Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly…
Anyone who gets saved and takes the decision seriously, will soon find out that change will be dominate feature and benefit that they will face. The Apostle Paul phrased “…old things pass away, behold all things become new.”
When I got save I noticed the first change in lifestyle was in outward action of language, habit, and appearance. I stopped swearing, the weekend partying, and shoulder length hair to just above the ears. These changes got a lot of praise from others, but was in of itself superficial. After I exhausted the outward, it became obvious that issues of the heart were unaddressed.
The blessed man of Psalm 1 faces and takes on major issues of the heart that really will lead to lasting change. First the Christian will need to learn to be wise about what sources of counsel are biblical or unbiblical. There are a lot of decisions that one needs to make, but not all will seem spiritual. What church, what service to do in the church, how much to give to the church. But what about what vocation, how to spend money, who to marry, what school, how to rear children. The world has it’s philosophy that answer these questions. The Bible in most if not all cases will have different answers. The big difference is the Bible ones will please God.
But now I want to shift gears. I want to seek out people and sources that are Godly, but, am I a Godly source for Christians to come to me? You might say to me “Well Bob you are an assistant pastor and a man with theology degrees, of course you want and should be a Godly source.” That is true but not the whole picture.
What I mean, is not just as an assistant pastor, but as a sales associate for a major electronics retailer. When people come in to our store most need our advice on how to hook up that stereo, wire for a new phone line, get the blinking 12 off their vcr. Again you ask how does being or not being a Christian matter in your store? Let me ask you, if Jesus was a sales associate at my store, would He do things the same or different?
When I have a plumbing problem at my house (I know more about nuclear science than plumbing) I would rather I were dealing a plumber who genuinely wanted to be Christlike (including the taking plumbing seriously). Jesus would not cheat me, do a lousy job, or overcharge.
No matter what you vocation someone depends on your advice. Are you a trustworthy Godly source. Would others be blessed because they came to you. Not only pastors, lawyers, and doctors, but waitress, gardener, or factory worker your can be Godly counselor.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Facing the Future Biblically
Psalms 119:19 I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.
Am I the only one clueless about the future? Now if I had just asked any of my friends or family that question, they would have had alot of fun with that the answer. But I believe the psalmist was saying the same thing as I in this verse. The future is an unknown quanitity to all of us. Even the most organized, and all together among us is at the mercy of the unpredictable events ahead of us. Many of us pray for God to reveal the future. Many a pastor is asked for counsel about finding God's will for their lives. Still others are trying to interpret any possible signs that might clue them as to what the future decisions to be made.
It is to be noted here that the psalmist here also clueless, does not ask God to reveal the future so that he can be prepared for it. Instead in his clueless state he asks God help him improve his behavior not his circumstance. The Everyday Christian may not (contrary to popular secular teaching) have control of their future, but they should be more concerned about their behavior.
No one can predict, or stop bad things from happening, but how we behave when they happen is more important. We may work and work and even pray for that big successful event to happen at work only to find out that another coworker gets the brass ring instead. Jealousy, and frustration are so easy to be felt and expressed, but God says true success is to be more concerned on how you hand that situation than whether you were the benefactor.
How about it? Quit trying to read the tealeaves, and getting the inside scoup on the future instead desire Godly character and obedience. And just be clueless.
Am I the only one clueless about the future? Now if I had just asked any of my friends or family that question, they would have had alot of fun with that the answer. But I believe the psalmist was saying the same thing as I in this verse. The future is an unknown quanitity to all of us. Even the most organized, and all together among us is at the mercy of the unpredictable events ahead of us. Many of us pray for God to reveal the future. Many a pastor is asked for counsel about finding God's will for their lives. Still others are trying to interpret any possible signs that might clue them as to what the future decisions to be made.
It is to be noted here that the psalmist here also clueless, does not ask God to reveal the future so that he can be prepared for it. Instead in his clueless state he asks God help him improve his behavior not his circumstance. The Everyday Christian may not (contrary to popular secular teaching) have control of their future, but they should be more concerned about their behavior.
No one can predict, or stop bad things from happening, but how we behave when they happen is more important. We may work and work and even pray for that big successful event to happen at work only to find out that another coworker gets the brass ring instead. Jealousy, and frustration are so easy to be felt and expressed, but God says true success is to be more concerned on how you hand that situation than whether you were the benefactor.
How about it? Quit trying to read the tealeaves, and getting the inside scoup on the future instead desire Godly character and obedience. And just be clueless.
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