Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. ECCLESIASTES 12:13
Skepticism and pessimism are prevalent in the book of Ecclesiastes. Not until the end is it evident that this book is an apologetic discourse defending faith in God and describing the futility of life without Him. The argument is made that wisdom, resources, and plans apart from God lead to a meaningless existence. The fear of God is the only true key to happiness, fulfillment, and meaning. Is that the path you are choosing? Life is brief and, apart from God, filled with such mundane activity as the pursuit of food, shelter, comfort, and safety. What, then, is the significance of human effort, sorrow, and joy? Only our relationship with God gives us an eternal perspective and divine purpose for life. Earthly comforts are gifts from the Lord. Laughter, friendship, family, and marriage—as wonderful as they are—are all temporary. God created us for eternity, yet He puts rich blessings and profound joy in our path to remind us that He loves us. Apart from His grace, life would indeed be dreary and meaningless. Do you have a proper perspective on the life God has graciously given you? Blackaby Being Still With God
So many people tell you through social media, through in person lectures, through the news, movies, television, the internet, everywhere, on how you should be like.
People use motivational words to stirr up something within you emotionally.
What matters is not what your fellow man says but what God says about life, liberty and the pursuit of the things of this world.
It's not about self gratification.
It's not about even your health.
It's not about social causes like racism or support of the police or politicians.
It's nothing to do with sports figures or those in Hollywood.
In Ecclesiastes it is ALL labeled by GOD as MEANINGLESS without a right relationship with Jesus. Without obedience to the Word of God your life isn't going to amount to a hill of beans in the day you stand before Christ to give an account of your life.
The causes you stand up for have nothing to do with entry into Heaven.
The sports teams you are so enthusiastic about have nothing to do with entry into Heaven.
All who ARE in Heaven are there worshipping the Savior, Jesus Christ.
So many, even those claiming to be Christians, get stirred up over things in this world for no good, Biblical reason. What things they SHOULD be stirred up about, that are important to God, they aren't.
They will whoop and hollar over a sports team, will vigorously defend their team to anyone...yet are totally silent when God works a miracle right in front of them.
It's not just sports. It's so-called causes of the day. Supposed racism, supposed reasons to go after the police or politicians. Accusing any and all of social atrocity, being judge, jury and executioner in their rage. Destroying lives over worldly reasons that do not have a place in the lives of believers.
Yes that last paragraph was about supposed Christian people.
I heard, watched the online service actually, a church put a college team's song on equal terms as a worship song to Jesus. The very song that was sung after this college song was referring to wanting the Spirit to open up the heavens we want to see Jesus. Worshipping an idol, that college, then worshipping God in the same building.
Is your health important? Sure. Can your pursuit of your health become more than it should be? Could that be more important than your walk with Jesus? You need to be the one to determine that.
Is your job, your family, your interests in life, those things that you WILL give an account of before Christ, are they being done to the glory of God or for you? Are they consuming your time to the end that your relationship with Christ is suffering? Have seen it in many places with many people.
When baptism happens, wherever it happens, do you sit silent or are you shouting in excitement as the Angels of God are? The most important thing anyone can ever do is proclaim their relationship with Jesus publicly. If that isn't reason enough then you have a problem.
If that doesn't excite you then your relationship with Christ is broken.
If everything else in your life, regardless of what it is, excites you more than someone following Christ in obedience to His Word, then your relationship with Christ is broken.
None of the things in your life are more important than a right relationship with Jesus. You will not be quizzed on how many things you accumulated in this life when you give an account to Jesus. It will be about what we read in Revelation of what was said to those welcomed into Heaven. It's about our obedience to God's Word and to what Jesus gave us to do.
It's look in the mirror time.
While the breath of God is still in you, start now in living life the way you ought to.
No comments:
Post a Comment