Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ.
When I was 16 I obeyed my father, most of the time, anyway. I did my chores because Dad and I lived together, alone and it was important that I obey him. I tried my very best to please him and when erred I did my very best to keep him from knowing. When I joined the Army He was mad at me because he had fought all of the Pacific with the &th Cavalry, Custer's unit and after completing two more years of Occupation duty, he was discharged and he joined the Air Force. He wanted me to serve in the Air Force because it was much safer and a lot more comfortable during an engagement.
But, the day I was sworn in all my life changed! I was no longer responsible to my dad, I belonged to the US Army in much the same manor that a slave belongs to his master. These two real life metaphors are unpopular today but the truth is just that and all the sugar candy used to avoid these examples teach no-one about the reality of life as these do. The reality of life is never the way we want it or dream it to be and it is essential that we come to grips with reality, and the younger we do so, the better.
As much as I hear, and from Christians as much as the World, I'm nobodies slave, it is not true! We are born into Satan's kingdom and we belong to him until we are saved. (Please do not play the fool and hit me with all children are safe, I know this. So do not try to hit me with it and derail the thread.) Being a member of the Kingdom of God comes with responsibilities and if we can stir our lazy behinds off the couch and away from the one-eyed idiot for fifteen minutes a day one can actually read the Bible in one year. If you will make that trip through the scriptures and yield yourself to the Holy Spirit you will be amazed the things the Spirit of God will teach you.
Just as Jesus promised, (Matt. 11:29, 30) His yoke is light! But He also said, "if you love, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) Jesus does forgive but, clearly, this is not the unlimited walk through La La Land that some preach today. Our service is not a huge burden to grind us down but we must pull our load at the yoke. It is the same as my service in the Army and my life with my Dad, I needed to pull my weight there and a every job I've had sine, I had to pull my weight to receive my pay on Friday.
The last three verses of the last chapter of Matthew tell us our responsibility and we need to be about it... now!
When I was 16 I obeyed my father, most of the time, anyway. I did my chores because Dad and I lived together, alone and it was important that I obey him. I tried my very best to please him and when erred I did my very best to keep him from knowing. When I joined the Army He was mad at me because he had fought all of the Pacific with the &th Cavalry, Custer's unit and after completing two more years of Occupation duty, he was discharged and he joined the Air Force. He wanted me to serve in the Air Force because it was much safer and a lot more comfortable during an engagement.
But, the day I was sworn in all my life changed! I was no longer responsible to my dad, I belonged to the US Army in much the same manor that a slave belongs to his master. These two real life metaphors are unpopular today but the truth is just that and all the sugar candy used to avoid these examples teach no-one about the reality of life as these do. The reality of life is never the way we want it or dream it to be and it is essential that we come to grips with reality, and the younger we do so, the better.
As much as I hear, and from Christians as much as the World, I'm nobodies slave, it is not true! We are born into Satan's kingdom and we belong to him until we are saved. (Please do not play the fool and hit me with all children are safe, I know this. So do not try to hit me with it and derail the thread.) Being a member of the Kingdom of God comes with responsibilities and if we can stir our lazy behinds off the couch and away from the one-eyed idiot for fifteen minutes a day one can actually read the Bible in one year. If you will make that trip through the scriptures and yield yourself to the Holy Spirit you will be amazed the things the Spirit of God will teach you.
Just as Jesus promised, (Matt. 11:29, 30) His yoke is light! But He also said, "if you love, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) Jesus does forgive but, clearly, this is not the unlimited walk through La La Land that some preach today. Our service is not a huge burden to grind us down but we must pull our load at the yoke. It is the same as my service in the Army and my life with my Dad, I needed to pull my weight there and a every job I've had sine, I had to pull my weight to receive my pay on Friday.
The last three verses of the last chapter of Matthew tell us our responsibility and we need to be about it... now!
