Last week the discussion in this article was God’s jealousy, showing how God loved man, but He expects man to obey Him. It is important to understand that God’s jealousy does not stop when one obeys Him. He then demands a faithful life.
This means God must come first and no person or thing can come before Him. God even expects families to be put second to Him. How many times has a family visit kept “Christians” from coming to the assemblies of the saints? Perhaps the words of our Lord have been forgotten for He said, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (Matt. 10:37).
What a missed opportunity to teach a dear one about love for God and faithfulness to Him. Some would say, “Well it is just occasionally God will understand”. The words of Isaiah come to mind when this excuse is voiced, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
(Isa. 55:8,9). Others who profess to be Christ followers allow other things to keep them from the assemblies. A faithful Christian plans his life knowing where he will be at the appointed assembly times and will make every effort to see that nothing comes between him and his service to God.
How does a “Jealous God” feel when recreational activities are put before Him. Recreation for the most part is a good thing with which God has blessed man, however if it keeps one from worshipping Him, or serving Him it must be seen as disloyalty to Him.
Many “Christians” across the world forsake the assembly of the saints for recreation. If asked whether or not they are faithful Christians, their answer would be yes. The words of Christ fail to be heeded, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great (Luke 6:46 – 49 ). Remember God is a “Jealous God”.
All people need to understand just how much God loves them. Without God man would be nothing and have nothing.
When man was created, he was placed in a garden in a world Go made for him to inhabit. Only one thing was not good about that creation and that was man alone. God corrected that by forming woman from one of Adam’s ribs.
One would think that man being so blessed would be content but even in that simple time man was shown how he could have more and instead of obeying God he put his own wants ahead of God. When woman saw she could have knowledge as God had she ate of the fruit and gave to her husband, and he ate.
Man put his wants ahead of following God. Man needs to stop forgetting to put God before all else.
God gave His Son so man could have eternal life by obedience to the gospel. God wants all men to put Him first and have eternal life by obeying His will.