Return to the Archive

Pastor Beal

MEAN PREACHER!!!

"...the Lord your God commanded to
teach you, that ye might DO...!" Deut. 6:1

Have you ever heard someone explain away a person's life as lucky, when the truth is there wasn't any luck to it, rather the fear of God! Deut. 4:10b, says, "...that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children." God has given us the freedom of choice and the responsibility to exercise it diligently. A godly life, lived in the fear of God and disciplined in the choices of God's Word isn't luck. We don't go to the store and buy godly children. We must listen to God and do what He tells us. How many times have we heard doctors, dentists, and mechanics warn us of the dangers of waiting too long? How many times do we find that our failure to catch a potential problem early, has by then eliminated many of the better choices we have left? I wonder how many times an abused, neglected, and unloved vehicle is pulled into the mechanic's garage, expecting a quick, cheap, simple, and miracle diagnosis? It seems like the mechanic, doctor, or dentist, whom we avoided before, is now the center of our attentions. We are listening to them after the fact, while we tuned them out before the fact. I'm sure you already see a clear and obvious parallel here to our spiritual lives. We don't need church, preaching, godly counsel, or God, until we have come to our "wit's end" and broken down. Wisdom is when we realize that the preacher, parent, grandparent, true friend, or neighbor who over the years told you what you needed to hear (not just what you wanted to hear) actually was trying to keep you from where you might possibly be today. Preventative maintenance works not only physically and mechanically, but also spiritually. I would much rather try to keep one from the path of heartache, than try to figure where to go from there!

Thanks! Pastor Earl Beal