May 28, 2011
The IF—THEN promises in the Bible. Cause—Effect. IF—THEN. IF you obey—THEN blessings. IF you choose to disobey—THEN curses.
Cause and Effect is a law of nature. IF—you put your hand in the fire, THEN—it will get burned. Why is it, that even if you just looked at life from a purely intellectual and logical view and left out the biblical/spiritual view, that some people just do not seem to "get" that there is indeed IF—THEN situations and it not only applies to the natural world (karma) but most certainly to our spiritual lives as well.
God promised David that from his descendants there would always come a king. But it wasn't automatic. There was an IF → THEN. Psalm 132:12 - "IF your sons keep my agreement and the rules I teach them, THEN their sons after them will rule on your throne forever and ever." II Chronicles 7:14 - "IF my people who are called by my name, humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
This was God's people he was talking to. If we want the THEN to happen (God hearing our voice, forgiveness and restoration), then we have to do the IF (humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from what GOD calls our wicked ways). Only then can the THEN happen! Only THEN. We must do our part before God does his.
Psalm 133:1 - "It is good and pleasant when God's people live together in peace." It is like a perfumed blessing that flows from God and to God. It is like the dew falling on the hills. (Can you picture the early morning dew glistening in the sunrise as it blankets the ground? Beautiful!) There (where the peace of His children live) the LORD gives His blessing of life forever.
Psalm 120:6–7 - "I have lived too long with people who hate peace. When I talk peace, they want war."
Another IF—THEN. Take a close look at your life. IF—there is a list of people you used to be close to and are now alienated from, THEN—you can be assured that the problem is you! An IF—THEN. On the flip side, IF—you live in harmony with the people in your life and you do not have a history of alienation among your friends and family, and still someone insists on war instead of peace, you can be confident that you are being the recipient of their THEN.
In so much as it depends on you, live in harmony with those around you.
Next Entry: Psalm 135
The IF—THEN promises in the Bible. Cause—Effect. IF—THEN. IF you obey—THEN blessings. IF you choose to disobey—THEN curses.
Cause and Effect is a law of nature. IF—you put your hand in the fire, THEN—it will get burned. Why is it, that even if you just looked at life from a purely intellectual and logical view and left out the biblical/spiritual view, that some people just do not seem to "get" that there is indeed IF—THEN situations and it not only applies to the natural world (karma) but most certainly to our spiritual lives as well.
God promised David that from his descendants there would always come a king. But it wasn't automatic. There was an IF → THEN. Psalm 132:12 - "IF your sons keep my agreement and the rules I teach them, THEN their sons after them will rule on your throne forever and ever." II Chronicles 7:14 - "IF my people who are called by my name, humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
This was God's people he was talking to. If we want the THEN to happen (God hearing our voice, forgiveness and restoration), then we have to do the IF (humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from what GOD calls our wicked ways). Only then can the THEN happen! Only THEN. We must do our part before God does his.
Psalm 133:1 - "It is good and pleasant when God's people live together in peace." It is like a perfumed blessing that flows from God and to God. It is like the dew falling on the hills. (Can you picture the early morning dew glistening in the sunrise as it blankets the ground? Beautiful!) There (where the peace of His children live) the LORD gives His blessing of life forever.
Psalm 120:6–7 - "I have lived too long with people who hate peace. When I talk peace, they want war."
Another IF—THEN. Take a close look at your life. IF—there is a list of people you used to be close to and are now alienated from, THEN—you can be assured that the problem is you! An IF—THEN. On the flip side, IF—you live in harmony with the people in your life and you do not have a history of alienation among your friends and family, and still someone insists on war instead of peace, you can be confident that you are being the recipient of their THEN.
In so much as it depends on you, live in harmony with those around you.
Next Entry: Psalm 135
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