Food for thought

"Take now thy son..." Gen 22:2

Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for a friend ... and I call you friend." "God's command is take now , not presently. It is extraordinary how we debate! We know a thing is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it at once." O.C. Ouch ouch ouch! It is an act of will and even a greater act of faith , we cannot take now without it. Look at this information-overloaded world, the more we know the more miserable we become. Seriously, how much time do we waste everyday getting informed about the trivial things of life and how much good comes of it? If we are honest and take time to assess the time we waste we might just be tempted to adjust our priorities. "Come to me all who are weary and heavy burdened and I shall give Thee rest." Oh sure God, and I could really use it , just let me take care of a few things first. Heaven help us ; What are we teaching our children by the way we live? What if we walked a humble surrendered life with Christ, you think our children may in fact be able to see what it did for us? Our actions speak louder than words my friends . Being a good debater has always been part of human nature; it is only spiritual when it is surrendered. One might consider Paul the ultimate debater, when he was Saul he debated on his own reasoning he only became great when as Paul he debated with the truth to back him up and not of his own ability. If we are debating with God we do not have truth on our side to back us up. We live in information overload and are very easily led astray, tossed about on the waves of whims,not even realizing our incessant need to be right, so we may justify our lives and the way we live. The saddest words I could ever hear are "I knew you not." I personally debate with God everyday and if the realization of that isn't crushing then I have debated my father right out of my life. "Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel." Paul did not write those words to pertain to him only! Those words were written for us, yet we reason them away. God is talking to us, we are ignoring Him. Just like when you tell a child it is time to come in for dinner and he keeps right on playing. Only you and God can really know what He is saying to you. The question is - do we have what it takes to surrender all right here right now? If you wait and think it is mission work in a far off land, you will be of no use to God there, because you refused God here and now. "Take now thy son..." God's words, not mine. Think about the opportunities God in His amazing grace sets before you every single day and you reason it away by one excuse or another; then thank God for the crushing sting of remorse it produces in the realization. If we do not realize what we are debating, we just might hear the most crushing words of all, "I knew you not." What are you debating about today? Run to Jesus and live and God, not us, shall direct our paths. If we let God drive there is no room for debate with Him. God will lift that crushing chain of debate and our strength will be renewed; we will be free to soar for His glory! The stinging crush goes deep to all who believe, and we are blessed to the uttermost by it. "I have been crucified with Christ and yet I live." We have a choice every moment of everyday. I love the hymn that goes " And He walks with me and He talks with me. He tells me I am His own..." It keeps my focus where it belongs when I think upon it, and helps me from putting on a spirit of guilt and wearing myself out (as I do so often ) in the spirit of legalism. When we let the word (subconsciously even) enter our minds, we know deep down God's direction is clear, yet we do as we please, we my friend will wear ourselves out in legalism; just to try and ease our conscience, and the strength of bondage and death will tighten its grip until it snuffs us out! "... for My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Do we have the faith to run to Jesus and live?

Heavenly Father help us to see where we are so heavy burdened with the spirit of debate that is not grounded in You, let us have eyes to see the death it is causing in us. Let us grow with an unquenchable desire for you alone; to be still and know the great I AM. Refine us Lord so we may shine bright for You , for only then will it be well with our soul. In Jesus name amen.

Love to all in Christ Jesus C:)