Written by His Grace,
Kevin K. O’Connor
Sep. 29, 2004
Main thought: to examine the fact that
though we may know Christ, there are many times we need to face the
consequences of our actions or lack thereof
Galatians 6:7 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what
he sows. (Whole Chapter: Galatians 6 In context: Galatians 6:6-8
Isn’t it great when we don’t reap what we
sow? Unfortunately though, for many of us, we will. Poor eating and exercise
habits will cause us to be unhealthy physically, Poor mental activity will make
us weak mentally. Poor spending habits will make us poor. It seems that the
human heart, soul, mind and body were meant to be continuously stretched to new
growth. And, if we’re not working the various parts of our being in accordance
with God’s Word, we’ll soon be facing the consequences of those decisions. Oh
we would love not having to work hard for a healthy body, loving relationships,
and financially sound bank accounts but unfortunately, many of us will wait
until these need our immediate attention and then we’ll find ourselves learning
how to deal with the consequences of our actions or lack thereof.
Making right the wrong. It seems that just
because God may cleanse us from all of our sins with Faith in His Son, there is
still the processes of making right the wrong that has been done. What in the
world am I trying to say? In other words, we may stand clean and forgiven of
our sins because we are now in Christ, and yet, we’re still having to live here
below in this world of sorrow and suffering. The reason?,
to proclaim the righteousness of Christ by living His Word through our lives.
It seems that in all things there must be balance. Just like in a teeter totter
where perfect balance is where neither side outweighs the other, so it seems
that this balancing truth is relevant through all things. Take God’s Word
concerning those who used their hands for stealing; Ephesians
4:28 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing
something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with
those in need. And take the man after God’s own heart (King David) who
allowed his guard down and listened to satan’s lies
concerning finding fulfillment in another man’s wife. Although God forgave him
there was still the consequences of his sin that followed him all of his life.
And again take the father of faith Abraham who God was well pleased with but
who also allowed his guard down for a very short moment and slept with his
wife’s hand maiden who bore a son whose linage has been waging war with the
linage of the son from his wife ever since. And again there is Moses who led
God’s people out of the land of Egypt and who was used mightily by God to
deliver His people Israel and yet even he found himself not holding tightly to
his heart God’s Word that says not to strike the rock but only to speak to it
and then found himself being left out of the promised land. Numbers 20:7-12 7 The LORD said to Moses, 8 "Take
the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak
to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring
water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can
drink." 9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he
commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the
rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water
out of this rock?" 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice
with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me
enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring
this community into the land I give them." Many people confuse the
consequences of our sin with punishment, which is not totally correct. It is
merely the fruits/consequences of our own wrong decisions. Did God not forgive
David for his sin with another man’s wife? No, He did, just as He forgave Moses
and Abraham but there were still the consequences of their actions that they
had to deal with.
There are people today who feel that
because Christ took our punishment for our sins that we no longer have to deal
with the consequences of our bad choices and decisions. And yet as I look
around I still see thorns growing and men having to work by the sweat of their
brow. I’m still seeing sickness and disease and men dying and their flesh
returning to the dust from where it came. I’m still seeing pain in childbirth,
and yet there are those who feel that because Christ came and bore the
punishment for our sins that He also bore the consequences of our bad
decisions.
God’s Word seems to speak clearly to us
that we haven’t arrived yet even though He has given us precious and wonderful
gifts, they still are not the fullness of God’s
blessings for us; 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 8Love never fails. But where there
are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled;
where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we
prophesy in part,10but when perfection comes, the
imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought
like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways
behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see
face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully
known. I’ve seen God oppose the natural law that is in existence around
us for the purpose of bringing Himself Glory, Honor, and Praise like when the
people of Israel followed Moses to the Land of promise and wandered in the
desert for forty years and their clothes didn’t wear out; Deuteronomy 8:3-4 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger
and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known,
to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes
from the mouth of the LORD . 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did
not swell during these forty years. Or like when Daniel opposed the
edict not to pray to any other God but the True God and was thrown into the
lion’s den and the many other wonderful stories God has left in His Word for us
to read. But, just as God performed great and mighty miracles, He will also
allow those that He loves to go through the fiery furnace. Oh how we love the
stories of the miraculous where God intervenes and gives bread from Heaven or
delivers us from the lions teeth. But Just as He is in the miraculous that
lifts us from our physical trials and tribulations, so is He in the depths of
our deepest sufferings. God bless the soul that sees that God is not only in
the lack of suffering while we’re in this world of brokenness, but He is also
in the midst of our sorrow and suffering along with every heart that looks
beyond the suffering into His Heart of Love. God Bless every heart that focuses
not on this existence, but on the Life to come. 2
Corinthians 6:4-10 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every
way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings,
imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity,
understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in
truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the
right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good
report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9known, yet regarded as unknown;
dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10sorrowful, yet always
rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing
everything. Sure God is able to perform great and mighty miracles but
the greatest miracle is not the absence of pain and suffering, but the presence
of God in the midst of it. God Bless every heart that seeks Him for a miracle
and receives one and God Bless every heart that seeks Him for a miracle and
doesn’t receive one. The three children of Israel that were to be cast into the
fiery furnace had it right; Daniel 3 16 Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not
need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into
the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will
rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to
know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or
worship the image of gold you have set up." Our God is able to
deliver us but even if He chooses not to our hearts should be set on serving
him even to the final breath we breathe whether in sickness or in health Matthew 24:23-25 23At that time if anyone says to you,
'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. 24For false
Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to
deceive even the elect--if that were possible. 25See, I have told you ahead of
time. Have you ever wondered why there were those who prayed so hard for
a miracle for a loved one and their loved one died anyway? Sometimes our focus
is too much on the healing rather than the healer. Then there are those who
seem to receive a healing with hardly any effort. Oh that our hearts would grow
in love with Him whether we suffer or whether we don’t.
Heavenly Father, Thank you for Your Love,
which is better than the healthiest body, the wealthiest bank account, or the
smartest mind. Teach me how to love you more with each breath of Life you give
me. Unto Your Glory, Honor and Praise in Jesus Christ our Lord and King. Amen!
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