Who do you love?

Friends,

Even the atheists have an object of worship. The proof goes far beyond the cavalier.* The one who decides that there is no moral difference between the uniformed soldier fighting in the open and the man shooting his gun from inside a schoolhouse has come to that conclusion from some moral starting point, some code. Where did that code come from? A romantic might say that looked deep within himself. And that is the problem.

Psalm 18:1-2
I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

There is a massive difference between loving the LORD, between worshiping, trusting and obeying Him and loving, worshiping and trusting only ourselves. God is the same. His Word does not change. His commands never lose their power or their relevance. The same cannot be said for you or me.

Like it or not, we all have a code we live by.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...
The God of King David and King Solomon...
The One who stepped off the throne in order to redeem His people ...

Jesus calls us to live by His code.

Be encouraged, Jose

* When an atheist flippantly exclaims, "Thank God!" ... just who are they talking to?

Valuable help

Friends,

The funny thing about self-help books is that they are based on a false premise. Somehow, those authors would have you and me believe that we can solve all of our own problems ... we just need to dig a little deeper, try a little harder, and pay just a little more. All of them have made an idol out of the one thing that we so easily fall into serving and worshiping: ourselves.

Psalm 60:11-12
Give us help from trouble,
For the help of man is useless.
Through God we will do valiantly,
For it is He who shall tread down our enemies. [NKJV]

The Bible is often mistaken for a self-help or a self-improvement guide. While following the Lord's precepts will certainly make us better human beings, it is most definitely not a self-help book. If we pay obey the words in the plain and clear text, we will stop focusing on ourselves and we will only focus on the Lord. We will recognize that the help of man is truly useless ... even if the man is one we see in the mirror. We will acknowledge that Christ Jesus is our Helper, our Strength and the only One worthy of our worship and attention.

Be encouraged, Jose

He has had enough

Friends,

Have you ever noticed how the more a person turns his back on the LORD, the more fervently they execute their religious practices. They diligently pray, attend daily services, and give far more than a token offering when the tithe basket comes around. But their hearts are far from God; their words and actions betray a hatred for God's word. And the LORD has already responded to these people ... He sees beyond their empty actions into the secrets of their hearts:

Hear the word of the LORD,
You rulers of Sodom;
Give ear to the law of our God,
You people of Gomorrah:
"To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?"
Says the LORD.
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle.
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
Or of lambs or goats.
Isaiah 1:10-11, NKJV

The prophet brought forth these words at a time that Israel was enjoying great temporal prosperity, but had made the "abominations of the heathen ... became common in the land."* Along with these horrendous practices, the house of Jacob had become ever more enthusiastic about the forms of worship that the LORD had ordained ... as if to make up for their disgusting behavior.

God's response is to say, "Enough! I want this no more!"

What about today? Look around, brothers and sisters. Look in the mirror, too!
Have you exchanged religious rituals for the determined study of God's word?
Do you have to change the channel on your TV or radio because the preacher is coming for a visit? Are you focused on anger and revenge for 6½ days each week, thinking that you hide behind a half-day of songs and prayers?

Assuredly, the Lord is not impressed. What He desires is a changed heart ... contrite, and broken before Him. This is path of the believer. This is the path to blessing and righteousness.

Be encouraged, Jose

Effective work

Friends,

In the study of physics, "work" has a very specific definition. And by definition, work can only have occurred if there has been some change in the subject's physical state. So if a man pushes against a brick wall for an hour, but the wall does not move, there has been no work (as related to the wall).

2 Timothy 1:9
who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,
[NKJV] emphasis added

We can work very hard trying to live a good, moral and upright life. We can give up drinking, swearing and philandering. We will certainly have a better life if we do so. But all of that effort will have changed nothing, as related to our salvation. Nothing eternal is affected by our efforts. No work will have been done.

It is Jesus who has done the work.

The work Christ at Calvary has made a difference. Our state has been changed.

Be encouraged, Jose

Vain and Empty

For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 3:19 (NKJV)

The blitz, the bling, the glamor, the pride, the self righteousness, the subtle hatred, the terrorist, the pervert, the extremist, the superstar, even the faithful... One thing levels all at this side of things. They are all one breath away from this world. Why should man now get carried away by the passing pleasures, glamor, hate, joy, pain, success and struggles of this world. Nothing in life has ever been permanent. As the preacher states it, one dies, so dies the other, no one is exempt.

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
1 Corinthians 10:12 (NKJV)

The saved ought not get caught up in these distractions lest they fall into the trap and scheme of the world. All is vanity.

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
Mark 8:36 (NIV)

A life without Christ is what the heading above says. Pray that all souls come to repentance before the final curtain is drawn.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi