Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well known way e escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn't so easily diverted.
I need to watch my mouth!
God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.
God disciplines, and firmly takes a hold of us...radical life-change... hmm? There is something more to this...
If you sin without knowing what you're doing, God takes that into account. But if you sin knowing full well what you're doing, that's a different story entirely. Merely hearing God's law is a waste of time if you don't do what he commands. Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with God.
oh... Now I see a little more clearly. When God takes us by the hand, we must follow, in order to see the radical life change... I thought I would just sit around here until my life started to miraculously look different. I thought, maybe, if I go to church enough.... or listen to a ton of sermons... or even read my Bible enough... my life would look different. Like I could act whatever way I want to and then just do those other things and some how my life could matter more in the kingdom of God. Apparently, I have wasted quite a bit of time.
also apparent from this chapter is this little tid-bit, and this proves that this has been a problem for a long, long time.
You can get by with almost anything if you front it with eloquent talk about God and his law. The line from Scripture, "It's because of you Jews that the outsiders are down on God," show's it's an old problem that isn't going to go away.
I think the two problems are related. the fact that i love to hear about God and not always do what i hear (it's called disobedience) and the fact that outsiders are down on God b/c of jews(i think you could substitute modern day christians in place of Jews)
and from scripture it is clear that this blog won't fix the problem. it is a problem that isn't going away. but, there is something you can do.... become marked by God.
You become a Jew by who you are. It's the mark of God on your heart, ...
God, actually marks your heart. He chooses you... that makes me WANT to obey... i can get pumped up about that. THAT makes me want to change, obey, live, love, give, surrender, submit...joyfully! he marked me....
and you!
No comments:
Post a Comment