Obstructions? Reality Check Required

Obstructions that seem to crowd each person's life journey can be fantasy smashers. No matter if you’re young and just beginning this journey or if you’ve been around awhile, obstacles become a major contender for blocking what you want to achieve. Every person has had hopes and dreams shattered by unexpected obstacles.

Jacob gladly agreed to work seven years for Rachel. However, his prospective father-in-law gave him Leah, Rachel's older sister. Jacob was tricked into marrying the woman he didn’t love. When Jacob discovered this deception, it was too late. For another seven years, he could only imagine the happiness he would share with Rachel.    

          Do you think Jacob ever connected on how Esau had felt when he conspired with their mother in a scheme to steal Esau’s blessing and birth right? The old saying of “what goes around, comes around” certainly showed up in this situation to give an accounting for sin. Yet the Lord God faithfully shows up with his grace and mercy that is greater than our sins.  

Don't Dance with the Devil! - Part 3

Doing good doesn't come easy even when we are committed to do so from the depths of our heart. Jesus never varied from the path of righteousness, but he had to dodge taking the easy, less obstructed pathway. Jim Grace’s book Quarantine speaks of Satan's attempt to pull Jesus away from what he knew was God's plan for himself. Satan obstructs the way to heaven with evil allurements.

Jim Grace said, "God's cushioned finger would take Jesus by the elbow and ease him from the devil's grasp with his word."  Satan's business is to make temptation look sweet, but once stung by temptation and sin, escape is possible only by God's grace. The sting may go on indefinitely, but we manage the sting by knowing God’s grace is greater than all our sins.

Jesus said, "Wide is the gate, and broad is the road that leads to destruction." God stands ready to take us by the elbow and hand and help us back onto the straight way. This is our hope.  
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To coordinate with KHCB’s “Five Days of Christmas” programming, I will post special Christmas thoughts on my blog Wednesday-Sunday, December 21-25. On those days, KHCB will air only Christmas music and short thoughts from the programmers.

On Monday, December 26, my blog posts again will coordinate with the radio broadcast schedule of Attitudes/Answers that airs at 5:45 PM on KHCB radio at 105.7FM in the Houston area. To stream it live or for a listing of sister stations in TX, OK, LA, and FL, you may click on the KHCB link in the "About Me" section of this page.