Consider Your Ways!

wise seeker · Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2003 7:38 pm Post subject: Consider Your Ways!

Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways! "Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified," says the LORD. "You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts. "Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. "Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. "For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands." Haggai 1:7-11

Because men have not sought first the kingdom of God and His righteousness God has called a drought on their land and on all the labor of their hands. They have not heeded the words of Jesus who clearly told them:

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

"So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:30-34

It’s not surprising that the wayward ones always think that they are right and on the right path when they are wrong and God is not blessing them. Just because men talk much and wear fancy clothes is not a sign of God’s blessings. “Woe to you” doesn’t mean “Something good is going to happen to you? God’s word is unchanging:

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. "Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. "But all their works they do to be seen by men.

They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. "They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, "greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.' "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. "And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. "And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. Matthew 23:1-15

In the kingdom of men appearances, recognition and protocol are very important. But in the kingdom of God there is no partiality or respecter of persons as all are brethren. He who is the greatest is the servant and whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. And Pharisees and hypocrites who make others twice as much a son of hell as themselves have no part in the kingdom. Their portion is with the other guy who is a liar, murderer, rapists and a thief! God’s word is unchanging:

"But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' "and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, "the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, "and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 24:48-51

But the Lord's goodness is great to all those who trust in Him. He is Omnipotent. Nothing is impossible with Him. He will surely do a miracle for those who trust Him and are righteous for God's delays are not His denials. He is the God of hope. When we suffer losing our hope, He comes in our midst. He is a God who calls those things which do not exist as though they did. He knows our heart's desires and thoughts and He grants us what we need and makes us happy. His word is true:

Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. Psalm 37:4-6

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
"Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:24

When we confront unforeseen problems in our lives everyday, we should be patient because blessed are those who endure. As we pour out your heart before God then God will prove that He is Almighty and answer our prayers. He will do for us what He has done for others including Peter. After the Lord Jesus died and rose again on the third day, Peter went back to fishing without realizing that Christ had risen. He and his co-workers toiled all through the night, but they caught no fish. With a broken-heart, they were returning. At that time, the Lord came in search of them and said, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat." Obeying His words, they cast their net and caught a multitude of fish till the net broke. Their broken - hearts became happy by receiving such a great blessing from the Lord.

Since God is not respecter of persons the Lord will help us at the right time; He won't forsake us. "He has made everything beautiful in its time" (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The Lord performs miracles at the right time just like He did in the wedding at Cana, the mother of Jesus went to Him and said, "There is no wine." Jesus replied, "My hour has not come." When time came, He performed a miracle. God’s trusting ones are never to get discouraged. They are to trust in the Lord till He sends help. Those who have such a trust will never be put to shame. We can have an unchanging trust in God and in His wonderful miracle-working power which is the same yesterday, today and forever. His word is unchanging:

"Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!" Psalm 31:19