P
Pastor Eric
Guest
Shalom,
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Look around you at the world today. Watch just a bit of TV or listen to a radio and most of what you hear or see will be in direct contrast to this scripture. As I look back over the time when we were raising our children I see that what I often taught them was in direct contrast to this scripture! For that I am sorry!
Like my father before me I taught them to "stand on their own two feet"! I taught them that they had to get good grades in order to go to college and have a chance at getting a good paying career! Now as I look back at it, this had to cause some great conflict when from the pulpit they would hear such things as YHVH will provide; place your trust in Y"SHUA; depend upon the LORD or that HE takes care of the flowers in the field or the sparrows so how much more will HE take care of HIS children. I taught them how to succeed and to excel in sports and in other things they did, well beyond the level of most others. I taught them how to basically become work-aholics. I taught them all the qualities that would make them leaders and providers in the world.
These are attributes that YHVH also inspires and teaches but HE does so in a balanced method that first and last as well as in-between turns and depends upon HIM to provide. I had taught them how to provide for their time on this earth and yet had often overlooked the much more weighty issue of providing for their eternal existence.
Marie Henri Beyle once stated;
"In our calling, we have to chose; we must make our fortune either in this world or in the next, there is no middle way."
I don't exactly agree with Mr. Beyle. I believe that if our focus and preference in life is upon the LORD then HE can use and provide for us in both worlds. I do think we would agree that it may be hard to find someone who knows how or is able to keep both in focus or to keep the priorities straight. We can see how scripturally though that this has been the case. Look to Solomon, Joseph or David as examples of riches which followed their pursuit of YHVH. What Mr. Beyle's statement fails to see is the "priority" being the vehicle for the blessing. If our priority is upon the LORD and serving HIM with all of heart then "all these things will be added unto us. That with YHVH all things are possible.
The problem becomes in retaining priority and focus. We first are called to serve the LORD our GOD. We are called to give HIM ALL of the praise, the thanks, the honor, the glory for the things HE has done and the things HE has done in and for us. We are to understand that we are HIS vessels by which HE brings others to CHRIST and that by blessing us in the natural HE can bring others to us to see why or how this has happened and thereby gives us the opportunity to lead them to HIM!
We are not our own but we have been purchased with so great a price that we would never be able to repay. HE believes that it is worth HIS while! HE believes that HE is the one who is getting a deal at the required purchase price! HE believes that you are worth the cost!
Are you? Are you worth the cost? Are you worthy of HIS trust and faith? Are you worthy of HIS calling to you?
Jer 29:11 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. NASB
Will you live out HIS plan or will you go your own way?
Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
What is your priority?
Mat 7:14 Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
What path are you on?
What way are you going?
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Look around you at the world today. Watch just a bit of TV or listen to a radio and most of what you hear or see will be in direct contrast to this scripture. As I look back over the time when we were raising our children I see that what I often taught them was in direct contrast to this scripture! For that I am sorry!
Like my father before me I taught them to "stand on their own two feet"! I taught them that they had to get good grades in order to go to college and have a chance at getting a good paying career! Now as I look back at it, this had to cause some great conflict when from the pulpit they would hear such things as YHVH will provide; place your trust in Y"SHUA; depend upon the LORD or that HE takes care of the flowers in the field or the sparrows so how much more will HE take care of HIS children. I taught them how to succeed and to excel in sports and in other things they did, well beyond the level of most others. I taught them how to basically become work-aholics. I taught them all the qualities that would make them leaders and providers in the world.
These are attributes that YHVH also inspires and teaches but HE does so in a balanced method that first and last as well as in-between turns and depends upon HIM to provide. I had taught them how to provide for their time on this earth and yet had often overlooked the much more weighty issue of providing for their eternal existence.
Marie Henri Beyle once stated;
"In our calling, we have to chose; we must make our fortune either in this world or in the next, there is no middle way."
I don't exactly agree with Mr. Beyle. I believe that if our focus and preference in life is upon the LORD then HE can use and provide for us in both worlds. I do think we would agree that it may be hard to find someone who knows how or is able to keep both in focus or to keep the priorities straight. We can see how scripturally though that this has been the case. Look to Solomon, Joseph or David as examples of riches which followed their pursuit of YHVH. What Mr. Beyle's statement fails to see is the "priority" being the vehicle for the blessing. If our priority is upon the LORD and serving HIM with all of heart then "all these things will be added unto us. That with YHVH all things are possible.
The problem becomes in retaining priority and focus. We first are called to serve the LORD our GOD. We are called to give HIM ALL of the praise, the thanks, the honor, the glory for the things HE has done and the things HE has done in and for us. We are to understand that we are HIS vessels by which HE brings others to CHRIST and that by blessing us in the natural HE can bring others to us to see why or how this has happened and thereby gives us the opportunity to lead them to HIM!
We are not our own but we have been purchased with so great a price that we would never be able to repay. HE believes that it is worth HIS while! HE believes that HE is the one who is getting a deal at the required purchase price! HE believes that you are worth the cost!
Are you? Are you worth the cost? Are you worthy of HIS trust and faith? Are you worthy of HIS calling to you?
Jer 29:11 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. NASB
Will you live out HIS plan or will you go your own way?
Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
What is your priority?
Mat 7:14 Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
What path are you on?
What way are you going?