Wednesday, July 30, 2014

"What have you done?"

Four words that we never want to hear: "What have you done?" 

This was the response of God to his people on their failure to break down the altars of the inhabitants of the land.  "Now I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you."  Although the people wept, prayed, and sacrificed, it was too little, too late, and for the wrong reason. (Judges 2:1-5)

Sorrow over the horrible consequences of sin is not the same as sorrow for the sin of neglecting God himself. Consistently turning a blind eye and deaf ears to the Word of the Lord ultimately leads to judgment.  Sadly, there may come a time when all efforts to "make it go away" will be useless. 

"Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." (2 Corinthians 7:9, 10)

"Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near." (Isaiah 55:6)

Monday, July 28, 2014

Heart's Desire

"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." We are good followers, for better and for worse.  However, we are being guided by the Spirit of God to anticipate a heavenly city. Our salvation and our destination were purchased for us with the blood of Jesus Christ. 

"If they (the heroes of the faith) had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one." (Hebrews 11:15, 16)