I have arrived back home from another opportunity to preach at a congregation in Illinois. What a blessing I received.
It struck me as I preached last evening the seriousness of our lives lived in the presence of our Father. I have always known it is serious but something really hit me last evening. It's amazing how many speak of the truth, the faith and holding to the truth yet in practice, we don't submit and heed the word of the Lord. As we read from Heb. 3:12, warning about an evil, unbelieving heart, it is very possible to have or it wouldn't have to be addressed. So many who claim faith in Jesus turn their hearts away from His word when they get stirred by someone to another direction. People complain. The Lord asks us not to do that (Phil. 2:14). People rebel against the authority (using that word as the Scriptures intended, not as a dictatorship) of the elders, taking bad attitudes toward them where the Lord asks us not to do that (Heb. 13:17). People are unloving, unforgiving and unmerciful which the Lord asks us not to hold to such (Col. 3:12-13). People gossip and spread rumors against one another, dividing people which the Lord asks us to never allow but preserve the unity of the Spirit (Eph. 4:1-3). It should make each of us wonder, are we really belivers or unbelievers? OT Israel as God's people were found to be unbelievers because they were disobedient to God's word because they simply didn't allow His word to penetrate into the heart uniting with faith (Heb. 3:16-4:2). No wonder we are warned about having an evil, unbelieving heart. Makes one think and reflect! How serious do we take God's word?
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