Posted June 5, 2021

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You bet your life.

 

Are you a gambler? The answer is yes whether we like it or not.

 

Every time we get in our car, we are betting our life that that vehicle will arrive at its destination safely. Every time we cross the street, we are betting our life that we will arrive safely om the other side. When we get on board of a plane, we bet our life that those hundreds of thousands of parts will take us safely to our destination. But you get the picture, life is one big gamble made up of many small gambles.

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Most of the time we win. However, when you bet your life, you can only loose once; so, what can we do about it? Again, the answer is simple, but the implementation is not.

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We can check the cars physical appearance and check out the driver; we can look both ways when we cross the street etc.

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We need to be constantly aware of the choices we make every day to reduce the likelihood of being hurt or killed.

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But the gambles of this world are not the only ones we face.

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What about your spiritual life? Do you bet on that?

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In the previous post we saw how convenience can cause us concern. Maybe the closer church was more convenient but if that is not where God wants you to be then you are betting your life (soul) that God will forgive you and spare your life. This problem is as old as mankind and will be as long as mankind is on this earth.

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Many people of the Bible bet their life.

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How about Cain and Able?

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“And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou do well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou do not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” (Gen 4:1-7)

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Cain bet his life that God would be pleased with his offering, however, it was not what God had told him to offer. “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks.” (Heb 11:4)

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There are many different churches that have set up their own way of serving God. Some require baptism and some say it is not required. Some place un-necessary burdens on their members.

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When you choose a church make sure it is doing things God’s way because you are betting your life that God will overlook your arrogance and not take your life.

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You don’t think God would do that?

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Uzzah bet his life that God would be pleased with his help in stabilizing the Ark. “And when they came to Nakhon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.” (2Sam 6:6-7)

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Uzzah bet his life and lost.

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Peter didn’t want to go to the gentiles he Bet his life God didn’t want the gentiles in his kingdom.

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Jonah Judged the Ninevites, tried to run from God. He bet his life that God would not punish him.

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Have you ever tried to deceive someone?

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What happened when Ananias and Sapphira tried to deceive the disciples and God.

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“But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.” (Acts 5:1-10)

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They bet their life and lost because they had lied to God.

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Are you habitually late or absent from church? You are betting your life that God won’t mind. (Sleeping in a little later is ok, God wants you to get some rest).

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How about the great commission?

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“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Mat 28:19-20)

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Are you betting your life that that doesn’t apply to you?

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Long before Jesus said that, God gave a great commission to Ezekiel.

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God said, “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore, hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou give him not warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, when a righteous man does turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.” (Eze 3:1-21)

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I can’t comment on that because I fall far short of God’s expectations. He made it clear to Ezekiel that if he didn’t teach others he would be lost. Is this something like Paul meant when he said, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others , I myself should be a castaway.” (1Cor 9:27)

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We bet God will overlook our sin and forgive us.

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Paul bet his life that hunting down and killing Christians was pleasing to God. Except for God’s intervention and mercy Paul would have lost his life. It took divine intervention to convince him.

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Some of the disciples thought children should not bother Jesus. “Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 19:13-14)

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Do we hinder God’s children?

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Every time we sin, we are betting our life.

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I’m betting my life that God’s love and mercy are greater than my sins. That doesn’t mean I can slack off but that I try to do the best I can.

Cheer up though because, unlike your physical life,  God can restore your spiritual life.

 

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish , but that all should come to repentance." (2Peter 3:9)

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Previous post.

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Posted May 2, 2021

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The convenient Christian

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Why do Circle K stores or Seven Eleven stores continue to grow?

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Is it their low prices, or their Quality services?

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Why do some garages charge as much as 30 cents a gallon more for gas and still make a thriving business?

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The reason is simple; we like things that are convenient.

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We tend to shop at the nearest store, get our car fixed at the nearest garage. We want the least amount of disruption and inconvenience in our lives. We are always making tradeoffs in our quest for convenience, money for time, quality for effort.

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Do we look for convenience in our spiritual life as well?

 

Do we go to the nearest church, the Church our family has been going to, or no church at all? Are we like Felix who said “Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee?” (Acts 24:25)

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There is more to choosing a church then convenience it is choosing a church that is Christ centered. Jesus came to earth to seek and save the lost; he established his church for that purpose.

 

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples; indeed, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32)

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It is not enough to say Lord, Lord. Jesus said, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)

 

We do a lot of things that are not convenient in our daily lives because we feel that the extra cost is worth it. Would you give a kid $10.00 to mow the lawn so you can go to church? Is your Christianity one of those things?

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It wasn’t convenient for Jesus to leave heaven. It wasn’t convenient for the apostles to go into all the world.  It wasn’t convenient for the early Christians to place their lives on the line. It may not be convenient to drive past another church to get to the one you should belong to but isn’t your salvation worth it?

 

It may not be convenient to attend services regularly, but isn’t your salvation worth it? It may not be convenient to study our Bibles regularly but isn’t your salvation worth it?

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Your salvation was worth a lot of inconvenience to Jesus when he, “fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”(Mat 26:39) How convenient was his death on the cross?

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Have you got your priorities, right?

What is more important, being right with God or enjoying the pleasures of this world?

 

I fight this battle every day from the time I get up to the time I go to bed.

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Your salvation was worth a lot of inconvenience to the apostles and the early Christians. What’s it worth to you?

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