To Be Or Not To Be

Today’s reading is one that causes me to ask myself a simple question: to be or not to be faithful? Which will I choose? Which will you choose? One is far better to be sure, however, for some reason we are quick to choose the other instead. Our country, states, cities, churches, and families, repeatedly choose to be unfaithful to God. As a result, we face the consequences of those choices. Obedience and faithfulness are much more important to God than you might think. Disobedience and unfaithfulness lead to sin, and God despises sin on every level and for any reason. All sin carries consequences and when we choose to be unfaithful we find ourselves separated from God and facing those consequences. Each day when you wake up you have a choice to make, to be or not to be faithful. I pray that at the end of my life and yours someone will be able to write or speak of our lives the way they did the workers in Chronicles 34:12 and say, "they did their work faithfully!" However, before anyone can say that, you and I must make our choice.

Without Cost

It seems like years since I last posted a blog but I am back (for now). Abby and I were out on vacation the week before last and then last Monday I took off so we could get our stuff moved into our new house. So I have not been in the office the last two Monday’s to blog. Today’s reading is one of those that one could write pages on. It contains many powerful truths and promises. But the passage that spoke to me the most this morning was Isaiah 55:1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost." The word here for “come” in the Hebrew is hoy. This word is often used in funeral laments or is generally attached to some form of judgment. But here the writer uses it as a simple interjection only to grab the reader’s attention. I believe it also shows that God cares about those who are thirsty or in other kinds of need. I find it especially moving to know that the God of the universe says come to me! No matter what, I can run to God for my needs and He cares enough to take care of me. He does not charge me for his services He simply provides for my needs without cost. It is even more moving when you remember that despite the fact that God’s provision is without cost for me, it was not without cost for Him. He has provided for me at great cost, through the blood of His own son.

Yes, No, and Contentment

There is just so much to share. I would like to encourage all of you to leave a comment from time to time, share the blog with other people, and encourage them to be reading as well. We are pretty much at the halfway mark. We hear from some of you from time to time when we miss a day or two or sometimes a whole week. Please forgive us for those times that we have all missed posting our blogs. As i checked up on a friend yesterday and read his blog, I realized just how important it is to keep up with mine. This picture is from the Pastors conference held this year in Africa. It reminds me of a people who don't have much but yet who are really blessed by that. With that in mind let me share.

As always there are a lot of things we can all focus on from the reading but i will choose just a part of the passage and not the whole.

It speaks a lot of Speech. It reminds me of the proverb, (even a fool if silent is consider wise). Today we are reminded of the power of speech, choosing our words wisely, and the weight that our words carry not just before people, but before our God as well. When we hit a stretch of the new testament, you will find this reinforcement, because He says that even our words we speak out of carelessness are called into account. I don't know about yall but that is pretty heavy.

So let your yes be yes and your no be no. I encourage people that the only vow that should be made is the day of their wedding, and if that is the case, be quick to fulfill it, be persistent in making the choice to do what is right.

Contentment, do you ever notice how over and over the poor might not have much, but they are grateful for what they do have, and they have much more contentment then the rich? It is written that those who are rich seem to be preoccupied with obtaining more, or are restricted from enjoyment, and seeming to have to watch others enjoy what they have had to work for. I know there is a great number of you who have wealth, but God has blessed you with it, you know that, and I believe a lot of you have been allowed to enjoy it and you enjoy seeing others blessed by it. Y'all are an exception to the norm. There are a vast many people who have and what they have is still not enough. They base their values on what they have. If you are friends with men and women who are like that, I pray that you are praying for them, I pray that as you get the chance, you are sharing the love and forgiveness of God with them. I pray that by your friendship that they are seeing it's not what they have that keeps you close to them, but it's who they are, it's who they can be, that keeps you close to them.

May our God who is alive and well bless you with uncommon relationships with people who need an uncommon God who loves them. An may you not fall into temptation with the wealth that your friends have, fight to keep you mind about you and do not become drunk with want and desire when they come to you out of genuine friendship. May you never hear these words from them, "you are just like everyone else, you just want my money"! Stay strong people of God and may our God hear your prayers and answer them in the lives of your friends and may they see how alive our God really is and how much He does care.

be content.