Preacher’s Point: Take into consideration…

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How much do you think about things? How often do you consider things? Many people will think of the immediate outcome of something without taking into account the long-term effects. After something happens do you take a minute and think about why said event occurred?

Throughout the Bible, God tells us to “consider” one thing or another. This week, I would like to look at a few of these.

“Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.” — Deuteronomy 8:5.

From time to time, a parent will need to discipline a child; God, the ultimate good parent, will also need to discipline us occasionally. When things go array in life, it is a good idea to sit down and consider why. Often the bad things in life are our fault. If you show up to work drunk and get fired, it is not the bosses’ fault you lost your job. I also doubt it is God punishing you; getting fired is the consequence of your actions. However, not everything that happens to us is our fault, but we must ask God what is going on. We need to ask Him why things are happening the way they are. Sometimes we experience things so God can work through us to reach or help someone else; sometimes God is just giving us a good spanking.

“Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.” — 1 Samuel 12:24.

I know there are some people out there who see that their life is in a shambles, that everything is falling apart, or has already fallen apart around them, and believe God has not done anything for them.

If you feel this way — take a deep breath. God supplied the air you just took in. God manufactured the lungs you have to process that air. He formed the muscles you used to take that breath. There are three great things God has done for you, and we have not counted passed taking one breath.

The greatest thing God has done for you, I will tie into the third thing to consider.

“O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!” — Deuteronomy 32:29.

God wants you to consider your latter end — the end of your life. He is not speaking of our retirement years. It is a good idea to save for the future, but this is not God’s point here. He wants us to think about the end of our life.

We all hope to live into our 70s and beyond, but that will not be the case with many of us. My sister, Brenda, and my best friend, DuWane, both died in their 20s. I had a great-great-uncle that lived past 110. Young or old, no one knows the exact time of his or her approaching death, but one thing we all realize is that one day we will die. God wants us to “consider” that.

Sadly, fewer and fewer people believe in heaven, and/or hell, but the Word of God does tell us they exist, and everyone will go to one or the other to spend eternity.

As we consider our latter end, we can also consider the greatest thing God has ever done for us — He died in our place.

Sin will not enter into the eternal heaven, and all of us are sinners. Do not start thinking how some people are worse than you are — God did not tell you to think about their latter end — He told you to consider yours.

God had to provide a way for us to enter into heaven. He had to erase all our sins. To do that the sinless one became sin for us and died for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). The just died for the unjust so that He might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).

God accomplished the great act of salvation by dying on the cross. He will then place things in your life to draw your attention and show you the way of salvation. The fact that you are reading this column is evidence of that.

God wants you to consider the end of your life. He wants you to think about what He has done by loving you enough to die in your place, on your behalf. After you have considered all this in your heart, He desires that you trust in Him, not just for your eternal destiny, but for your everyday life (Acts 16:31, Romans 1:17).

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By Timothy Johnson

Preacher’s Point

Preacher Johnson is pastor of Countryside Baptist Church in Parke County Indiana. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.preacherjohnson.com. E-book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TUJTV2A If you email, inform me where you have seen Preacher’s Point. Viewpoints expressed in the article are the work of the author. The Daily Advocate does not endorse these viewpoints or the independent activities of the author.

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