Precious ones, how many of us DAILY read the Word of God?? How many of us, make it a point to walk as per the word of God?? Do we ever try to figure out what goes wrong when we are led astray?? These questions are very serious and should be asked by each one of us, even as we live on this earth. I want to share a word with you along with a true story of a small boy. I pray that this word will ring in our ears and will make us understand HOW SERIOUS GOD IS when He commands us to walk in His commandments…

Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. (Psalm 119:133)

Amen! This is a prayer of David to the Most High God. He had sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, but he didn’t sit idle, he persevered in asking forgiveness to the Lord and cried unto Him to direct his steps as per God’s word alone. The word of God teaches us many things, but the people of this generation love to ADJUST the word of God as per THEIR LIFESTYLE. For e.g.: God wants us to be honest in all our dealings with man. But nowadays, giving/taking a bribe, in order to get our things done, is considered as a very normal thing. People take it VERY LIGHTLY. They know it’s ILLEGAL/DISHONEST work, STILL, that is what they run to do, Now let me ask you…DO YOU REALLY FEAR GOD?? 

What if, God was to pour out fire from heaven, the moment you take that illegal money???? Where would you be??? How would you react?? What reason would you give?? HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT??

It is GOD’S GREAT GOODNESS that He is STILL giving the man the freedom of choice because GOD is a LOVING GOD. And HE WAITS for us to turn to His ways and lead a good life. He tolerates no evil still, He is ready to forgive you if you JUST RETURN to Him.

I want to share a true story of a school going boy. This boy was studying in high school. One day, he, along with few of his friends, went to a nearby lakeside to spend some time. As they were playing and chatting, suddenly one of the boys said, “Hey, you know what, just near our school, there is an Apple orchard. I have heard that those apples are very juicy and tasty. What say? Shall we go and steal some tonight? “ The other boys on hearing it, said, “Oh sure, we will go for it…let’s get some juicy apples…and at night, no man would be there to guard. So let’s go by night and accomplish our plan.”

But this boy, said, “I am not going to come along with you all.” The other boy asked, “Why so? Are you afraid?” This boy replied, “In the Bible, it’s written, We should not steal. And my parents have always advised me to obey every word of God. So I will not come with you guys. And I would advise that none of you should go too.” Hearing this reason, the other boy got angry. He replied, “What a stupid reason for not stealing huh?? You are such a coward. Listen, we will take you with us. We are not going to allow you to follow your stupid rule. You have known our plan, so you should come with us.” But this boy refused again and again. Finally, few boys held this boy, and took him near the lakeside and drowned his head in the water. Then after few seconds, they held him out and asked, “Will you join us or not?” He said, “No.” Again they repeated the same thing this time a few seconds more again they held him out and asked the same question he replied, “Whatever you may do to me, it doesn’t matter. I will obey what my Lord has taught me. I will never go against His will.” Hearing that, the boys got angrier they immersed him for a long time thinking that he will get afraid and finally accept to come along with them. But this funny act of trying to make the boy afraid, turned FATAL this time when they held him out, he did not move. The boys got afraid…they started pressing him, but still no reaction. They tried hard to wake him up, but HE HAD DIED. These boys ran from the spot leaving that poor boy dead.

Now dear ones, let me ask you, What was the boy’s mistake here? HE WAS TOOO STUPID TO OBEY THE WORD OF GOD???? ISN’T IT??? For obeying the word of God, he had to pay for his life, Can you imagine that?? Now ask yourself, what would you have done if you were in that boy’s place?? Would you say yes, fearing for your life?? I guess many among us would do it.

Because, in this world, we love to PLEASE MAN and WE LOVE OUR LIVES, no man will love to lose his life for the sake of a stupid thing like above. But what the BOY did, is what the LORD expects each one of us to do. THAT’S A HARD TRUTH!!!

Dadda Lord says, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Mathew 16:25) Yes precious ones, if you hold onto your life, when you need to stand on the word of God, then YOU WILL LOSE YOUR LIFE. But if you lose your life while standing firm for the Lord, then YOU WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE.Got confused???? Let me explain…

If you commit any wrong work for the sake of saving your life, then you will LOSE your life…that means on the last day(Judgment Day), you will enter into the eternal destruction, even if you try to confess to God that moment, you will have NO SECOND CHANCE. You will forever lose your life.

But if you LOSE your life, while living as per the word of God, then YOU will GAIN your life….Yes dear all, Your SOUL will be saved from eternal destruction and you will forever live with the Father Lord in heaven J Hallelujah!!!

Saying is easy but living as per it is very difficult!!! But it’s not IMPOSSIBLE Just hold onto the Lord and always seek Him and then you will find yourselves molded to face every challenge with the strength of God J no matter even if we have to lose our life on earth…all we need to assure is…Are we going to Heaven or Hell after we die??That matters!!! By trying to please the man and living illegally, cheating others, hurting others you will not only gain the appreciation of the man, but also the WRATH OF GOD. So CHOOSE today what is your final decision….Living as per God’s word or Living as per your desire!!!

~Written by Priya Jomon

This article was written under the section Weekly Manna in the categorySermon.