21 January 2014 "Three Questions"
Galatians 6:7
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
“Don’t be mislead...” That means people are mistaken when they think they are getting away with a life of disobedience to God.
“You cannot mock the justice of God...” What God says to do needs to be done. God knows what is really right and what is actually wrong. Anyone saying differently creating their own opinion of right and wrong is mocking God. Don’t be misled!
“You will always harvest what you plant...” If I put carrot seeds in my garden, carrots are going to sprout up from those seeds. Likewise, obeying God results in godly living, not mocking God, and not being misled or fooled into another opinion of right and wrong.
When Rob was teaching last Sunday, he pointed out that a life of obedience begins when God as the center of all of our decision making and that this actually leads to more freedom. If my relationship with God is my priority, then I will spend time with him. I will read his Word and know it well because what he thinks about things is in there. So when I go to make a decision I consider 3 things: (1)What does the Bible say? (2)What is the wisest choice? (3)What do I want to do?
Rob says that the order of these three questions is very revealing about what position God holds in our hearts. My natural tendency would be: (3), (2), and then (1). If God’s Word agrees with what I want to do then great, if not, oh well!
For example, I may really want to give a bratty lady a piece of my mind, but 1 Peter 3:9 says to repay evil with a blessing. And Proverbs 15:1 says that a gentle answer deflects anger on the part of both parties. So, clearly, my will would be in conflict with God’s if I carry out plans for a verbal war. But the choice is mine.
I choose for God being the center. I like it. I like knowing his will and doing it. I love the peace and confidence that accompanies obedience to his Word. So, if I choose living by his Word and doing what it says, then no decisions I make are wrong ones. I pray for the wisest choice, and beyond that I can simply choose what I want to do = freedom. Lots of freedom!
If I choose my way first (1), then my life will collide with disobedience when I get to (3)What does the Bible say? And I don’t want to be misled... The Bible promises that will not end well. Planting disobedience will not result (harvest) in godliness, holiness, or eternal life.
Galatians 6:8
Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
Dear God,
Thank you for giving us your Word and giving us your ways to follow so that I can have freedom in obedience. Help me to seek you first and not last in all my decision making. I do not want to fool myself into thinking I can ignore your justice just because some people seem to be getting away with it for a time. I know it will not always be like that. I want your goodness in my life that accompanies obedience, and I thank you so much that this is how you operate. I love you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Galatians 6:7
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
“Don’t be mislead...” That means people are mistaken when they think they are getting away with a life of disobedience to God.
“You cannot mock the justice of God...” What God says to do needs to be done. God knows what is really right and what is actually wrong. Anyone saying differently creating their own opinion of right and wrong is mocking God. Don’t be misled!
“You will always harvest what you plant...” If I put carrot seeds in my garden, carrots are going to sprout up from those seeds. Likewise, obeying God results in godly living, not mocking God, and not being misled or fooled into another opinion of right and wrong.
When Rob was teaching last Sunday, he pointed out that a life of obedience begins when God as the center of all of our decision making and that this actually leads to more freedom. If my relationship with God is my priority, then I will spend time with him. I will read his Word and know it well because what he thinks about things is in there. So when I go to make a decision I consider 3 things: (1)What does the Bible say? (2)What is the wisest choice? (3)What do I want to do?
Rob says that the order of these three questions is very revealing about what position God holds in our hearts. My natural tendency would be: (3), (2), and then (1). If God’s Word agrees with what I want to do then great, if not, oh well!
For example, I may really want to give a bratty lady a piece of my mind, but 1 Peter 3:9 says to repay evil with a blessing. And Proverbs 15:1 says that a gentle answer deflects anger on the part of both parties. So, clearly, my will would be in conflict with God’s if I carry out plans for a verbal war. But the choice is mine.
I choose for God being the center. I like it. I like knowing his will and doing it. I love the peace and confidence that accompanies obedience to his Word. So, if I choose living by his Word and doing what it says, then no decisions I make are wrong ones. I pray for the wisest choice, and beyond that I can simply choose what I want to do = freedom. Lots of freedom!
If I choose my way first (1), then my life will collide with disobedience when I get to (3)What does the Bible say? And I don’t want to be misled... The Bible promises that will not end well. Planting disobedience will not result (harvest) in godliness, holiness, or eternal life.
Galatians 6:8
Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
Dear God,
Thank you for giving us your Word and giving us your ways to follow so that I can have freedom in obedience. Help me to seek you first and not last in all my decision making. I do not want to fool myself into thinking I can ignore your justice just because some people seem to be getting away with it for a time. I know it will not always be like that. I want your goodness in my life that accompanies obedience, and I thank you so much that this is how you operate. I love you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
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