It's In There!

"As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me." (John 6:45 NLT)

There's a pasta sauce commercial that comes to mind, but I cannot remember with certainty which one was advertised. I do remember that every time someone questioned what was in the sauce, the response was, "It's in there!"

Tomatoes--"It's in there!"

Garlic--"It's in there!"

Peppers--"It's in there!"

Onions--"It's in there!"

Now, though I may have forgotten all the ingredients mentioned in that commercial, the response is relevant to those of us who teach God's Word and our response to any question about living right should be,"It's in there!"

What questions might those be?

God's response to liars--"It's in there!"

God's response to those changing His Word--"It's in there!"

God's response to all sexual immorality--"It's in there!"

God's response to parenting--"It's in there!"

God's response to praying--"It's in there!"

God's response to Satan's influence--"It's in there!"

God's response to where we shall spend eternity--"It's in there!"

God's response to gaining wealth--"It's in there!"

God's response to healing--"It's in there!"

God's response to losing one's soul in order to gain the world--"It's in there!"

Whatever question we have--the answer is in God's Word, but if we refuse to read and understand, we will never receive the Truth of The Word! Jesus is The Word alive--His Truth's aligned with His Father's and when men refused to accept Him, they also refused to accept what His Father had already said throughout the generations of mankind.

Everything we'll ever need to know about living in right standing with God is in His Word--and those who read and seek understanding will obtain through Holy Spirit, but those who don't--won't!

As it is written in the Scriptures, "The fool has said in his heart, there is no God!"

If we refuse to believe God and that He is the creator of all things created and without Him, nothing was created, then we choose to live without benefit of His Wisdom and peace. Where God's wisdom is not operating, there is chaos and confusion and we can see the results of confused people who now believe--we have no need for gender distinctions, public bathrooms to accommodate males and females--separately, no need for learning the distinction between a mother and a father, no need for respecting authority, no need to do anything other than--appease flesh--without regard to the consequences.

Satan's influence has pervaded nations and he's sitting back laughing at all the confusion because he has always hated everything God created for His loved ones--us!

With current trends  now evident--soon we will have no need to have names--other than--Clone numbers. How sad our God must be to see this current trend, but He knows the end from the beginning and for those of us who remain steadfast, immovable in our faith in Him, we will see how He handles all the confusion and then spend eternity with Him!

When we read His Word, we discover--all the problems that could fall upon man has already been addressed and we can say with confidence--"It's in there!"

Eyes On Me!

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you" (Psalm 32:8,9 NIV).

There are so many eyes--looking upon everything we do--judging, evaluating, assessing, criticizing, not knowing who we really are or who is guiding us. Or do they?
If the Lord is giving us instruction, and teaching us how to get to the destination He has planned for us, and counseling us as we journey in life, we have no need to be concerned about what others see--for they will only see our willing obedience to God, doing what must be done to obtain the goal.  
However, whatever we do, whatever others see--will determine whether we need to be "controlled or forced" to do something.

In spite of what many think, our obedience to God is out of a desire to please Him, not because He forces us to do anything. If we have a heart for God and we are hearing Him, we know that He only wants the best for us and we only want to please Him.

For those who do not understand God's love or His plans, His Word will seem harsh and brash and controlling. But God--never forces or controls us to do anything--He gives us freewill to choose and to accept the consequences of our actions. When we choose not to understand or hear Him, we are left with those entities that will control--demonic spirits that lead us down the opposite paths of those God wants us to travel.

On the path to hell (and it is real), everything glitters and has much more appeal to our senses--sight, smell, feel, taste, hearing--it all looks good, smells good, feels good, tastes good and sounds good, but is it--all good? NO! The enemy deliberately makes everything that opposes God look better than anything God wants us to have because he--the devil--wants us to be miserable and to hate God.

Not convinced of the devil's controlling influence? Take a good look around at our society--at those who are influenced by greed, drugs, and all other lusts of the flesh. The gambling looked good--easy money--until it's all gone and now people have to steal to support their habit. The same is true with drugs and alcohol--controlling substances. On a personal level--hygiene takes a backseat to fulfilling the desires and cravings of those things which control the mind and behavior.

Feelings and cravings in the lower extremities of bodies control--making sexual appeal for anyone more desirable and pleasurable than doing things God's way. Even food controls--for those who lack discipline and self-control, overeating--which leads to health problems and early deaths. Oh, yes--the enemy controls, but God instructs, teaches, and counsels and leaves it up to us to hear and obey.

Whose eyes are upon you, today--the loving eyes of the Lord or the gleaming eyes of the devil? They know and we should, too--just by looking at what we do!