What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever. 2Co 4:18
For some of you, the journey has been long. Very long and stormy. In no way do I wish to minimize the difficulties that you have had to face along the way. Some of you have shouldered burdens that few of us could ever carry. You have bid farewell to life-long partners. You have been robbed of life-long dreams. You have been given bodies that can't sustain your spirit. You have spouses who can't tolerate your faith. You have bills that outnumber the pay checks and challenges that outweigh the strength. And you are tired. It's hard for you to see the City in the midst of the storms. The desire to pull over to the side of the road and get out entices you. You want to go on, but some days the road seems so long… Let me encourage you… God never said that the journey would be easy, but he did say that the arrival would be worthwhile. In the Eye of the Storm (by: Max Lucado) Jesus said, "Come follow me." Mat 4:19
God is an inviting God. He invited Mary to birth his Son, the disciples to fish for men, the adulteress woman to start over, and Thomas to touch his wounds. God is the King who prepares the palace, sets the table, and invites his subjects to come in. In fact, it seems his favorite word is come. "Come, let us talk about these things. Though your sins are like scarlet, they can be as white as snow." "All you who are thirsty, come and drink." "Come to me all, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest." … God is a God who invites. God is a God who calls. “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is His delight.” Prov 15:8
When we do something wrong we often do a lot of good things to compensate for our wrongdoing, the word of God tells us that if we are praying and have gifts to offer at the altar and whilst praying we remember that we have sin in our hearts or have offended other people, the bible says we should leave our gifts at the altar and go and make peace first then offer our gifts or continue to pray. God is pleased with a prayer of an upright man than receiving sacrifices from a wicked heart. ‘Isaiah 53:5’
5 (C)But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he received. And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified Bible) Exodus 23:18 Do not offer bread made with yeast when you sacrifice an animal to me. The fat of animals sacrificed to me during these festivals is not to be left until the following morning.
1 Corinthians 5:8 ‘Let us celebrate our Passover, then, not with bread having the old yeast of sin and wickedness, but with the bread that has no yeast, the bread of purity and truth’. Let’s celebrate our God in purity. Cleanliness is what he wants of us. Let us long for holiness. |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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