“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
Which of the two did what his father wanted?” Matthew 21:28-31
The colloquialism that comes to mind today is that it is "easier said than done." It is a saying that we are all familiar with because it is true. We can claim to be willing or able to do anything until it is actually time to perform. That, as they say, is where the rubber meets the road.
Far too often in our spiritual lives, we are guilty of saying or otherwise representing our faith, hope, trust and belief in God while our actions prove otherwise. It may very well be that we have the best of intentions. I have heard it said that the road to hell is paved with those. Nevertheless we speak forth or otherwise represent our greatest aspirations of obedience and alignment with the will of our Father, but, as it is human to do, we sometimes fall short. We say that we will study our Bibles more, give more, attend more, pray more and be a better example at work, home and community, but do we? We must ask ourselves why we make such claims. Is it to maintain appearances? Is it a type of self-motivation to do the things we ought? Is it because we feel it is expected of us by those in our various circles? Or is it that we do try but fail? We must all produce our own answers. The question we must really consider is, what good is profession without production?
Beloved, Jesus famously stated, "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter," Matt 7:21. You see, even then, people were saying one thing and doing another. You also see the grave consequences associated with living a life long on "show" and short on "do." You will recall the most terrifying example of this in the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Let us never underestimate the importance of doing. God has given us well documented commands by which we must endeavor to live daily. He has not done so idly, for with, by and from Him, there is always purpose and that, exclusively for His glory and our well being.
Is it all easier said than done? Certainly, however, the more we do, the easier it gets. God has promised that the rewards for doing so our literally out of this world.
In pursuit of a transformed life,
Lee
Showing posts with label Excuses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Excuses. Show all posts
Friday, August 9, 2019
Monday, February 18, 2013
No Excuses 2/18/2013
"'Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.' But Moses said to God, 'Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?'” Exo 3:10-11
As we consider what it is to have a relationship with God, two inescapable facts should come to mind: we enjoy both privileges and responsibilities. Most of us have no problem accepting the privileges. We are grateful to God for His blessings of peace, provision, answered prayer and promises of an eternity with Him. When it comes to responsibilities, however, a certain hesitance can be seen in all of us.
Moses is one of the most well known and loved figures in all of human history. He enjoys his reputation because of his relationship with God and the things that were done through him for his people. Anyone truly acquainted with his story knows though, that it was not always this way. Moses began his walk with God by offering a series of excuses for not wanting to do what God was commanding.
Beloved, we are all called upon by our heavenly Father to accomplish certain tasks (consult your bible for a list of these things). It goes without saying that if God commands it, He expects that we will accomplish it. Further, He will equip us. For every excuse Moses offered, God provided a solution. When Moses informed God that he was not the most eloquent speaker (thereby asking to be excused from the task) God replied, "Who gave human beings ther mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or make them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say" Exo 4:11-12.
For us, it is a matter of faith. If we know in our hearts that God desires certain things of us, it should become job one to accomplish it and we should do so without worries about how, why or the outcome. Better said, "If God brings us to it, God will bring us through it." God brought Moses through it all. He learned to trust God and rely upon Him. For these reason, we know him and look up to him to this day.
Committed,
Lee
As we consider what it is to have a relationship with God, two inescapable facts should come to mind: we enjoy both privileges and responsibilities. Most of us have no problem accepting the privileges. We are grateful to God for His blessings of peace, provision, answered prayer and promises of an eternity with Him. When it comes to responsibilities, however, a certain hesitance can be seen in all of us.
Moses is one of the most well known and loved figures in all of human history. He enjoys his reputation because of his relationship with God and the things that were done through him for his people. Anyone truly acquainted with his story knows though, that it was not always this way. Moses began his walk with God by offering a series of excuses for not wanting to do what God was commanding.
Beloved, we are all called upon by our heavenly Father to accomplish certain tasks (consult your bible for a list of these things). It goes without saying that if God commands it, He expects that we will accomplish it. Further, He will equip us. For every excuse Moses offered, God provided a solution. When Moses informed God that he was not the most eloquent speaker (thereby asking to be excused from the task) God replied, "Who gave human beings ther mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or make them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say" Exo 4:11-12.
For us, it is a matter of faith. If we know in our hearts that God desires certain things of us, it should become job one to accomplish it and we should do so without worries about how, why or the outcome. Better said, "If God brings us to it, God will bring us through it." God brought Moses through it all. He learned to trust God and rely upon Him. For these reason, we know him and look up to him to this day.
Committed,
Lee
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Will You Be Healed? 10/4/2012
"When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, 'Do you wish to get well?' The sick man answered Him, 'Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.'” John 5:6-7
Jesus comes upon a desperate man who had been suffering for thirty eight years. What must have been maddeningly and tragically frustrating is that he was in close proximity to a cure but it might just have been a million miles away. Scripture states that there was a pool in a place called Bethesda that an angel would visit from time to time and disturb the water. The first person into the water would be healed. The Great Physician asks if he desires to get better and the man begins to explain the situation. Some might otherwise term this "making excuses."
Beloved, Jesus asks us that same question today; "do you wish to get well?" Do you wish to be freed from the slavery of sin? Do you wish to have peace in a world full of turmoil? Do you wish to stop the aching in your soul that comes from a lack of connection with your Maker? Do you wish to be free of that which corrupts? Do you wish to be made whole spiritually? When considering these questions, too often we begin to explain the situation. We tell the Lord we are not good enough, not ready, unable or that we do not know how. These are all excuses. Jesus is not taking a survey, he is offering healing. All that it is necessary to do is to say yes. He is making a house call. We just need to let him in.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
Jesus comes upon a desperate man who had been suffering for thirty eight years. What must have been maddeningly and tragically frustrating is that he was in close proximity to a cure but it might just have been a million miles away. Scripture states that there was a pool in a place called Bethesda that an angel would visit from time to time and disturb the water. The first person into the water would be healed. The Great Physician asks if he desires to get better and the man begins to explain the situation. Some might otherwise term this "making excuses."
Beloved, Jesus asks us that same question today; "do you wish to get well?" Do you wish to be freed from the slavery of sin? Do you wish to have peace in a world full of turmoil? Do you wish to stop the aching in your soul that comes from a lack of connection with your Maker? Do you wish to be free of that which corrupts? Do you wish to be made whole spiritually? When considering these questions, too often we begin to explain the situation. We tell the Lord we are not good enough, not ready, unable or that we do not know how. These are all excuses. Jesus is not taking a survey, he is offering healing. All that it is necessary to do is to say yes. He is making a house call. We just need to let him in.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Excuses, Excuses-1/5/2012
"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.’ Another one said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’ Another one said, ‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’" Luke 14:18-20
Beloved, God has prepared a banquet of life that defies description and exceeds imagination. He has made it available out of his great love for his children. It is not just a banquet of the most amazing food and drink imaginable, but of fellowship, peace, joy, serenity and the everlasting presence of himself! It is not possible to exceed what God has for us. He has prepared it and taken care of all of its cost through the sacrifice of his only begotten, Jesus.
Why then do we do all we can to avoid it? What possible excuses can we offer for refusing such an offer. One excuse is that we allow our possessions to hinder us. We become so involved in that which God has blessed us with, we lose sight of not only the source of those blessings but the fact that there is so much more available. Work and money are also on the list. We are so involved in the pursuit of wealth, material gain, position and power, we forget that we are the children of the Creator. There is no higher stature. Finally, relationships and sex improperly used can be lethal to our spiritual lives. God has given generous parameters for each, yet we find ways and reasons to go beyond what is sanctioned, thereby taking a rebellious stance before the Lord.
We must be aware of these pitfalls. Short sight can result in a long fall. God freely offers that which we are unable to obtain ourselves, however, an offer refused will ultimately be an offer withdrawn. There are too many that see the value of a relationship with God for his goodness to go squandered. The invitation has been extended. Accept it daily.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
Beloved, God has prepared a banquet of life that defies description and exceeds imagination. He has made it available out of his great love for his children. It is not just a banquet of the most amazing food and drink imaginable, but of fellowship, peace, joy, serenity and the everlasting presence of himself! It is not possible to exceed what God has for us. He has prepared it and taken care of all of its cost through the sacrifice of his only begotten, Jesus.
Why then do we do all we can to avoid it? What possible excuses can we offer for refusing such an offer. One excuse is that we allow our possessions to hinder us. We become so involved in that which God has blessed us with, we lose sight of not only the source of those blessings but the fact that there is so much more available. Work and money are also on the list. We are so involved in the pursuit of wealth, material gain, position and power, we forget that we are the children of the Creator. There is no higher stature. Finally, relationships and sex improperly used can be lethal to our spiritual lives. God has given generous parameters for each, yet we find ways and reasons to go beyond what is sanctioned, thereby taking a rebellious stance before the Lord.
We must be aware of these pitfalls. Short sight can result in a long fall. God freely offers that which we are unable to obtain ourselves, however, an offer refused will ultimately be an offer withdrawn. There are too many that see the value of a relationship with God for his goodness to go squandered. The invitation has been extended. Accept it daily.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
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