Being consistent, no problem!

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#66CC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="061694f0.jpg" border=0 width="105" height="79" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> "The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham & Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth. </div> <div> Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. </div> <div> When he drank some of it’s wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent." </div> <div> Genesis 9:18-21</div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <B>Being consistent, no problem!</B></div> <div> Would you believe it! </div> <div> After such a <B>mighty</B> deliverance, you would have thought it was all plain sailing from now on - excuse the pun! </div> <div> A mighty victory had been won; Noah had fought the battles of <B>doubt</B> through all the time the Ark was being built, as well as resisting all the <B>mocking</B> and abuse he received, <B>fear</B> had been overcome while confined to the Ark, and he <B>patiently</B> waited to leave the Ark. </div> <div> 'Well,' he must have thought, 'that all worked out <B>rather well</B>. Mission accomplished! I can sit back, and take things easier now!' </div> <div> <B>We</B> can come through a <B>long</B> battle, (or a <B>dramatic</B> short battle), and then sit back, and start to trust in our own strength. </div> <div> Paul spoke very srongly to the Galatian church, who started in faith, but then they <B>relied</B> upon <B>themselves</B>, to keep God's Laws. </div> <div> "You foolish Galations! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the Law, or by <B>believing</B> what you heard? Are you so foolish? After <B>beginning</B> with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" </div> <div> (Galatians 3:1-3)</div> <div> <IMG SRC="09256740.gif" border=0 width="86" height="116" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="10"></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="266" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 102 WIDTH="262"><div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >There is the key: </FONT>"..are you now <B>trying</B> to attain your goal by <B>human effort</B>?" </div> <div>  </div> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> The whole emphasis of salvation in Christ is that; <B>we</B> are incapable of achieving our goal, but <B>through Christ</B>, God will accomplish it.</div> <div> "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are '<B>yes</B>' in Christ." <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(2 Corinthians 1:20)</FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >Verse 21</FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" > </FONT>"Now it is <B>God</B> who makes both us, and you, <B>stand firm</B> in Christ." </div> <div> All the promises in the Bible are ours, by trusting in Christ. </div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >Paul said: </FONT>"Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is <B>God who works in you</B>, to will, and to act, according to His good purpose." <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(Philippians 2:12)</FONT></div> <bR> <div> In our everyday life, we can sometimes become proud of our achievements, and so we end up trusting in ourselves, or there is a subtle temptation to start <B>relying</B> upon our routines, and practices. </div> <div> When that happens it is like trying to push a car up a hill. </div> <div> Everything becomes tedious, and <B>dry</B>, and God seems far away. </div> <bR> <div> Let's look briefly at king Hezekiah:  </div> <div> "In those days Hezekiah became ill, and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign. But Hezekiah's heart was <B>proud</B>, and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord's wrath was on him.."<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(2 Chronicles 32:24)</FONT></div> <div> So we can see the Lord's <B>discipline</B> was upon him, and Hekekiah repented of the pride of his heart. </div> <div> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >Verse 31</FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" > </FONT>"But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon, to ask him about the miraculous sign, that had occured in the land, <B>God left him to test him</B>, and to know everything that was in his heart."<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" > </FONT></div> <div> Do you find that interesting, that God left him to test what was in his heart? </div> <div> Obviously, the Lord knew <B>exactly</B> what was hidden in Hezekiah's heart, but it needed to be manifested, <B>so</B> that it could be <B>recognised</B> and confessed. </div> <div> Perhaps we've known a time like that, or maybe we're in it now. </div> <div> The Lord wants us to come to our senses, to <B>stop</B> trusting in ourselves, and to turn to Him, and trust Christ. </div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >Remember the verse:</FONT>"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are '<B>yes</B>' in CHRIST."</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id157.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Bible Explained"><U>Comment or contact</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="bible_teaching_with_no_compromise__the_whole_truth_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Understanding your Life"><U>Return to the Understanding Your Life menu</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bible Explained"><U>Home</U></A></div> <bR> <div> Animated images: thanks to Serif WebPlus 6</div> <div> Ark image: thanks to ‘The Pictorial Dictionary’ published by The Educational Book Company, London. </div> <div> ©  2003 Bible  Explained part of www.seeking-god.co.uk</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>