TWO LESSONS I HAVE BEEN REMINDED OF THIS WEEK.

I re-learnt two valuable spiritual lessons yesterday, and I would like to share them with you. We have had a very cold winter this year so have had to use our ducted heating for much of the time. The on/off switch on the wall has worked well for its 12 years of life, but recently has been becoming difficult to turn on and off, and we tried everything to get it to co-operate including replacing the batteries. I asked our Village Manager to look at, he informed me another resident had been having trouble with theirs and it was costly for it to be fixed. He checked it ou for us and after some fiddling got it to go on, but it soon cut out again. So we decided to have at a look at the directions, this was first lesson I re-learnt.

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS READ THE DIRECTIONS

We sure live in a generation of Biblical illiteracy, as so many Christians have no idea what the Bible has to say on every important matter in the world, thus we often get stupid questions on social media for Christians. If you need to ask another Christian for an answer to an issue make sure you don’t get their opinion, but WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. We must also not simply take a verse in isolation and make our decisions based on that single verse, but seek to know what is the whole tenor of Scripture on the topic. The key is that we are MEN & WOMEN OF THE BOOK, and spend quality time in the Word of God Daily. WE must have a Berean spirit. Look at Acts 17 :10-11 NKJV Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were MORE FAIR MINDED than those in Thessalonica, in that they RECEIVED THE WORD WITH ALL READINESS , and SEARCHED the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Verse 11 in ther MESSAGE BIBLE says The Jews received Paul’s message with ENTHUSIASM and met with him daily, EXAMINING the Scriptures to see if they supported what he said.

We must as Believers be able to give a Biblical reason for what we do and believe as Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15 NKJV But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

When I read the instructions about our heating I discovered hidden behind the front cover of the front panel was a RESET BUTTON, I pressed it and immediately the heating came on!!!!!

AS NEW COVENANT BELIEVERS WE NEED TO DAILY HIT THE RESET BUTTON. I was immediately reminded of the Ephesian church and the Lord’s letter to them in Rev. 2:4-5 NKJV Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. Verse 5 in the AMP N.T. says Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent.

Repent is as much if not more a word to Christians than to unbelievers. The word means:

Change of mind

Change of attitude

Change of direction

change of affection

Because of the bias (sinful nature) we have within us we must daily HIT THE RESET BUTTON, to constantly re-affirm we want to go God way, and obey Him in all we do.

Peter in his 2nd Pentecostal sermon in Acts 3:19 NKJV Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

This must become a lifestyle, Jesus, I will GO, I will SAY, I will DO, I will BE TODAY.

This experience really blessed and challenged me yesterday, and reminded me of these TWO ESSENTIAL KEYS INN MY WALK WITH THE LORD, I trust it blesses and challenges you too. Have an awesome weekend.