Examine Your Choices: Consider the Cost - Part 1

Dr. R. G. Lee’s sermon, "Payday Someday," warns us there’s a cost linked to our choices. For those who choose Christ Jesus, a crown of righteousness is stored up and waiting. Jude 11 speaks to those who exist outside of God's favor. "Woe to those who take the way of Cain, motivated by greed and rushing straight into Balaam’s blunder."

Balaam and Cain shared a common problem. Although God spoke to each one personally, each rejected His guidance, love, and kindness, choosing instead to satisfy his own greedy, sinful attitudes. Each rejected God’s way to live.

God’s Word encourages us to follow in his plan of righteousness for he will compensate for what is lost financially, emotionally, or socially.  An ancient hymn from the Dead Sea Scrolls declares, "By his righteousness my sin is blotted out.  If I stumble because of weakness, my justification is certain in the righteousness of God, so by his loving kindness and mercy I am secure." God’s rewards are worth more than any earthly possession.  

Whether Ordinary or Extraordinary, Choose God - Part 1

Most people seem destined to lead ordinary lives while others search for the unusual. Russian novelist Dostoevsky, who wrote Crime and Punishment, remarked that "all people appear divided into ordinary and extraordinary categories. Ordinary people usually follow the rule of law while extraordinary people may transgress the law if compelled to do so."

David, writing in the Psalms, complained about evil people bringing pain to himself and others but appearing to escape suffering for their evil deeds. David saw himself as an ordinary person chosen by God to lead an extraordinary life. However, David suffered immensely for deviating from God's boundaries.

Balaam, an unusual Old Testament prophet, searched for the extraordinary life that pushed him beyond what was acceptable to God. Yet God went after him to pull him back to the straight way. God sent Jesus to save both the ordinary and the extraordinary person because safe in the love of Jesus, we are all one. 

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.