| Daily Thought — January
3, 2008 |
|
| LIVING THE
SOLUTION WITH DAILY INSPIRATION |
God says, "You
have spoken hard, rude words to me. You ask, 'When
did we ever do that?' "When you said, 'It doesn't
pay to serve God. What do we ever get out of it? When
we did what he said and went around with long faces,
serious about God-of-the-Angel-Armies, what difference
did it make? Those who take life into their own hands
are the lucky ones. They break all the rules and get
ahead anyway. They push God to the limit and get by
with it.'" Then those whose lives honored God
got together and talked it over. God saw what they
were doing and listened in. A book was opened in God's
presence and minutes were taken of the meeting, with
the names of the God-fearers written down, all the
names of those who honored God's name. God-of-the-Angel-Armies
said, "They're mine, all mine. They'll get special
treatment when I go into action. I treat them with
the same consideration and kindness that parents give
the child who honors them. Once more you'll see the
difference it makes between being a person who does
the right thing and one who doesn't, between serving
God and not serving him." (Malachi 3:13-17 — The
Message)
Have you ever known people who think
and speak this way, “It doesn’t pay to serve
God; what do we ever get out of it”? Have you ever
had such thoughts? We look at those in the world who
mock God and His ways and yet seem blessed; they have
all the nice things--good jobs, money, homes, and toys.
Yes, there are many times things seemed to look one way
but really they are something more than we see.
Have we forgotten that this life is but for a brief moment in
the vastness of eternity? Our lives here are but a vapor in the
scheme of things. Our real life, the one we are training for,
is yet to come and it will be forever. The question is whether
you are willing to risk that life for material blessings in the
here and now. Many are. They have been given a choice, the same
choice you have, and they have made it.
The truth is we have all been blessed. We have the forgiveness
of our sins, we have life every day, we have the beauty of the
world all around us, we have people who love us, and the list
goes on and on. There are many who have very little in material
things, but are happy and thankful for what they do have. And
there are many who have almost everything they want and yet they
are not satisfied. Our happiness and gratitude do not come from
things or events outside of us, but from our hearts and a longing
to be one with God and pleasing to Him.
Live intentionally, purposely, free and with passion,
Pete Reinbold
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Scripture taken from the
Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights
reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of
International Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks
of International Bible Society. Use of either trademark for the
offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent
of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission
of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189, USA. All
rights reserved. |
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