Word for the Day April 10 Thursday
By: Evang. Cascille
Hammack
"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or
what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Mt. 16:26
What plans are
you making today that you have not submitted to God in prayer? What are you doing that does not include Him? Proverbs
16:3 instructs, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." In Dt. 30:19,20 the
Lord explained His way, "This day I call heaven and earth against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings
and curses. Now choose life, that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen
to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life..."
There are many who profess
the Lord but do not live a life of repentence and service to Him as Lord of thier lives. If He is your Savior
and Lord, you do not do what is right in your own eyes, but you follow Him and His word always.
Judges
17:5,6 describes a world much like today, "Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some idols and installed
one of his sons as priest. In those days Israel had no king; everyone did what was right in his own eyes."
Micah deceived himself into believing he could receive God's blessing and still break the clear commands of Scripture.
People who do what is right in their own eyes inevitably do what is evil in the eyes of the Lord. (Judges 2:11, 4:1,
6:1, 10:6). People want to do their own thing and resent being told what they can and cannot do, even by God's Word
and the result is that they end up in chaos spiritually, morally and socially. Very much like today, during the period
of judges, there was a low moral standard, perverted religious practices and chaotic social order in Israel. It is an
illustration of what happens when God's Word and His moral principles are disregarded, both individuals and society are
destroyed. God's way was rejected and death resulted. There are only two paths, the one that leads to life
in Christ Jesus and other path which leads to destruction and death. True believers and followers are obvious in this
world. They gladly submit to Christ and His standards revealed in His Word. 1 John 2:4 explains, "The man
who says, 'I know Him,' but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him." Jesus
also describes Balaam who was a false prophet who sold his services to a heathen king and advised him to tempt Israel to compromise
their faith by idolatry and immorality. The teaching of Balaam refers to corrupt teachers and preachers who lead people
to compromise with immorality, worldliness and false ideologies for monetary gain and personal advancement. These people
teach that faith and an immoral lifestyle are compatible, Jesus said to this church in Pergamum in Rev. 2:14,16, "Nevertheless,
I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice
the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality....Repent therefore! Otherwise
I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth."
Hebrews 12:15-17 teaches
us to have no attitude or resentment toward God's discipline, "See to it that no one misses the grace of God and
that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like
Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to
inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears." Believers
must have humble submission to His will for our lives, living a life of repentance and serving Him and obeying His Word.
If bitterness toward God's will goes unchecked, holiness will be destroyed and many will be defiled and "without
holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14
