Too hard?
I hope it is not too much of a cop out to use what you preached about in the morning to put on your blog in the afternoon but my excuse is that my own sermon spoke to me.
Deuteronomy 30:11.
"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach."
At our kids club, when I have shown them a craft that I want them to make a child will sometimes say, "It's too hard, I can't do it."
I known it's not too hard because I have made the craft dozens of times before with other 6 year olds. I know that they are capable of making the craft but they will say it's too hard for a number of reasons. Some make up their minds they can't do it before they know what I'am actually asking, some say it's too hard because it will involve effort. Some will say it's too hard because they never think they can do anything and some will say its too hard because they've seen the biscuits in the box and they want to by pass this activity to get to them!
The problem is not that the task is too hard but there is maybe a lack of knowledge, lack of faith, an unwillingness to try or simply other things distract.
How often have I heard the words, "It's too hard." Sometimes I have heard it from people on the edge of Christian committment. "It's all too hard to understand." "I'm not good enough." "I'm too busy." "I'm alright as I am."
Sometimes I have heard it from Christians in terms of holy living. It's too hard, they say they are too ignortant of theology, too ordinary to be a saint. They believe they are too scarred and damaged to fulfill Jesus'commands or that their circumstances are too difficult and their is time too limited.
Sometimes I have heard it in the Church and the Army in terms of mission. It's too hard. The world is different than it was in the New Testament, in the early days of our movement. Life is more secularised, more complicated, more apathetic, laws are stricter, people are more easily offended, our numbers are too small and our lives more pressured.
There is no denying it that Christian living is hard but it's not too hard. It is possible, not because we have any ability of our own but becasue we have a God, with whom all things are possible and he has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3)
1 John 5:3 "This is love for God; to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome for everyone born of God overcomes the world."
All things are possible to him
That can in Jesus' name believe:
Lord, I no more thy truth blaspheme,
Thy truth I lovingly receive;
I can, I do believe in thee
All things are possible to me.
I hope it is not too much of a cop out to use what you preached about in the morning to put on your blog in the afternoon but my excuse is that my own sermon spoke to me.
Deuteronomy 30:11.
"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach."
At our kids club, when I have shown them a craft that I want them to make a child will sometimes say, "It's too hard, I can't do it."
I known it's not too hard because I have made the craft dozens of times before with other 6 year olds. I know that they are capable of making the craft but they will say it's too hard for a number of reasons. Some make up their minds they can't do it before they know what I'am actually asking, some say it's too hard because it will involve effort. Some will say it's too hard because they never think they can do anything and some will say its too hard because they've seen the biscuits in the box and they want to by pass this activity to get to them!
The problem is not that the task is too hard but there is maybe a lack of knowledge, lack of faith, an unwillingness to try or simply other things distract.
How often have I heard the words, "It's too hard." Sometimes I have heard it from people on the edge of Christian committment. "It's all too hard to understand." "I'm not good enough." "I'm too busy." "I'm alright as I am."
Sometimes I have heard it from Christians in terms of holy living. It's too hard, they say they are too ignortant of theology, too ordinary to be a saint. They believe they are too scarred and damaged to fulfill Jesus'commands or that their circumstances are too difficult and their is time too limited.
Sometimes I have heard it in the Church and the Army in terms of mission. It's too hard. The world is different than it was in the New Testament, in the early days of our movement. Life is more secularised, more complicated, more apathetic, laws are stricter, people are more easily offended, our numbers are too small and our lives more pressured.
There is no denying it that Christian living is hard but it's not too hard. It is possible, not because we have any ability of our own but becasue we have a God, with whom all things are possible and he has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3)
1 John 5:3 "This is love for God; to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome for everyone born of God overcomes the world."
All things are possible to him
That can in Jesus' name believe:
Lord, I no more thy truth blaspheme,
Thy truth I lovingly receive;
I can, I do believe in thee
All things are possible to me.
posted by Rehoboth at
6:35 AM
2 Comments:
"With man it is impossible" but with God the sky's the limit!
I wasn't at NA on Sunday so it was good to hear your sermon all this way down south!
L&P Andrew
By
Andrew Bale, at 11:59 PM
Carol
Thanks for this - something relivant for me to think about at the moment.
Just wanted to add that I went to Church a few weeks ago to see my younger brother baptised.
For me the significance was his testemony - rather than the baptism it's self. But anyone who knew my brother a few years ago would have though either of those things impossible.
The thing he said that came to mind as I read your post was his observation that being a Christian is hard - but it's much harder not being a Christian.
I'm off now to look at that text in context.
By
Heather's place, at 3:35 PM
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