It's For Your Good!

Too often we go to church to sit at God's dinner table, yet refuse to eat what He has set before us because we don't like the taste of it. As I thought about this, I realize that our attitude towards God's table & His Word reminds me of children who refuse to eat their vegetables, because they prefer sweet tasting desserts & junk foods. We tend to refuse to accept that part of God's Word that makes us feel bad/leave a bad taste in our mouths even though that part of His Word is often the spiritual food we need most to make us strong & healthy in our relationship with Jesus Christ.



Sunday after Sunday many Christians sit in church listening to the Word of God preached but it makes very little difference in their lives simply because they refuse to accept it. Consequently that's why many of you still do the things you've always done, go to places you've always gone & continue to live the lifestyle you've always lived. It's obvious that you come to church but you really don't want to hear the truth! If you're being checked by the Holy Spirit as you read this message, you know that there are some things in your life that need correcting and God is saying, "now is the time to get things right!"



Be honest with yourself...is everything right between you & Jesus? Are you living for Him & learning more of Him each day? Praise the Lord if you are, because that's where we all need to be!



Understand that some things which are written in God's Word are bitter to our spirit but they are meant to cleanse us from sin. Oftentimes, responsible parents must force-feed green vegetables to their children to ensure proper growth & health. Though they are initially resistant to the taste, children (especially boys) continue to eat them because their parents sucessfully conveyed the message that eating vegetables is necessary for them to grow up big & strong. Consequently, the vegetables begin to taste better because the child wants to be bigger & stronger.



By the same token, God's messages and warnings to believers may be bitter to the taste, if we're not living right, but it's exactly what we need to become stronger & to get right with God!
So, from now on, when you hear the Word, learn to take the bitter with the sweet...

It's for your good!