Bible Ballistics: BBs  #363    Are You Paying The Price???

 

We talked last time about the ‘price’ that Jesus paid for our salvation, and I’d like to go a step farther with that thought and consider what that ‘price’ ought to look like to/in us.

“Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. 6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.” Haggai 1:5-7

As God spoke to His people who had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon, Haggai told them that their difficulties were coming from God, because they were not acknowledging Him. It seems that they had time for everything but God and His work. What about us?

“Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. 9 Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.”  Haggai 1:8-9

God demands our all as His children. He IS God and we are His sons and daughters, and He calls us to live for HIM not ourselves. What considerations have are we making first in our life? Is the ‘bling’ of the world taking all of our time, energy, talents and love? Jesus Himself spoke to this issue in His message to the church at Ephesus.

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

5 Remember therefore

from whence thou art fallen,

and repent,

and do the first works;

or else I will come unto thee quickly,

and will remove thy candlestick

out of his place,

except thou repent.”     Revelation 2:4-5

Jesus gave HIS all for us, what less can we give to Him? Yet we live in a culture, even the Christian culture, that has made “self” Lord in the place of Jesus. Drive through churches, churches divided by preferences, even churches that brand themselves by the ‘sin’ that they condone (but God condemns). What has happened? The call of God to those who are truly ‘born again’, is to be separate and holy!

“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?

for ye are the temple of the living God;

as God hath said,

I will dwell in them,

and walk in them;

and I will be their God,

and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them,

and be ye separate, saith the Lord,

and touch not the unclean thing;

and I will receive you,

18 And will be a Father unto you,

and ye shall be my sons and daughters,

saith the Lord Almighty.”   2 Corinthians 6:16-17

Are you God’s child? Are you the “temple of the living God”? Or are you your own God, and claim the right to your own ‘temple’ and idols? If you do belong to Jesus, where are you taking HIS ‘temple’? Do you have time for the ball game, but not church? Do you have time for leisure and entertainment, but no time to study God’s Word? Do you go to work when you’re tired, but you need to sleep rather than gather with God’s people? Are you excited about your favorite show or team, but God and His Word bore you to tears? If so, something is wrong! If you belong to Jesus, He won’t leave you in that state, for God will get your attention—He disciplines and trains HIS own.

But, have you so hardened your heart, and lived with compromise so long that you don’t even notice Him at work in you and around you? Can you hear HIS voice speaking to your heart, or is the world’s drum beating so loudly that it is drowning HIM out?

“For whom the Lord loveth

he chasteneth,

and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening,

God dealeth with you as with sons;

for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement,

whereof all are partakers,

then are ye bastards,

and not sons.”   Hebrews 12:6-8

Just as God disciplined Israel, when they minimalized His call on them and their service to Him; He will discipline His own children, when we refuse to walk in HIS way. Just as Paul reminded the Corinthians to “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord”, we also have been called by GOD to separate ourselves, and be holy before Him. Neither God nor Paul is talking about leaving the world, but about separating ourselves from that which is not pleasing to our Lord. But how can you know what pleases God unless you are spending time in His presence and His Word?

How are you spending your time? Your money? Your energy? Your emotions? Your gifts and talents? Do you have time and energy for everything BUT God? If so, something is out of whack! What can we do about it? The same thing that Jesus called the church at Ephesus to do:

“Remember therefore

from whence thou art fallen,

and repent,

and do the first works;”

Won’t you spend some time today, along with me, seeking God’s face and asking Him what He has to say about you/me and what we are doing with the life that He has given us? May our lives be pleasing to Him in all our ways?

“But as he which hath called you is holy,

so be ye holy

in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy;

for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16

‘Conversation’ is referring to our lifestyle, our walk before God and the World. May we ever strive to be “holy” before our Lord and the world, that they may see Jesus in all our ways? Remember, if you belong to Jesus—HE is in YOU—you are the “temple of the living God”!

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” Colossians 1:27      (God’s glory not our own!)