I sit here tonight with many things on my heart that I want to write about, but I want to focus on just a couple of things and try to tie them in together and hopefully get off my chest what I am feeling in these two areas.
First off I have to tell you, my wife Angie and I were talking the other day about something a minister friend of ours had posted online. Not about the content, but how it would take a theologian to understand it, and I realized at that point, that we as ministers of the Gospel need to quit worrying about pretty sermons, elegant, large words and get back to really speaking what God has laid on our hearts in a manner that reaches those who need it. Sometimes I think we, ministers, have gotten so educated that we have lost touch with the people we are supposed to be ministering to, and that's why the church is suffering today, from years of pretty sermons and elegant speeches. Then today I read something a good friend of mine, a very special brother in the Lord, wrote on Face book and I thought, that's what Angie and I were talking about right there. So I am going to do my best in this blog to make sure I don't get to "elegant" or "educated", but instead that I get back to the raw honesty of the word. If this means I hurt some feelings, then remember this, I am bringing you what God has laid on my heart, and hurt feelings means you need to have a talk with the Lord, because as the old saying goes, "if the shoe fits, wear it!"
Secondly, I have been off now for over 2 months from the wreck on Fathers day, and I have watched a lot of TV news, and read a ton of news online, as well as observed people when I have went out, and I have to tell you, I see a lot of people searching for something in their life to make them happy and satisfy them, but not finding it. I also see a lot of parents teaching their children how NOT to be satisfied, and how NOT to be loved. And I thing to myself, why can't they see what I see. All they need is the Love of God in their lives and he will satisfy them totally. I have seen these people on the street, in the grocery store, on the TV, and even in the Church, yes the Church. I know people like this personally, who just like the ones on TV and in the grocery store , are looking for Love in all the wrong places, and looking for love in all the wrong faces (to Quote an old Johnny Lee song). In today's society the old adage of love 'em and leave 'em seems to be the way a lot of people live there lives. Marriage today is not an institution, it a passing phase in an individuals life, or its a dirty word because they would rather live together than make that commitment. Children are an inconvenience for a lot of folks, or a consequence of that search for satisfaction they are on. To many lives are ruined in this world because people want to look every where but the right where when it comes to Love.
Isaiah 55:2-3 (NASB) says "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies shown to David." Now , I realize that someone out there is going to go , but why should I spend all my money on bread, so let me break this down in a way most will understand.
Brad is your average young man, age wise he could be anywhere from 21 to 50 lets say. He has a decent job making what he believes is an above average salary of say 42,000 a year.He has a wife and one child. His family has 2 cars with payments, a mortgage on an average house of say $ 150,000.00 and of course credit cards, checking account, savings, 401k, and status in the community. Brads wife doesn't work and is a full time stay at home mom. Seems like this family has it going on doesn't it. On the outside it looks like the perfect little family, but when you look deeper, things begin to change. Brad stops on his way home everyday and picks up his afternoon drink at the ABC store or convenience store, and then heads off down the road, having one for the road as he drives. He arrives home and goes in and changes clothes and proceeds to "interrogate" his wife about her day, where she has went, what she has done, who she has talked to while the kids were at school and he was at work. He goes over picks up her cell phone and goes through the texts, recent calls and anything else he decides to. Now she isn't happy already because he made his usual stop on the way home, so she begins to snap back at him about how he gets out of the house everyday and she has to be stuck at home cooking, cleaning and not getting any respect from him. As usual a big argument ensues and he goes outside, picks up his cell phone and makes a call to someone, then goes in changes clothes again and runs out the door. Seeing this his wife starts to cry and goes into her room and opens up her laptop and joins into a chat room about lonely wife needs company. Meanwhile down in the living room, sitting on the couch watching all of this unfold is a 10 year old, brown haired, little girl/boy who kept their ears covered in order to try not to hear the events in the rest of the house. The child gets up, goes to the kitchen and gets another microwave meal out and fixes it, and then sits down in front of the TV for the evening, forgetting to do the homework they were given, because after all mom and dad don't care if I do it, so why should I, besides this is my second year in this grade so it should be easier.
While mom is in the bedroom chatting with some guys she has never met and trading provocative photos, Brad is at the local bar, slamming them back when he notices this attractive lady sitting and looking at him. So with another shot of liquid courage, he goes over sits down and begins to get cozy with her. After a couple of hours of this, they leave together , because after all she's easy to talk to and she gets him. They actually never leave the parking lot though, because the lust is so thick they stay right there in the parking lot to get to know each other better. Meanwhile mom has given away her phone number to one of her new online friends and has excused herself to take nice hot bath while she "talks" to her new friend. All the while the child is down stairs watching whatever they can find on TV, or playing the gaming system, to way into the wee hours of the morning, finally falling asleep on the couch. Brad starts to drive home, and seems to be having a little trouble seeing, must have been that last drink he had, from the bottle in the car he bought earlier, before leaving the parking lot. Mom has finally emerged from the bathroom, but upon noticing that Brad isn't home yet, starts calling his cell phone, unbeknown to her has died. Since she can't get hold of him, and noticing the child is asleep on the couch, gets dressed and gets in her car to go find him. She backs out of the drive and starts down the road, without having a clue as to where to go find him. About 10 minutes later she comes up to a red light, at which she stops until it turns green, at which time she proceeds through the light, only to be hit broadside on her side by a car running a so fast it was unable to stop at the red light, and unfortunately it kills her instantly.
Upon the police arriving, they discover that the driver of the car that ran the red light has also passed away, and upon further investigation, they discover that Brad is the driver of the car that ran the red light. So now both parents are gone and a child sleeps alone on a couch in an empty house, only to be woken to discover that both mom and dad are gone, and wont be coming back.
Now I realize this sounds like something out of a movie or TV show, but reality is, both Brad and his wife, were spending everything they made, and all their wages, searching for satisfaction, only to have that search destroy not only the both of them, but to leave a child with the last memory of their parents as one of hatred and neglect. This may be a little over the top, but how many people out there that appear to be happy, are searching and spinning their wheels looking for something to satisfy their soul, because they aren't happy with themselves, their lives or their place in society. This is what Isaiah 55:2 is talking about. Why are you looking for love, wasting your time looking for something you can never find in the worldly things in front of you? Many a men have searched and searched for happiness in money, alcohol, drugs, sex (heterosexual and homosexual) only to find that there is nothing earthly or worldly that can satisfy the soul of an individual.
Sir Francis Newport, 1st Earl of Bradford, was a respected soldier, and politician in England in the mid to late 1600's, educated at Christ Church College in Oxford England. But he was also an Atheist. He lived a long and eventful life, being elevated to high position in the King's rule, so he wanted for nothing, as did his family, yet on his deathbed at the age of 88, he said "Oh, that I could lie for a thousand years upon the fire that is never quenched, to purchase the favor of God and be united to Him again. But it is a fruitless wish. Millions and millions of years will bring me no nearer the end of my torments than one poor hour. Oh, eternity, eternity forever and forever! Oh, the insufferable pangs of Hell!
Thomas Paine, one of the famous revolutionaries of the American Revolution, who was also the Author of The Age of Reason, A book which promotes Deism, a religion that does believe in one God, but not the inerrancy of the Bible or the Trinity. A man who wanted for nothing as he was a man of means, wealth and position. A man who, according to research,stated on his Deathbed " I would give worlds if I had them, that The Age of Reason had never been published. O Lord, help me! Lord JESUS CHRIST help me! . . No, don’t leave; stay with me! Send even a child to stay with me; for I am on the edge of Hell here alone. If ever the Devil had an agent, I have been that one.
You see, wealth, status, possessions, none of these satisfies the human soul, why? Because they are fleeting, they only last for a short period. They are worldly objects meant only to give earthly satisfaction while we are here, but when we leave this world, our wealth is distributed to those left behind, our possessions are passed on to family or sold, and our status in this world means nothing, for none of these go with us when we leave this world. But Jesus, is with us not only here on this earth, but as believers we have the promise of an eternity spent with him in Heaven. Where we will never want for anything. We won't have to worry about things like cancer or death. In Matthew 28:20 Jesus says "....And behold, I am with you always, to the end......" We have the knowledge that even though we shall leave this world through the earthly death, we will not "die".
If you go on to read the rest of Isaiah 55, you will see in Verses 6-7 that God promises us satisfaction but we must first act...."Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon." If we only call upon our Lord and repent he will abundantly pardon us of our sins. You see Jesus has already took the punishment for our sins, all we must do is believe on him, repent of our sins and make him Lord of our life and we will be satisfied. he promises us satisfaction in Verses 12-13 "For you will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up, And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up, And it will be a memorial to the LORD, For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off."
How can I be so sure of this? Well I was once that sinner looking for satisfaction, I looked in bars and chat rooms, drowning my ills in strong drink and sexual gratification, as well as drugs. I let my pursuit for satisfaction destroy my relationships, especially with my children. I was the one who thought that status and money and possessions meant everything, only to be disappointed when I had none. Only to be left alone and disheartened when things fell apart. I walked away from God at one point and looked for that satisfaction in every place but the right place. Now don't get me wrong, I am not perfect and I still mess up, not intentionally, but I know I am forgiven. For I know in who I believe, and have made him Lord of my life. I have stood at the entrance of hell , only to be forgiven at the foot of the cross.
If you are that person seeking satisfaction, no matter where you are looking for it. Maybe you are looking for it in the arms of another individual, whether that be same sex or not, out of wedlock. Maybe you are letting the search for satisfaction disrupt your relationship with your spouse, or your children through neglect or abuse. Maybe you are letting the Job become your God and putting it above everything else in your life. Maybe you are pursuing more and more possessions or trying to rise the corporate ladder regardless of who it hurts. if you are this person, then I ask you this, have you found true satisfaction in any of these things? I can guarantee they may satisfy for a period, but you will find there is something missing, and that something is actually a someone, Jesus. Look to the scripture John 3:16 and know he is waiting to satisfy your soul, for eternity. If you are this person and need help please contact me with your phone number and I will help you in your search for Christ. For we all have sinned and come short of the glory of the Lord, and there is none of us righteous, but we are forgiven.
God Bless all who read this and please feel free to share this with anyone you feel needs it. And I leave you with this Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. "
In Christ's Love,
Bro Bill Roy
cntrydadof3@gmail.com
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