A PRETTY FENCE IS JUST A DRESSED UP AND HARMFUL LIE

Invitation to the Thirsty

1“Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3
Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.
4
See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a ruler and commander of the peoples.
5
Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations you do not know will come running to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor.”

6
Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
7
Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

8
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
13
Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.” (Isaiah 55 NIV)

Now is the time to reconcile ourselves back to Christ more than ever. This world is becoming more and more evil. So much is at stake. This applies to believers and sinners alike. How long can we run away from the righteous things before we fall into a pit?There is nothing good that can come from the sinful desires we lust after.

Material possessions, relationships that are unhealthy and/or forbidden, lifestyles and any other god that takes precedence to the Lord that should be cast away should be ridden of. Being ostentatious, taking a fancy to idolatry and giving higher praise to things and people we place above the Lord is simply wrong and a sin. Even our time we give away can be out of line. We know what is right and we know what is wrong yet we still want to ride the fence.

God is a jealous God will have no other gods before him.

* “for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), (Exodus 34:14 NKJV)

Must we play roulette with his grace? Where is the reverence, what happened to our integrity, our morals and values? Where did the covenant go that we made with the Lord after we received salvation?

We snippet things here and there just to have the “best of both worlds” when we are actually playing with fire. How soon will it be before we are consumed entirely? I hope it’s never.

When we know right, we should do right. Count the cost. May we live out what we declare. Let’s not conform to the ways of the world.

* “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”(Romans 12:2 NKJV)

If your heart cries for what is noble and trustworthy, righteous and upright, lean not to the thoughts and ways that lead to destruction. Do not fall into the snare ( trap ) laid down by lies, deceit, false beauty and gain. Refrain from being seduced by worldly matters and monetary gain.

Every measure of good and bad will be judged by the Almighty God.

It’s time to make a change. Who do we love more? Whom will we serve? There cannot be two masters in our lives. We will either serve the Lord or serve the deceiver.

* Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. (James 1:12-18 NKJV)

May we press forward and not look backwards. Friends and family alike may not agree with you. They may even turn their backs on you because they do not understand the goodness of the Lord and the holiness that he requires of us.

The Word tells us:
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, Be holy, for I am holy. (1 Peter 1:13-16 NKJV)

We may not turn into a pillar of salt like Lot’s wife in these modern days (Genesis 19:26 NKJV) but I encourage you to take heed to the promptings of the Holy Spirit when conviction comes upon you. Do not look back at what you think you may be missing out on when blessings are plenteous ahead of you if you just stay faithful.

Allow the Lord to balance your life in all aspects.

Think on it and walk it out.