Our Purpose As Christians…

Our purpose as Christians is to lead others to God, away from sin. God’s purpose is to bring life and peace. It requires reverence for God, then we pass on truth, we walk with God, and turn from sin. If we focus on self, we get the opposite: death, distress, pass on lies, walk away from God, and run towards sin embracing it. What result do you desire?

5 “The purpose of My covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered Me and stood in awe of My name. 6 They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from Me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with Me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin.7 “The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 8 But you priests have left God’s paths. Your instructions have caused many to stumble into sin. You have corrupted the covenant I made with the Levites,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 9 “So I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people. For you have not obeyed Me but have shown favoritism in the way you carry out My instructions.” Malachi 2:5-9

Why People Drink…..

I used to always tell my Health classes the reason why people drink alcohol (drunkenness) is to escape from their reality. It’s a way to cope with their discomfort. A way to temporarily forget their troubles. A short-term mental vacation from their discontentment with life. It works, but it also compounds the situation. It affects not only the drinker, but everyone involved with him as well. There are better ways of dealing with this kind of stress. It starts with God. He will help you come down to reality. He will grant you a clear mind to see the facts. He will empower you to overcome. And in the end, your problems won’t compare to the glory He will receive because of your dependance on and faithfulness to Him.

4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol. 5 For if they drink, they may forget the law and not give justice to the oppressed. 6 Alcohol is for the dying, and wine for those in bitter distress. 7 Let them drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more. Proverbs 31:4-7

Worship Only God….

For those that worship anything or anyone other than Jesus, it’s not acceptable to God. That goes for people and things. Anyone who worships anything God creates is an idolater. God demands our devotion. He will only tolerate idolatry for so long. The essence of the Gospel is to give clear witness for Jesus. You cannot accomplish this by worshipping anything or anyone other than Jesus alone. Is there anything or anyone in your life receiving this kind of devotion from you?

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.” Revelation 19:9-10

Expect Us To Behave….

Does God expect us to behave? Of course He does. How? Extend common decency to those less fortunate than us. Be honest. Judge fairly (using His standard). Show mercy to others. No scheming. Tell the truth. Always promote justice. Stop lying. If only the 10 Commandments were taught by parents, and reinforced by schools, we wouldn’t have such a divide in this country. Not to earn anything, but to abide in God’s ways. Morality is ingrained in our DNA. The world does everything it can to drive it out of us. Don’t allow it the pleasure. Practice these behaviors by asking God to tattoo them on your conscience. And listen to it when it speaks.

8 Then this message came to Zechariah from the Lord: 9 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. 10 Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other. Zechariah 7:8-10

15 But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid. 16 But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. 17 Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.” Zechariah 8:15-17

God’s Timing Is Everything….

God’s timing is everything. If you’re in it, good, you’ll succeed. If you’re not, you will fail, and there’s nothing you can do to change it.

10 Before the work on the Temple began, there were no jobs and no money to hire people or animals. No traveler was safe from the enemy, for there were enemies on all sides. I had turned everyone against each other.11 “But now I will not treat the remnant of My people as I treated them before, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 For I am planting seeds of peace and prosperity among you. The grapevines will be heavy with fruit. The earth will produce its crops, and the heavens will release the dew. Once more I will cause the remnant in Judah and Israel to inherit these blessings. 13 Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple! Zechariah 8:10-13

Nothing Is Impossible With God…..

Nothing is impossible with God. It’s been said in both the NT and the OT. Proof that God’s word is eternal. Nothing can change it once it comes into existence. Count on it. Base your life on it. If God says it, it will happen, it’s only a matter of when.

6 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for Me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Zechariah 8:6

Refuse to Listen….

The surest way to anger the Lord is to refuse to listen to Him when He calls you. So many people these days blow Him off, call the Gospel a fairy tale, and call all of His followers Jesus Freaks, but as soon as tragedy strikes, He is the first words out of their mouths. He is the first person they question or blame. He is the cause of their distress. The best advice I have is to listen and take heed when He calls. God’s anger isn’t something anyone wants to be the recipient of.

They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the instructions or the messages that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had sent them by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. That is why the Lord of Heaven’s Armies was so angry with them.13 “Since they refused to listen when I called to them, I would not listen when they called to Me, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Zechariah 7:12-13