Am I Standing On Safe Ground If I –?

 Am I Standing On Safe Ground If I –?

Many years ago, when I was a young Christian, I knew a man who gathered his family together once a day for prayer; prayed before each meal, attended Sunday services with his family; all were baptized, and each week, he gave a tenth of his income; lastly, he, and his wife attend Bible studies during the week.

His claimed, “Since I began this routine, we have grown more prosperous, happy; and much more comfortable than most.” This got me thinking, “Would the same strict observances produce as much success and happiness in my life, as it had in his?”

So “If I were to do this, and do that, getting myself into a constant routine of worship, would I begin to feel the sweet effects of God’s gratification in my life?”

In my head, I began to conclude that I would at least be standing on much safer ground with God. The more I thought about it, the more the idea appealed to me.

Then I thought, “What happens when I do sin? I guess I can repent of the evil, increase my diligence in prayer and study, and seek more earnestly the way of goodness. In this, I would attempt to make up in one area, for what I had lacked in another.”

But down deep in my heart I knew I was under a delusion. I was building for myself a house of cards, and soon the whole house would come tumbling down!

I was reading 2 Timothy , when a certain verse grabbed my attention.

2 Timothy 3:5, “Having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:”

Was this what I was about to become? All I am doing is taking up with the form, while remaining destitute of the power!

I believe we all have similar experiences in our Christian walk. Each experience may vary some, but the thinking is the same. “Maybe God will look upon me with more favor, bless me more, or something like that!”

What a rude awakening this was for me. Paul in the Epistle of Roman’s made an appeal that I could never had made. I was not worshipping God in spirit, I had become a shell, having no power. Paul wrote,

Romans 1:9, “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son.”

As time passed, I began to realize that this was the effects of the Holy Spirit working in me, He was removing all the props of self, and emptying my heart in order to prepare me for a more fuller walk in Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 6:9-10, “We are to become poor in order to be made rich. Dying that we may live; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”

God is faithful, and will carry us through! These issues may differ from person to person, but we all have our weakness. In this will the Lord appoint these rabbit-trails, these diversions in order to exercise our faith. I believe that this is among the “All things,” which must work together for good to them that love God.

Phil Laspino www.seekfirstwisdom.com