Our Duty to God

'My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing. Set your heart right and be steadfast, and do not be impetuous in time of calamity. Cling to him and do not depart, so that your last days may be prosperous.
Accept whatever befalls you, and in times of humiliation be patient. For gold is tested in the fire, and those found acceptable, in the furnace of humiliation. Trust in him, and he will help you; make your ways straight, and hope in him.
You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; do not stray, or else you may fall. You who fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will not be lost. You who fear the Lord, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy.
Consider the generations of old and see: has anyone trusted in the Lord and been disappointed? Or has anyone persevered in the fear of the Lord and been forsaken? Or has anyone called upon him and been neglected? For the Lord is compassionate and merciful; he forgives sins and saves in time of distress.
Woe to timid hearts and to slack hands, and to the sinner who walks a double path! Woe to the fainthearted who have no trust! Therefore they will have no shelter. Woe to you who have lost your nerve! What will you do when the Lord's reckoning comes?
Those who fear the Lord do not disobey his words, and those who love him keep his ways. Those who fear the Lord seek to please him, and those who love him are filled with his law. Those who fear the Lord prepare their hearts, and humble themselves before him.
Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, but not into the hands of mortals; for equal to his majesty is his mercy, and equal to his name are his works. Ecclesiasticus 2 RSV

Source: Biblegateway.com; google.com.

Image result for ecclesiasticus 2 picture quote

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Day of the Lord Approaches

Image
' not forgetting to gather as a community, as some have forgotten, but encouraging each other, especially as the day of His return approaches.' Hebrews 10:25 (VOICE) Days of future trials are coming and yet are here. Last days. The day of His return approaches. No one knows the hour. So we are told to be even more diligent in our calling. We should be always watching, praying and bringing a word of encouragement to one another through the power of God. For what signs and wonders happen in the House of the Lord! Oh so amazing. The Miraculous. God provides the Fire. The battle is the Lords. We are told not to fret but only to enjoy the ride as we thank Him. So as I pray I want to thank you Lord. I am totally devoted to You. Equip me to preach the gospel. Now is the time and I will not forget my mission. As I arise I will not forget to put on my Full Armor of God. I will cling to your Bible. I am committed to carry it with me. I will hold it up as a sword in the town ...
Read more

Mixing Oil and Water

Image
 ' Behold, how good and pleasant it is     when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head,      running down upon the beard,   upon the beard of Aaron,      running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon,      which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,      life for evermore. Psalm 133:1-3(RSV) Unity? Unity is what God sees and demands of us because He loves us. Uniformity is what men wrongly try to force on one another and try to do to one another and to those things around them. Uniformity leads to chaos. It's a challenge to try to live together in unity when we see the things around us as they really area, different. It's a lot like trying to mix oil and water. There truly are so many things to deal with in life, all of various sizes and shapes and colors and purposes....
Read more

Up is Down Times

Image
‘What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.’ Isaiah 5:20.   The Word of God really is like a light unto my feet, it illuminates my thoughts, it justifies my behaviors. The Word of God is good.    The Word of God is good because it reveals the Truth. God is Truth. God warns those that light up the darkness in order to rebel against Him. Darkness is sin. And in darkness sin is used to cover up sin. Lies are told to justify the ungodly; bitter is sweet, dark is light, up is down. Woe to those that condone and therefore justify sin. God will deal with them justly. God is Holy. Justice will be served.   And don't we see it being played out on the intellectual side? Being smart in the ways of the world might gain you some position of power and some stuff, but worldliness is lacking in righteousness and it will never prevail. There is nothing wrong with having ...
Read more