"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalms 46:10
The weather man tells us that it hasn’t been this cold in the last twenty years. He’s right, the truth it is a cold blistery day here in early January of 2014. It’s so cold that the humane society has warned those who live in this state to bring their pets indoors. The outside temperature is below zero but and the wind makes it feel much colder. They claim you need to bundle up but to tell you the truth no matter how much you put on it’s still too cold to be outside.
On the other hand I have something to be grateful for I’m retired and I don’t have to go outside. That alone is something I can praise the Lord for. However there is a downside to the cold weather and that is cabin fever. Too much indoor activity makes one eager to go outside to enjoy what can be done outside. It makes you take time to think about what you can do with your time to make it pass faster; otherwise I’d be bored out of my mind.
Bible study is probably the last thing on your mind when you have to stay indoors but that is where I normally study anyways. I suppose the motive is to pass time rather than studying because I want to. The whole idea is to spend time with the Lord to know him by finding what he said about himself or the principles he lives by. One thing is certain bible study has long term effects that affect my relationship with God.
Bible study does not guarantee you a place in heaven. The purpose of Bible study is to learn something about the person behind the inspired the words of the Holy Scriptures. Within these inspired words is the wisdom of an awesome God who is imparting his thoughts to teach his children the wisdom he has learned in the ages past.
As human beings we respect and honor others who have obtained an expertise in certain areas of life. We usually honor those who have a series of doctorate degrees describing the PhDs in the respective area obtained through study. These people are those who make the wheels of our world turn yet with all their knowledge are unable to correct all the ills of mankind.
With all the knowledge the world has to build and make things no one instructs you how to build character that establishes better relationships better than God does. The world depends on relationships especially with the needed expertise in other areas that makes the business world turn a profit. Being successful in the business world is one thing but what about relationships in your personal life? Your success in relationships can be measured by the number of people who help in your time of trouble.
We are not talking about the wisdom of the world but the wisdom passed down by a father to his children. God’s wisdom builds character into your personal life that becomes essential in your family and social life to establish peace and tranquility of your life. Relationships are built by spending time with one another bonding which includes the time you spend with your heavenly father. The time you spend with God forms an attachment, a sense of belonging and the knowledge that you’re his child.
Just as you were born into a family you are born into God’s family. Typically children are reared by parents and behave according to their discipline. As God’s children we should behave as children reared by God, respecting his authority as our father and creator. We are the image of God who wants his children to love one another like our parents who want us to be respected by our peers.
We serve a God of relationships that is based on love. Jesus said If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. It’s not hard to understand that you desire to please the people you love and that love has a compelling nature to obey them even when would prefer to do your stuff first.
Love is the common ingredient to all relationships especially when it comes to forgiveness. Have you noticed how many times we have to remind our children to clean up their rooms and have to remind them the following week and the week after that week? Do we keep a record of how many times this demand is given? Perhaps we need to remember this because it takes love to forgive someone outside your family.
Our family members can insult us to no end and we can find a way to forgive them but let someone outside our immediate family do the same things and we standup for them. Sometimes it is harder than other times to learn from our father that he loves his children and everyone else for who they are. We have to remind ourselves that Jesus forgave them from the cross but we have to see him on the cross to forgive them.
Through bible study we learn that Jesus preformed miracles that drew people to him. It takes a long time to realize that God is preforming miracles today to draw men to his father. Changing the way your heart makes decisions is a miracle in itself and that is what Jesus is doing on a large scale today.
A change of heart is something God promised in the times of the prophets when God said he would remove a heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh. That heart of flesh is one that God will mold into a person of worth and usable within his kingdom.
Before this change happened sin was acceptable but now that Jesus has changed our hearts we find sin to be abhorrent and something to shun. Still we have a remnant of the old man that we have to put to death. Through Bible study we learn what is acceptable to our father and make an effort to please him.
Although the weather outside is cold enough that we have to bundle up we still can take our father with us wherever we go. Bible study will not form a relationship or impress God, because it is more what you do with what you learn that deepens your relationship. Relationships are earned based on the respect that is given to you and by the respect you give others.
What pleased me more is the desire my child had to please me because of the love instilled in them through my example. As God’s children we learn through the examples God has given through his word. We learn through the inspired word that everyone can come to the knowledge of salvation through Jesus Christ. Through this example we cans see that God’s love is for everyone not just for his children.
We also learn that God does not want anyone to perish however those who refuse to repent or take God’s word to heart will not be acceptable in his eyes. Although they want nothing to do with God he still loves them enough to give them their hearts desire.
However the place of torment is reserved for fallen Angels where those who reject God will spend ages away from the presence of God. The weather outside is extremely cold today but the Bible says the lake of fire shows no favor to the wicked. The cost of not wanting anything to do with God is eternal torment reminding you that you could have made a different choice. 2/25/2014
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