Friday, April 21, 2017

Do You Do What They Do?

Today it seems everyone wants to do what everyone else is doing. When I was young and wanted to go or do what my friends were doing, I remember my mother asking me--"If they all jumped in a lake, would you jump in also?" After hearing that several times I vowed to be my own person and not do what the crowd did or said. Now that I have grown and have a good knowledge of the Bible, I realize Momma was right. Today, a great majority have fallen away from God to follow the crowd. The crowd is telling them things that in years past were shocking and unthinkable. Today those same unthinkables are both applauded and considered normal.

The Bible tells of a time coming when men will be without sound judgment, having their conscience seared as with a hot iron, falling away from the truth, giving heed to seducing spirits, without natural affection, all the while the love of many will wax cold. Certainly we have delved deeper and deeper into sin without even giving consciousness to the fact.

 In this hurry up and wait, instant gratification mentality society we live in today, many live their lives in the fast lane without realizing where their life has gone until it is too late. The good news is--it is not too late to wake ourselves up before we take that last breath.

God is a God of love and of second chances. He never gives up on us no matter what we go through. However, the first move is up to us. God gave us a free-will to choose. We have two choices-- to follow after the ways of the world (the crowd) - or to follow after God. If we follow after the ways of the world, the Bible declares that the ways of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are not of the Father. The ways of the Father are summed up in these two commandments - love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. The important thing about those two commandments is that you cannot keep them by yourself. The only true way anyone can keep them is by making Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of our lives. Then we become reconnected or reconciled back to God (the Father), our creator. You will no longer want to follow after the crowd again, but your desire will be to follow after God and His Word. Take the time to do it now while it is fresh on your mind. You will be glad you did.

                                                                                                                       George T.