Pride versus humility; that is what life on this planet is all about.
God gave Adam and Eve a choice; and in pride (knowing better than God) they made the choice to disobey. As fallen humans, we have been "blaming" ever since.
It's my choice to repent; it's my choice to call out to God for help; it's my choice to read my Bible; it's my choice to pray; it's my choice to seek the Kingdom FIRST; it's my choice to love my enemies; it's my choice to obey the ten commandments; it's my choice to trust God when I am numb with grief or writhing in pain. Bad things happen to everyone--some things seem worse than others--but we each know our own pain and sorrow, yet how we will respond is up to each individual--me.
And that is the crux of sharing the gospel--letting people know they DO HAVE A CHOICE--they do not have to go on being victims. What a great gift God gave us in Jesus; He gave back to us the ability to choose!
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Friday, May 23, 2014
Pull That Plow!
"
. . . the Lord disciplines (trains) those he loves, as a father the son he
delights in." Prov. 13:12
Are
you in a tough spot? Challenges seem overwhelming? Weary? Sad? Discouraged? This
word is for you.
If
you saw the movie "WARHORSE," you may remember the scene where, in
order to keep the racehorse, the boy has to teach it to pull the plow--such a
hard thing to carry a heavy, boring burden in the heat and dirt when it was
designed to run like the wind. But later, when the racehorse was captured, the
enemy colonel tells a soldier to make another stallion pull a cart. When that
stallion rears and fights the bridle, the colonel shoots it and then orders the
soldier to make the racehorse pull the cart or he will shoot it too--can't
waste food on a horse that won't contribute. When the soldier approaches,
obviously anticipating angry hoofs and a weaving, snorting head, the horse not
only stands still but HE LOWERS HIS HEAD for the bit and bridle, and when he is
hooked up to the cart, he pulls it easily. The soldier sums up the crux of the
movie: "Whoever taught you to pull the plow just saved your life."
Segments
of our life are "learning to pull the plow"--hot, boring, dirty. The
Bible's biographies are full of examples: Abraham "plowed" for 30
years waiting for promised Isaac--took matters in his own hands and produced
Ishmael--but God kept His promise and called him "friend"--and he is the "Father of our Faith," Noah spent 100 years building an ark in a
never-rained world and he was daily persecuted--but he saved his family (and subsequently
you and me!), Moses spent 40 years herding sheep in a desert before all his
education and management skills learned in the palace came into play in
delivering 6 million Children of Israel from Egyptian bondage--and he wrote the
first 5 books of the Bible--still blessing you and me, David cared for sheep--so marginalized that when Prophet
Samuel came to visit, the family didn't even invite him to the dinner--during
that time he wrote many of the Psalms that still bless you and me and he later became Israel's greatest
king! Are you waiting on a promise, being persecuted, wasting your talent/skills
in an unappreciative environment, ignored or skipped over for honor or
promotion? You may be "learning to pull the plow." Even Jesus
"endured the cross--for the joy ahead of Him"--that's you and me!
Contentment is not a gift; it is
"learned." I challenge you to learn your "plowing" lessons
so well that you will "lower your head" when you see the bit and
bridle--chances are, it will "save your life." Before honor comes humility. Prov.
15:33
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