BBD 11.03.06 Just Playing Around
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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The Burning Bush Devotional
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11.03.06
Just Playing Around
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To
Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. - 2 Peter 3:18.
Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ,
let us go on to perfection. - Hebrews 6:1a.
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control
perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness,
and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound,
you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness,
and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore,
brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if
you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be
supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. - 2 Peter 1:5-11.
Ryon S. is just 15 years old and lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Ryon got the
surprise of his life on Halloween night when he pointed his BB pistol at a
car to scare them. He had been doing that for quite a while but then he
pointed his pistol at some people that didn't scare. Two men jumped out of a
car in response with real guns, Glock semi-automatics, which they pointed at
Ryon. The two armed men were police officers working undercover in an
unmarked vehicle. They ordered Ryon to drop his weapon. Ryon dropped the BB
pistol and try to run but was caught. The boy told officers that he was
"just playing around" trying to scare people. He has been charged with
"assault while displaying a dangerous weapon" but was released to his
family.
As Ryon found out our actions do have consequences. If we act foolishly and
immaturely, long enough - bad things happen. Hopefully, Ryon will have
learned a life changing lesson from the incident and receive counseling and
encouragement to prevent further foolishness. Thankfully, the officers
exercised much restraint and avoided the use of their own firearms.
Spiritually, there are many Christians who are "just playing around" at
Christianity. They may pray a little bit now and then. They may even open up
a Bible sometimes and occasionally if there is something happening at church
that gets their attention they may drop in for a service. They are "just
playing around" at their faith and it ought not to be so.
God is just as serious, even more serious than those police officers with
the serious weapons. God is so serious about your spiritual life that Jesus
died on the cross for your sins. That is not "just playing around." No, that
is seriously giving everything so that you can have a life, an eternal life.
So, what are you doing? Do you even think about God? Do you even care what
He thinks about what you do every day? He cares (1 Peter 5:7) and He knows
every thought that you think and everything that you do and say. Because if
you have received Jesus as your personal Savior - He is living in you
through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). Your life is no longer yours
because you have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and that
price was the blood of Jesus Christ.
What does God want for you? What does He want you to do? He wants you to
stop "playing around" and ".grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ." He wants you to leave behind the "discussion of the
elementary principles of Christ" and "go on to perfection." He wants you to
give "all diligence" and "add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to
knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance
godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Copyright © 2006. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
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