Choose the World’s Way or God’s Way- The Choice is Yours 9-17-26

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I choose to obey God, what about you?

There are consequences for not doing what the Lord has called us to do. Joshua made this statement:  

“Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:14-15).

Below are examples of some people who obeyed the Lord, stayed in their lane and were greatly rewarded for how they managed what the Lord had entrusted to them, which is called stewardship.

1)      The five wise virgins who prepared themselves and was ready to meet Jesus when He came. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him. Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps (Matthew 25:4-7).

2)      Two servants who managed what they had been responsible for - (Matthew 25:14-23).

3)      All those who made themselves ready. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”  And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’  And he said to me, These are the true sayings of God (Revelation 19:7-9).

These are examples of others who did not do what they were called to do and were not ready to meet Jesus when He came.

1) The five foolish virgins took their lamps and took no oil with them,  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept……paraphrased- they were not ready to meet Jesus when He came …. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming (Matthew 25:1-13).

2) The servant at the wedding feast- But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.  So, he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:11-13).

3) Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ They were operating in the flesh; it was all about them getting the attention and God was not glorified. The servant was cast into outer darkness. Jesus never knew their works because they didn’t do what He called them to do, just as He never knew the lazy and wicked servant who didn’ t do His will (Matthew 25:24-30).

Proof that all these disobedient servants were saved, and that The Master (Jesus) distributed (talents (gifts). They were called gifts in the New Testament, but the scriptures are still Old Testament referring to all born again believers.

Jesus distributed the gifts and left; after a long while He came back for them to give account of how they managed what was entrusted to them. This represents the Judgment Seat of Christ.

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Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org