Faith Can Be Easy And Hard…

There are easy things in life and their are hard things in life. Christianity includes both. Having faith can be easy and hard. Being obedient to God can be easy, but most of the time it takes hard work. It takes discipline. It takes dedication. It takes a commitment. It takes fortitude. When we don’t listen to God, or better stated, disobey His commands, the consequences are much more difficult to deal with. Here in Judges we see an example of this playing out. The Israelites were instructed to drive out all of the pagan people living in the Promised Land. God told them He would fight for them and drive them out. But, as we all know, they failed to do it. As a result, God tells them that these pagan people will be a thorn in their side, and their false gods will be a constant temptation to them. This thorn in their sides was probably the same “thorn in the flesh” that the Apostle Paul had to deal with. When we don’t listen to God, and do what He says, we end up dealing with consequences far more complex than we ever imagined. And worse yet, they become a daily reminder of the fact that we failed in doing what we should’ve done. Be faithful, be obedient, for no one wants to deal with constant turmoil that could’ve been prevented.

1 The Angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said to the Israelites, “I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said I would never break My covenant with you. 2 For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. But you disobeyed My command. Why did you do this? 3 So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.”4 When the Angel of the Lord finished speaking to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. 5 So they called the place Bokim (which means “weeping”), and they offered sacrifices there to the Lord. Judges 2:1-5

When Your Source Of Joy Doesn’t….

When your source of joy doesn’t come from God, the laughter will eventually end. The “fake it till you make it” mentality robs us of authenticity. When a person tries to fix things through worldly means, leaving God out of the picture, withholding truth, grief and sorrow can only be disguised for so long. God is the Ultimate, Permanent Healer of the soul. Go to Him, ask Him to heal you. He never disappoints, for He never fakes anything.

13 Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains. Proverbs 14:13

Both Are Eternal….

There’s two ways to live your life, your way or God’s way. They each have different outcomes. Both are eternal, but in opposing places.

12 There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. Proverbs 14:12

God Speaks In The Still Moments….

Listening is such a lost art in modern times. Sometimes the simple act of stopping and listening makes all the difference in the world. God speaks in the still moments in life just as much, or more, than the chaotic times. Stop in listen, it may just help you.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God!I will be honored by every nation.I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalms 46:10

We Must Choose Every Day….

Love, walk, obey, and serve, these are words given to the Israelite tribes living on the east side of the Jordan River. Joshua, Moses’ replacement, told this to them. If we ever need to adhere to a set of principles, these are it. If we follow these commands, our lives will be enriched, enhanced, protected, and fulfilled by God. If He tells us what to do, and we do it, shouldn’t our lives turn out as He planned them to turn out? Learning to manage our selfishness is key. It’s God’s way or our way. We must chose every day. The trajectory of our lives is based on how well we adhere to these principles.

5 But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, obey His commands, hold firmly to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.” 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went home. Joshua 22:5-6

Read Past The Headlines…

All people have an intellectual capacity, but some lack the will to know. How many people read past the headlines? How many research beyond the articles? Only those that use their intellectual capacity. And sadly, how many run the topic through the magnifying glass of scripture? The problem in today’s society people don’t listen, they don’t question things to find out its real purpose and meaning. They believe everything they hear. “If a doctor says it, it must be true.” The problem with that mindset is this, a doctor is a human being. Human beings are Fallible. Doctors practice medicine because of this very point. It holds true to all professions and designated titles. Learn to use the mind God has given you. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve/create when you maximize your potential. Stop believing what you hear, your brain is worth training to reach its potential. With God, that’s way more than you think.

Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, ‘Here comes a shower.’ And you are right. 55 When the south wind blows, you say, ‘Today will be a scorcher.’ And it is.56 You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.57 “Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right? Luke 12:54-57

Guilt Is A Complex Subject…..

Guilt is a complex subject. In modern times, guilt is treated as an enemy of the human spirit. Anything that brings it about is slandered and all attempts are to demolish it. Guilt is seen as a bad thing. To the believer (transcending time), guilt is a way back to God. You see guilt comes about when we violate God’s order. Guilt comes about when we sin. Sin is in our nature, we are born with it. When we sin, our God-given conscience is stirred up. We can either go with the guilt and respond accordingly, by repenting. Or we can suppress the guilt and continuously fight against it. We do this by justifying and rationalizing our sinful behavior. We have a choice in how we see guilt. We can view it as a good thing, as a way of turning us back to God. Or we can view it as a bad thing and fight it by trying to rationalize it away. The difference between the two will determine how long the effects of guilt will last. For the believer, through true repentance, it will immediately be forgiven, relieved of its heaviness. For the worldly viewer, it will linger on and on, burdening the soul until the conscience is completely seared and no longer able to serve its function of warning. Guilt is a good thing. Its a warning system to us. It’s just a matter of how we see and respond to it.

9 Fools make fun of guilt,but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation. 10 Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy. Proverbs 14:9-10