If This Is All There Is To Life…I’M TICKED!!! Part 1
Many people, Christians included, have had this thought to themselves, whether they want to admit it or not…
You see, there is a movement even in the Christian church where people have begun to say that the promises of God that are in the bible are not relevant in today’s society and that they were meant for the times when they were written but no longer really apply to Christians today…
I believe that this assumption is based on the fact that many have read about these promises, prayed that they would be manifested in their lives, and have seen no measurable results…So as a matter of logical reasoning have concluded that somehow, God just doesn’t respond to his word like he used to, and today must simply be a different day…Or somehow God’s will is different than it used to be…
I, on the other hand have a bit of a different perspective on this attempt at logical analysis. I must admit that there have been times that I have prayed for things and not seen the answer to my prayer that I had hoped for or anticipated but I refuse the “easy out” assumption that this must just somehow be “God’s will” for the situation because things didn’t work out according to plan…especially if what occurs in my life contradicts the word of God.
You see, unlike many of the blindly assuming masses of any organized religion, I do not simply take the teachings and assumptions of appointed leaders and believe that what they say is so, simply because it makes logical sense to them, or me for that matter. I am a stout believer that the written Word of God was and is absolutely INTENTIONAL and I will not take lightly what God purposed in that word.
I believe that if God said it in his word, that is what he intended…or in other words…His Logos (written word) promises are his will for situations in life. If God had other intentions for his word, then He would have expressed those intentions with as much emphasis as what is already written (either it’s the Word of God, or It’s not, but I don’t believe that this determination is somehow contingent upon my circumstances)…If I truly believe that the Bible is the Word of God, and the bible says that God’s answers to his written promises are, “Yes, and So be it”…then if I am somehow living below the standard set forth in God’s word…It’s MY FAULT SOMEWHERE, NOT GOD’S!
This is a tough pill to swallow because, it places the responsibility back in my lap and requires that I actually am accountable for much of what takes place in my life. I have heard some say that if things in my life don’t line up with God’s word then I just don’t have enough faith…I don’t believe that this is the case so much as, perhaps I am simply reaping in areas where I have sown in my life OR am experiencing an attack that is my responsibility to combat with the word and promises of God. I think many times the probable situation is that I am so full of unspiritual Junk, that I am not able to receive the God promised Spiritual inheritance that “should be” because so much that “shouldn’t be” is taking it’s place…
The bible says that we will give account even for idle words spoken…How much more would our actions play into that equation? There are physical laws of seeds planted and harvests produced that I believe transcends into spiritual equations.
Different religions call it different things from “Reaping What You Sow” to “Karma”…but this is actually a biblical concept and I believe there is merit to this line of thinking. I just think it is ridiculous to consider yourself some kind of victim when you put Crap in your body, day in and day out and then come down with lung cancer or liver cancer or kidney failure…and the same goes for your spiritual life…It would be ridiculous to expect that you are going to experience Spiritual Greatness, when you are focusing and filling up on so much unspiritual garbage! Garbage in, Garbage out…
People the world over are looking to pass the buck when reaping the harvests in their lives for an undisciplined lifestyle… They want to blame God for the harvest that they have sown or “the lack of harvest” in areas where they haven’t sown (which is as equal an issue as it’s reciprocal)…and the sad thing is, even after seeing what kind of life harvests they are producing, they refuse to change…
We have to take responsibility for our actions! And we must be accountable to ourselves to admit our involvement in the harvests in our lives or we are destined to repeat the failure. As the saying goes, if we don’t learn from history, we are destined to repeat it…or in southern slang, “if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got”…
Some encouraging scriptures on this topic…
For the vision is yet for AN APPOINTED TIME and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, WAIT [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day. [Heb. 10:37, 38.] (Hab 2:3 AMP)
Look at the proud; his soul is not straight or right WITHIN him, but the [rigidly] just and the [uncompromisingly] righteous man shall live BY HIS FAITH and in his faithfulness. [Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11.] (Hab 2:4 AMP)
For the DESIRES OF THE FLESH are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do. (Gal 5:17 AMP)
But the FRUIT of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence WITHIN accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, PATIENCE (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, (Gal 5:22 AMP)
Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]. (Gal 5:23 AMP)
Part 2 of “if this is all there is to life…I’M TICKED!!!
coming soon…
If you haven’t read this book, I would highly recommend it…It is The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren
