HIS Ways or Ours?

    
     As I sit here this evening, I am asking Elohim to make this message His own. I pray that He will anoint it and go before it in order to touch receiving hearts with His truth. That's all that matters to me. Truly. It is my prayer that in His own unique way, you will be assured of that.     
     We don't like to think about such things, but life as we have known it is drawing to a close and just like a person who knows that they are approaching the end of their days, I cannot help but look back over my life and wonder how much of what I thought I was doing for Him will one day be burned up as wood, hay, and straw?(1) I have grieved because I know that there's nothing that I can do to go back and choose differently. I can't go back and choose more time with Him, more truths from Him. I can't restore the "free" time that I've wasted on the attractions (and distractions) of this world, but this much I know; I know that I don't want to waste one more day. Not one more word. I don't want to miss another opportunity to spend with Him in study of His Word, in prayer, or in worship. And I don't want to be silent when He wants me to speak. What we glean from sitting at His feet cannot be compared with anything else that this world has to offer. So whether you think that we are in the end of days or not, it must be agreed that each of us are drawing closer to the ends of our days. The logical question then becomes, "What will we do with the time that we have left?" Will we continue living our lives as my husband and I were, simply assuming that all is well with our souls? Will we humble ourselves before our heavenly Father and consider the possibility that we might not have it all figured out? That maybe not everything is as we have been told? Will we search the Scriptures for the ancient paths (2) and truly learn what it is to know and to follow after our Savior, (3) to walk as HE walked, (4) or will we refuse and continue down the paths of mere men? (5)  
     Oh, my Precious Brethren, if ever there was a time to get serious about what we believe and how we are living, it's now.
   
  
(1) "11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation of gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw - 13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." 1 Cortinthians 3:11-15 ESV

(2) "10 'To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, they cannot listen, behold, the word of the Lord is to them as an object of scorn, they take no pleasure in it.'
"16 Thus says the Lord: 'Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.' But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' 17 Therefore hear, O nations, and know O congregation, what will happen to them. 18 Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not paid attention to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.' " Jeremiah 6:10 and 16-18 ESV

(3) "34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples he said to them, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the son of man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.' " Mark 8:34-38 ESV

(4) "1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says 'I know him' but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." 1 John 2:1-6 ESV

(5) "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." Proverbs 14:12 ESV