Blog #9 (Part 2) Finding Your Family
Finding your family in the past could include some very reprehensible tree limbs. Folks, it’s the new year with new beginnings, right? So let me just say that along with eating healthier and doing more exercising, let’s get serious about what you want in “finding your family” in the present and the future. Researching the past was or is the easy part. That is Monday morning quarterbacking! It is time to make meaningful changes and create new habits that will find out who you were meant to be. You are the only one responsible for your branch. Do not try to blame someone else or reason away something you need to be personally responsible for. God may have created this world but evil was brought in by a representative choice (Adam and Eve’s disobedience). Should we be shocked that wrongdoing is a willful choice by man? No! Like most of my blogs I tell you it is a FIGHT.
I said a lot about slavery in Part 1. Please take time to read over it for context because it applies very much here.
I believe that the Lord God is a holy and righteous God who will judge the heart and actions of His creation (that’s us). The reason He can do this is He has spoken to each and every one of us in various ways through history. His Word has been given and will last forever. We (as part of a fallen creation) are the only ones who can look up from being trapped by the slavery of sin and cry out to God for His mercy and grace. You see, we are going to be a SLAVE. The question is to WHOM. The reality of good versus evil on a spiritual battlefield is happening. We often enjoy suspending reality to indulge such things as superheroes and sci-fi movies, but please understand that there are spiritual life and death choices that are in play as long as you have a breath.
God’s word (the Bible) is the one true authority. All the other old books that survive have historic significance, but no other has the authority in historic reliability and prophesy. There are numerous archaeological discoveries that confirm the Bible’s truth about itself historically. There are well over one thousand prophesies that confirm its authority, and the story of the survival of the Jewish people including God’s son, the risen Savior – Jesus – is God’s final authority. He is the Word made flesh (John 1:14).
In the Bible, there are some of God’s chosen that don’t end up looking so glowing.
Hummmm? Not a good look if you are trying to impress the masses. Oh, people fail?!?!?! Well then, who do they turn to?
- Themselves – To keep their power. (selfish)
- Others – To curry favor from the powerful. (selfish)
- God for forgiveness and make it right. (selfless)
Ohhhhhhhhhh, OK. Sounds like God wants His creation to make another choice after human failing…. All God the Father wanted from the beginning was to be close to His “very good” creation and have a close relationship that they could depend on Him. When we don’t choose the things of God, we are choosing another master to serve.
The chapter of Romans 6 is full of this truth. Here are two:
6:16: “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”
6:22: “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”
God’s Word is His Truth. It speaks to a lot of ways you can conduct yourself and please the Lord. But, you will not be able to do it 100% of the time. “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” Rom 3:23. What is our result? “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Rom 6:23.
He sent his Son, Jesus, which lived a perfect life to be the sacrifice in our place that a holy God demands. Please know there is more than what your physical eyes can see. You better look down into “your tree” past the roots to your very soul where each one of us daily, moment by moment, must decide who we will serve. It’s your choice; no one else’s. I hope when you are in a quiet place, you will hear the Lord’s voice again that continues to ask; “Who will you serve? Who will you follow? Who is your Master?”
For me, with God’s grace and strength, I can say for myself and the legacy of my family the words of Joshua at the end of Joshua 24:15. “… As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Sounds like an anthem of the will. A purposeful obedience to show who the Master is!
Tim has much more to say about his blog topics. You may send him an email to discuss speaking opportunities or go to the Speaking sub-tab under Press and fill out form.