The Recabites

This weekend was a life changing event in my life! Even though this weekend was an amazing time when you come back to "reality" what's going to be different, I think we as humans have a tendency to resort back to what we are use to. (it's familiar it's comfortable). Most of us do not like change even if its a good change because we can be fearful of the unexpected, (the what happens next) And I think instead of taking that step of faith we return to our comfort zones. Like the speaker said you need to take control of your body. I'm gonna be honest it's been a challenge to break my patterns of waisted time but it can be done it's not easy but its a choice you need to make daily.

I want this morning to challenge you with this passage of scripture Jeremiah 35:1-19. I'll sum it up but you should read it! What happening is The people of Jerusalem were being unfaithful to the Lord and were resistant to the revelations brought by Jeremiah. The Lord brings in this dedicated family as a contrast. In Jeremiah’s day, the Recabites were an example of a group of people who stayed faithful and never deviated, even to customs within their own family, the people of Israel were never consistent, but always deviated from God’s revelations. This passage isn't talking about alcohol but a commitment of a family. Jonadad was commanded not to live in houses, not to have farms or vineyards, and not to drink wine. 250 years later his descendants are still honoring a commitment there for father made!! Obeying Jonadab's words had only a limited and temporal significance, but disobeying God's Word has eternal consequences!! How often God's people are put to shame by the devotion and discipline of people who don't even know the Lord but who intensely loyal to their family, their religion, or their personal pursuits. Even people who want nothing to do with the Word of God can be loyal to traditions and man-made codes. If Christians were putting into their spiritual walk the kind of discipline that athletes put into their chosen sport, the church would be pulsating with revival life. REMEMBER THE COMMITMENTS YOU MAKE!!!!! I want to leave you with this verse have a blessed day. Acts 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

Happy New Year

2010 is here!!! It's hard to believe. I've been asking myself recently what's going to make 2010 different from 2009. Looking at Ephesians 5:15,17 I think the Apostle Paul has some words of wisdom that we need to heed. Ephesians 5:15, 17 says, "Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Looking at these verses I feel like Paul is saying don’t walk in your sleep! WAKE UP!! Open your eyes! Make the most of the day. It is sad to see many professed Christians “drift” through life, like sleepwalkers who never really make the most of opportunities to live for Christ and serve Him. Paul presented several reasons why we should be accurate and careful in our walk.

(v15) It is a Mark of wisdom: Only a fool drifts with the wind and tide. A wise man marks out his course, set his sails, and guides his rudder until he reaches his destination. When you want to build a house you first draw plans so you know what your doing. How many Christians plan their days so that they use their opportunities wisely? It’s true we cannot know what a day may bring forth. But I think a planned life can better deal with unexpected events. Someone once said, “When the pilot does not know what port he is heading for, no wind is the right wind.”

(V16) Life is short: Simply put since life is so short this is a strong reason for making the best use of the opportunities God gives us.

(V16) The days are evil: In Paul’s time, this meant that Roman persecution was on the way. How foolish to waste opportunities to win the lost when soon those opportunities might be taken away by the advances of sin in society! If the days were evil when Paul wrote this letter, what is their condition today?

(V17) God has given us a mind: Understanding in verse 17 suggests using our minds to discover and DO the will of God. To many Christians have the idea that discovering God’s will is a mystical experience that rules out clear thinking. But this idea is wrong and dangerous. We discover the will of God as he transforms the mind (Rom 12:1-2); this transformation is the result of prayer meditation, and worship. If God gave you a mind he expects you to use it. This means that learning his will involves gathering facts, examining them, weighing them, and praying for his wisdom (James 1:5) God doest not want us to simply to know His will; He wants us to understand his will.

(v17) God has a plan for our lives: Paul alluded to this plan (Eph 2:10) If God saved me, He has a purpose for my life and I should discover that purpose and then guide my life accordingly. He reveals His plan through his Word (Col. 1:9-10), His spirit in our hearts (Col. 3:15), and the working of circumstances (Rom. 8:28). A servant of God can walk carefully and accurately because he knows what God wants him to do. Like the builder following the blueprint, he accomplishes what the architect planned.

Challenge question: what does God want you to do in 2010??