Friday, February 25, 2011
Alive in You: read it. understand it. apply it.
Alive in You: read it. understand it. apply it.: "'We must embrace the word of God as the practical source of 'truth and knowledge' to apply to our lives, not just a study guide or something..."
Friday, February 18, 2011
What if?
What if? A commonly asked question in many situations. A question asked before you make even the smallest, or biggest decisions. What if I fail my test? What if I don't get into the school I want? What if? Why not ask yourself this. What if God stopped forgiving us? Where would we be if his forgiveness wasn't there? What if God implemented a three strike rule?
In Ecclesiastes 5:4 we are told that when we make a vow to God we should not delay in fulfilling it. It is right there in ink, in plain English. When we make a vow to God we do not delay in fulfilling it. So then why do we continually sin? Why do we continually perform the same act we know is wrong? Yes we are able to go to God after we sin and ask for forgiveness, but that doesn't mean we should just go back to that same act and continually do it. We tell ourselves "Oh God will forgive me for it." But that's not the point. God sent Jesus to die for us so we can be forgiven, but not we could take advantage of that and exploit it. When someone makes you a promise you expect them to fulfill the promise right then and there. Not say "Ya, I'll do it later." That is the same with God. He doesn't delay in fulfilling a promise to us, so why should we delay in fulfilling a promise to him? What if God one day said "I will no longer forgive you for your sins", or "After you sin three times I won't forgive you." You would be alot quicker at fulfilling those promises to Him wouldn't you? You would think twice before sinning again. The whole point is to be more like Christ. Well Jesus didn't delay in fulfilling promises, so neither should we. Continually sinning and just repenting is not going to bring us closer to Go. It will just keep you in the same place, building up that wall. It would be like running on a treadmill with a treat dangling in front of you and no matter how hard or how fast you run you will still be in the same spot where you started. Stop making promises you can't keep. Stop running in that same spot. Start keeping promises you make. Start running marathons and going places you have never been before.
True are your promises
You never change
You never fail oh God.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 - When you make a promise to God do not delay in fulfilling it.
In Ecclesiastes 5:4 we are told that when we make a vow to God we should not delay in fulfilling it. It is right there in ink, in plain English. When we make a vow to God we do not delay in fulfilling it. So then why do we continually sin? Why do we continually perform the same act we know is wrong? Yes we are able to go to God after we sin and ask for forgiveness, but that doesn't mean we should just go back to that same act and continually do it. We tell ourselves "Oh God will forgive me for it." But that's not the point. God sent Jesus to die for us so we can be forgiven, but not we could take advantage of that and exploit it. When someone makes you a promise you expect them to fulfill the promise right then and there. Not say "Ya, I'll do it later." That is the same with God. He doesn't delay in fulfilling a promise to us, so why should we delay in fulfilling a promise to him? What if God one day said "I will no longer forgive you for your sins", or "After you sin three times I won't forgive you." You would be alot quicker at fulfilling those promises to Him wouldn't you? You would think twice before sinning again. The whole point is to be more like Christ. Well Jesus didn't delay in fulfilling promises, so neither should we. Continually sinning and just repenting is not going to bring us closer to Go. It will just keep you in the same place, building up that wall. It would be like running on a treadmill with a treat dangling in front of you and no matter how hard or how fast you run you will still be in the same spot where you started. Stop making promises you can't keep. Stop running in that same spot. Start keeping promises you make. Start running marathons and going places you have never been before.
True are your promises
You never change
You never fail oh God.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 - When you make a promise to God do not delay in fulfilling it.
What really lasts forever?
2 Corinthians 4:18 - So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
We can't see God or Heaven, but that doesn't mean he doesn't exist. Everyday something new comes out on the market and it catches our eye. Whether it be that new iPod or the new Call of Duty video game, our eyes become diverted to that new shiny object that everyone wants. But how long will that new iPod or video game last before a new version comes out? A week, a month, maybe even a year. None of the materialistic items that come into this world last forever. I know at times it seems like we cannot live without a certain item, for example I sometimes feel like I cannot live without my iPod or cellphone. But we were brought into this world with nothing and we will leave this world the same way. The amount of materialistic items we can actually live without would shock us. But what would happen if God was taken away from us? How empty or lost would we feel then? We feel lost and empty when we don't have our cellphones on us for a day. But how lost and alone would we feel if we didn't have God for a day, or a month, or a lifetime? Answer this question honestly. Do you really think you can live without God?
Material items make us feel whole and happy in the moment we have them, but deep down we are still empty. Nothing and no one can give us the happiness and filled feeling like God can. Only God can truly fill our lives. Only God can give us true happiness. Only God.
As I finish writing ask yourself this question. What really lasts forever?
We can't see God or Heaven, but that doesn't mean he doesn't exist. Everyday something new comes out on the market and it catches our eye. Whether it be that new iPod or the new Call of Duty video game, our eyes become diverted to that new shiny object that everyone wants. But how long will that new iPod or video game last before a new version comes out? A week, a month, maybe even a year. None of the materialistic items that come into this world last forever. I know at times it seems like we cannot live without a certain item, for example I sometimes feel like I cannot live without my iPod or cellphone. But we were brought into this world with nothing and we will leave this world the same way. The amount of materialistic items we can actually live without would shock us. But what would happen if God was taken away from us? How empty or lost would we feel then? We feel lost and empty when we don't have our cellphones on us for a day. But how lost and alone would we feel if we didn't have God for a day, or a month, or a lifetime? Answer this question honestly. Do you really think you can live without God?
Material items make us feel whole and happy in the moment we have them, but deep down we are still empty. Nothing and no one can give us the happiness and filled feeling like God can. Only God can truly fill our lives. Only God can give us true happiness. Only God.
As I finish writing ask yourself this question. What really lasts forever?
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