’ He seldom actually says that to himself or anyone else. Instead, he says, “God is leading me in a different direction.” That is almost always out the door and away from friends who would challenge him to do his ‘utmost for God’s highest.' Instead, he finds a group where all that’s expected is that you ‘hang on’ at the fringe, where hard teaching is never heard. Instead, the emphasis is on glory stories, easy to believe miracle tales, and promises that you can ‘get all of God’ in a few minutes of emotional response to the Spirit. Turkeys misuse the grace of Christ, twisting it inside out, and making it and excuse to indulge whims. It’s a life without commitment, without sacrifice, and lived in sin, which he no longer calls by its real name!
The eagle determines to leave that behind. He finds those who will coach and encourage, whose lives of excellence show the way. "Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires." (Romans 13:13-14, NLT) Truthfully, if you want to soar on wings like eagles, enjoying the vistas from the heights of life, there are no miracle solutions or short-cuts. It’s a path of discipleship, led by the Holy Spirit, through times of trial and victory, weeping and celebrations.
In the book of Acts we read the story of the developing Church. One of the eagles is Paul. In Lystra, he preached the Gospel and a man was healed. The citizens were impressed and thought he was the god, Zeus, so they tried to worship him. Being fickle then, as people are now, in a couple of days later they turned against the preacher. They dragged him out the city where they stoned him and left him for dead! With classic understatment, Dr. Luke says when Paul recovered he went back to Lystra to teach the Believers he had left there. "Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God." (Acts 14:21-22, NLT)
Don’t forget those last five words: enter the Kingdom of God! That’s the true home of those who live in Christ, who refuse the low standards of those going nowhere. Is it because they earn more favor with God? Heaven forbid that we think that. It is because their lives are lived in a way that maximizes God’s ability to work in them, through them, and to lead them to peace and perseverance.
Find a band of eagles. Let them teach you to soar higher than you thought you could. Let their commitment to authentic Christian living be a model for you. And, enter the Kingdom of God, which is the destiny God purposed for you before time began.
__________
I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith on Heaven’s table land.
A higher plane than I have found.
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground!”
I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”
Johnson Oatman – public domain
Monday, July 05, 2010
It makes a difference
One of the important things for a free and strong society is fair, swift, and sure justice! The rule of law secures the people to carry on commerce and live in safety. It also restrains the rise of wrong-doing by keeping the promise of punishment in the mind of the person who thinks about harming another. In something as simple as the speed limit, enforcement works. None of us likes getting a speeding ticket, but writing a check for $100 gets our attention. The next time we drive down that road; it is amazing how attentive we are to that speedometer in our car! What burns us is when we find that there are two kinds of enforcement – one for us and one for a select group who are given a pass.
God is just! We can be comforted by that fact, or we may find ourselves resenting it. Some may conveniently forget it, because God’s judgment does not always arrive the day following sinful acts. Some choose to gamble with their life, thinking that the Lord’s judgment will come, only at the End of days or at least when their life here on earth comes to a close. So they decide to ‘eat, drink, and be merry,’ living without a reference to the will of the Lord.
This must never be forgotten: God’s justice is written into Creation! We see it in physical laws. If we slip off a ladder, we don’t fly up; we fall down. If we collide with a large object, destructive energy is released that brings harm and destruction. In the same way His law is written into other parts of life. If we refuse to forgive, we find ourselves unforgiven. If we live with love, love comes to us. If we are selfish, we never have enough; if we are generous, contentment is our inheritance. The Scripture says that God’s justice is like a seed planted. It takes time to grow and mature to harvest. In this passage, both a warning and promise, we learn that it is easy to forget about justice, but it is also a fools way.
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:7-8, NIV)
Are you finding it difficult to keep serving the Lord?
Have temptations gathered ‘round you, telling you that it’s time to live for yourself, to forget about the Father’s will?
Are circumstances and/or people making you feel like walking with the Lord is a ‘waste of time,’ because the wicked seem to prosper?
Here’s a word from the Word for your thoughts. May it convince you that what you do today really makes a difference in how you will live tomorrow!
"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”" (Isaiah 35:3-4, NIV) "And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. … only the redeemed will walk there." (Isaiah 35:8-9, NIV)
_______________
God of justice, Savior to all.
Came to rescue the weak and the poor,
Chose to serve and not be served;
Jesus You have called us,
Freely we've received,
Now freely we will give!
We must go-
Live to feed the hungry,
Stand beside the broken,
We must go.
Stepping forward,
Keep us from just singing,
Move us into action
We must go!
To act justly every day,
Loving mercy in every way.
Walking humbly before You, God.
You have shown us what You require,
Freely we've received;
Now freely we will give.
Fill us up and send us out!
Fill us up and send us out!
Fill us up and send us out, Lord!
God of Justice
© 2004 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Tim Hughes
CCLI License No. 810055
God is just! We can be comforted by that fact, or we may find ourselves resenting it. Some may conveniently forget it, because God’s judgment does not always arrive the day following sinful acts. Some choose to gamble with their life, thinking that the Lord’s judgment will come, only at the End of days or at least when their life here on earth comes to a close. So they decide to ‘eat, drink, and be merry,’ living without a reference to the will of the Lord.
This must never be forgotten: God’s justice is written into Creation! We see it in physical laws. If we slip off a ladder, we don’t fly up; we fall down. If we collide with a large object, destructive energy is released that brings harm and destruction. In the same way His law is written into other parts of life. If we refuse to forgive, we find ourselves unforgiven. If we live with love, love comes to us. If we are selfish, we never have enough; if we are generous, contentment is our inheritance. The Scripture says that God’s justice is like a seed planted. It takes time to grow and mature to harvest. In this passage, both a warning and promise, we learn that it is easy to forget about justice, but it is also a fools way.
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:7-8, NIV)
Are you finding it difficult to keep serving the Lord?
Have temptations gathered ‘round you, telling you that it’s time to live for yourself, to forget about the Father’s will?
Are circumstances and/or people making you feel like walking with the Lord is a ‘waste of time,’ because the wicked seem to prosper?
Here’s a word from the Word for your thoughts. May it convince you that what you do today really makes a difference in how you will live tomorrow!
"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”" (Isaiah 35:3-4, NIV) "And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. … only the redeemed will walk there." (Isaiah 35:8-9, NIV)
_______________
God of justice, Savior to all.
Came to rescue the weak and the poor,
Chose to serve and not be served;
Jesus You have called us,
Freely we've received,
Now freely we will give!
We must go-
Live to feed the hungry,
Stand beside the broken,
We must go.
Stepping forward,
Keep us from just singing,
Move us into action
We must go!
To act justly every day,
Loving mercy in every way.
Walking humbly before You, God.
You have shown us what You require,
Freely we've received;
Now freely we will give.
Fill us up and send us out!
Fill us up and send us out!
Fill us up and send us out, Lord!
God of Justice
© 2004 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Tim Hughes
CCLI License No. 810055
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