by David Brenneman
"Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth."
1 John 3:18.
"Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22.
"But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:13.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
Do you, my Dear Reader, have any affinity towards learning from God? Do you have any honest desire to be taught of the things of God that make for righteousness? Are there any moments in your week that you really, realistically, stop the world around you and dedicate that time to your study book, the Bible?
Are you foolish enough to believe that the pittance of time given to Jesus on a Sunday is equal to His sinless life, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection?
Do you put the foolish things of this world higher in your life that what little we just read about? Have you indeed misdirected, misplaced, your passion for obedience to God's Word and placed it on things here in this world?
Those are hard questions! Those are too personal! Those...are questions that your heart must decide and that Jesus always already knows the answer to. Just as in Samuel, the Lord Jesus already knew what Saul, the son of Kish would do before He ever made him King.
King David, on the other hand, was considered by this same Lord Jesus, to be a man after God's own heart.
David knew this lesson well, of God desiring obedience over sacrifice.
Worldly affairs are meaningless in light of eternity. Political things, sports, the whole world of entertainment. During the Great Tribulation, these things will certainly be purged. Considered inconsequential in light of the judgments of God being poured out on the Earth.
"Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue just as they were from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed by being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be discovered. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unscrupulous people and lose your own firm commitment, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." 2 Peter 3:3-18.
Read this from 2 Peter 3 a few times.
We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them according to Ephesians 2:10.
So many people are fired up over supposed atrocities in sports, in politics, and yet, the fire is about out in their spiritual life. The zeal that belongs to Jesus has been misplaced. Their job is more important than the truth that Jesus is searching their hearts. Their hobbies are more important than the things learned from the Spirit of God. They grasp not that they are swept up in idolatry and are so weak in the Lord that they don't see it.
My hope is that those reading these writings gain something of value in their lives towards their walk with Jesus. That those on the outside looking in would see something that's gained by a right relationship with Jesus.
It's appalling to see people claiming to be Christians displaying a very un-Christ-like life for the world to see. More concerned about being accepted by a fan base than to please who is supposed to be their Lord and Savior.
When people only see what you rant and rave about...that will be their only impression on what's most important to you.
My mornings are spent with Jesus after I get my coffee until it's time to go to work. My evenings after 7, when appropriate, I am reading my Life Principles Daily Bible and Dr. David Jeremiah's Study Bible.
"Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You." Psalms 119:11. This from the man regarded as the man after God's own heart.
What have you put ahead of your relationship with Jesus? Status? Prestigious honor of man? Inclusiveness? Comradery?
Have you raised the opinion of those around you as being more important than what Jesus thinks of you?
Maybe today should be your day to reflect on all these questions and to see if indeed you are putting learning from God as more important than what this world wants you to place above Him.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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