Consider This

Consider This                                                        04-21-17

Hebrews 12:3 (ESV) ³  Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.


Well it seems that my schedule problems have been alleviated....so hear I am again.That was a title to a song wasn't it? Anyway. I woke up this morning(as my friend Pastor Doug says PTL for that!) I awoke this morning and one of the first things that crossed my still foggy mind was the fact that I did not want to write this blog today.A  lot is going on right now and I simply did not want to write.My normal motivation and excitement about writing was nowhere to be found. I had not considered and wrestled with what I would write about,(something I most times do) and over my first cup of coffee decided that I would put it off until next Friday or Wednesday or whatever. The prime consideration being that I would put it off.I told myself that in the grand scheme of things,my blog or lack of it would not be missed. The world would not be knocked off of it's orbit if my Friday article did not appear. And then something happened inside of me.A little voice whispered in my ear that if I did not write today,I might not ever write again.Then it occurred to me that indeed the world would not be knocked off of it's orbit without my words today. I was correct in that assumption,.......HOWEVER I WOULD BE KNOCKED OFF OF MINE! And herein lieth the lesson.

Remember the movie "The Passion of Christ?" Great movie.At the very first of that movie the scene in the garden was for me the most powerful scene of the entire movie.As Jesus was agonizing,the devil started whispering. he asked Jesus"Do you believe that one man can bear the full burden of sin?...No one man can carry this burden,I tell you.It is far too heavy. Saving their souls is too costly.........." Remember that? Killer scene.Do you think that Jesus was tempted to agree? I can't imagine that He was not.I wonder if the thought of "putting it off until next Friday" ever crossed His mind.Maybe,maybe not,but you see the point don't you?

Understand the temptation to quit or maybe just to put it off is very real isn't it? And many,wait a minute, not many that is the wrong word,...MOST times there are good,even compelling reasons for doing just that.Just what Ronnie? Quitting. Putting something off. You know.

Yes there are times that God does tell us that it is time to move on. But,in all honesty,not very often.If the truth were known,it is the exception rather than the rule. Hear me here. I have been writing this blog for almost eight years.Has the world been changed because of it?.....I doooonnnnttt think so!(lol) But,BUT it has become something that I do. It,in some strange way, has become a part of me.Does that make any sense? Eight years and all of a sudden because of a schedule change I begin to entertain thoughts of quitting. Or of "putting it off" 'til' next Friday. You gettin'my drift here?  

That's what that Scripture is taking about isn't it? Look again.

Hebrews 12:3 (ESV) ³  Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

That word consider means to estimate or to contemplate.You see this context in Hebrews is talking about our struggle with sin and hindrances.But,it is instructive in all areas of our lives isn't it? You see,to my natural eye,this blog is insignificant. A speck of dust.But,who knows? It is possible that the next Billy Graham or Charles Spurgeon might be influenced by these words. I don't know. But,I DO KNOW this.What Ronnie? NO ONE will be influenced by it if I DON'T WRITE IT. Ya feelin' me here? It's the exact same for you dear brother and sister.What you are doing for the Lord and for others may seem trivial. Trifling is a better way to put it. The devil will tell you that what you do,no matter what it is, is TRIFLING won't he? Go look up the meaning of that word.

You see folks in our case, the enemy paints us a picture of the pettiness and the insignificance of our efforts.In Jesus's case it wasn't trifling it was the enormous load.he told Jesus that it was impossible for one man to carry. You see it. It's a variation on a theme isn't it. All designed to get us to quit.

You see brothers and sisters this walk that God has called us to can be tiring and frustrating at times. It can seem TRIFLING. But, we are admonished to consider Jesus. To contemplate the Lord Jesus and the battle He fought.SO THAT WE DON'T GROW WEARY AND FAINTHEARTED.Weary and fainthearted in what Ronnie? Well,...perhaps in writing a blog. Maybe in practicing a guitar,or teaching a children's class.You fill in the blank.

Don't you know that in our way of thinking, it was a trifling matter to leave the glory of heaven to be born in a poverty ridden household,in a manger on the backside of nowhere.To the world of His day,He was just another delusional nut with a messiah complex that was crucified on a cross in the middle of nowhere. Trifling to a lost world. Let us consider that...... no not that,......let us consider HIM the next time we grow weary and fainthearted.When the enemy of our souls whispers in our ears those words of discouragement. When he assures us that what we are doing means absolutely nothing. A waste of time. TRIFLING. The next time that happens,and there will be a NEXT TIME,let us CONSIDER HIM. Let us contemplate Jesus,the author and finisher of our faith. Amen?Amen!!

 Psalm 30:10 (ESV) ¹⁰  Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me! O LORD, be my helper!”



God Bless