Seek guidance
By the Rev. Richard Odum, First Baptist Church of Lebo
Friday, July 3, 2009
If we will remain true to God, God will lead each of us through every barrier and right into the inner chamber of the knowledge of himself. We must always be willing to come to the point of giving up our own convictions and traditional beliefs. But many will experience life changing results because of unconscious covenants they have made with the enemy.
We have to make countless decisions every day. Sadly, many of us fail to seek God’s wisdom. Instead, when we get in desperate situations, we often make desperate choices.
When we make decisions that violate the word of God, the consequences can be grave. Unwise choices can lead to the destruction of marriages, relationships, families, careers and even life itself.
Some people constantly make wrong decisions based on their faulty belief systems rather than on God’s guidance. They think their decision making processes are under their own private control. But in truth, their choices become casual covenants with the enemy, resulting in the negative outcomes.
The question you need to ask yourself, do I want to be part of the problem or part of the solution? First, do we have an under-age dinking problem in our community, in our state, in our nation? Do we have a drug problem in our community, in our state, in our nation? And if we do have a problem, are we willing to try and fix the problem or face the consequences? Trying to do only what we believe is contrary to God’s word. We need to seek his wisdom and guidance to overcome our own problems and difficulties. From our hearts, we are speaking what we believe will come to pass; and, therefore, we will have what we say, according to God’s will. (See Mark 11; 24.)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ promises are neither a gimmick to give you goose bumps nor a mental attitude that needs to pump you up like at a pep rally. No, Matthew 5 describes “God’s radical reconstruction of the heart.” The Sermon on the Mount is clear. Jesus was not hesitant about defining life in stark polarities and radical extremes. Not to commit is to choose the other way, and when you abstain when the vote is called, you’ve already decided the outcome. Narrow or wide are the gates, hard is the way for the few and easy the path of the many. You can coast your way to destruction because the downhill grade is as slight as to escape notice, but to reach the heavenly city you must climb, climb, and climb. It is treacherous. One path ends in life abundant and unending in the kingdom of God , the other path ends in the perpetual destruction of the realm where God is forever absent.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
— Matthew 7:20
• “Sunday Sermon” is a forum for Emporia area ministers to share their sermons, thoughts and observations. This week’s author is the Rev. Richard Odum of the First Baptist Church of Lebo.