Little Things (1 of 2)
Eddie Snipes
Isaiah 55:8-9
03/2008
Let's begin by looking at Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
This sounds simple, but it is a hard concept to grasp for most of us. Throughout the Bible we are told that human nature and the will of God are in conflict. Romans 8:8 tells us that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Galatians 5:17 tells us that the flesh desires things that are contrary to God's Spirit and the Spirit is against the flesh and these two cannot agree. So when it comes to the church, we must realize that God works His will in ways that do not seem wise to the fleshly mind, but equally true is that the ways that seem right to man are not God's will. There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of it are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25).
When it comes to the work of God in the church and the ministry of the church, we must realize that the ways of man often are not the way God chooses to work. In our secular culture, success is everything. Hard work is not praiseworthy until something big happens. You get a parade if you win the Super Bowl or World Series, but you are pushed aside if you come in second. The blue collar laborer can work 14 hours a day and gets little recognition because he doesn't have trophies of success. People respect those who wear nice clothes, drive nice cars, live in large houses and have the symbols of success in our culture. This attitude is not only in the secular culture, but it affects the attitudes of those in the church. This is not unique to our day and time, but has always been a challenge to God's people. Look at James 2:2-5
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye ...
Eddie Snipes
Isaiah 55:8-9
03/2008
Let's begin by looking at Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
This sounds simple, but it is a hard concept to grasp for most of us. Throughout the Bible we are told that human nature and the will of God are in conflict. Romans 8:8 tells us that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Galatians 5:17 tells us that the flesh desires things that are contrary to God's Spirit and the Spirit is against the flesh and these two cannot agree. So when it comes to the church, we must realize that God works His will in ways that do not seem wise to the fleshly mind, but equally true is that the ways that seem right to man are not God's will. There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of it are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25).
When it comes to the work of God in the church and the ministry of the church, we must realize that the ways of man often are not the way God chooses to work. In our secular culture, success is everything. Hard work is not praiseworthy until something big happens. You get a parade if you win the Super Bowl or World Series, but you are pushed aside if you come in second. The blue collar laborer can work 14 hours a day and gets little recognition because he doesn't have trophies of success. People respect those who wear nice clothes, drive nice cars, live in large houses and have the symbols of success in our culture. This attitude is not only in the secular culture, but it affects the attitudes of those in the church. This is not unique to our day and time, but has always been a challenge to God's people. Look at James 2:2-5
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye ...
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