Doing Right & Not Just Doing Good

Proverbs 21:3 "The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just
    than when we offer Him sacrifices."

     When we do things, that we 'say' are for God, or the church, or for 'humanity'.... yet, we have wrong or hurtful intentions in our heart - then we really are not offering a sacrifice at all. We are following the enemy, and being misleading towards others.

     Doing what is right and good and just will ALWAYS be the right path to take! It will ALWAYS be the one that follows the way God wants us to go! Yes, sometimes, the 'right' thing ends up making us stand alone, be ridiculed, even abandoned. However, really - we are NOT left alone - Jesus stands right there with us in the middle of what ever it is, good, bad, or indifferent. Doing what is right, is not always easy either. Sometimes, it causes us or another person hurt feelings, or even discipline/correction. Yet, in the long run - even those moments, turn out to be the best thing that happened for us or them!

     Brain Flash: the thought of doing something right verses doing something to follow the crowd or a tradition - that's what this verse is talking about! We just went through the holiday of Easter. With that came Lent and giving up something. However, how many people did this just to follow the religious tradition of Lent and made 'sacrifices' yet - did it with a negative heart?!?! Then in the middle of their 'sacrifice' they either acted out, lashed out verbally, emotionally, or even physically towards another person.... this is NOT doing what is right or just. This is selfish. Sure, with their mouth, they said they are 'sacrificing' - but really, they were not. No amount of fasting, abstaining from physical pleasures or any other form of self-denial can purify us! However, the Bible clearly shows that self-control—temperance—comes from having God’s Holy Spirit working in the life of a converted mind (Gal. 5:16-17 & 22). Fasting—of and by itself—cannot produce godly self-control. God did not design fasting as a tool for penance, "beating yourself up" or developing will power. 

     God’s people humble themselves through fasting in order to draw closer to Him—so that they can learn to think and act like Him—so that they can live His way of life in all things. Notice what the prophet Jeremiah wrote: “Thus says the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the Lord”. Fasting (and prayer) helps Christians draw closer to God.

     So doing 'right & just' is the true way to draw closer to God, not through 'sacrifices'. Today, I pray you/we examine ourselves, and see if there are any ways that we have been 'sacrificing' things, and saying (blaming really) they are for God. If we in deed have been giving God the credit (or blame) for our own ideas, then we need to STOP IT! Yes, draw closer to God! Yes, confess our wrong-doings! Yes - repent from our sins! THIS is drawing closer to God, this is pleasing to Him. This should be our example to our family and others, not 'sacrificing' things and saying they are 'for God' when indeed, they are really selfish, and for ourselves. 

Comments

MyTeaTimeWithJesus said…
This was an OUCH for me... I have said I was doing something for the Lord, when in reality, it was just a selfish desire for an outcome "I" wanted. Oops!
April 21, 2017 at 7:31 AM
Anonymous said…
I love this
April 21, 2017 at 7:58 AM
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