Vol. 6, No. 37 – September 12, 2021
Sittin’ by the Fire
Luke 11:27-28
As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you” . . . but He said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” –Galatians 6:9-10
What we get from the passage is that it is more blessed to be a doer, and spreader, of the Word of God, than even to have been the mother of Jesus. A profound statement of truth. People cannot a heart change unless they receive the Word of God.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself. –2 Corinthians 5:17-19. Give some thought to looking at this passage and then to finishing the chapter. Ask yourself what the duty of an ambassador is and observe how ambassadors are missing their responsibilities.
Have you found that dreams do not come true by themselves? Our test comes through action. We cannot stumble into something while sitting in our recliner. One of my pastors used to say, “while sitting on your rusty dusty.” You do not even swat a fly until that fly gets ready to work!
Sitting still and wishing makes no person great; the good Lord sends the fish, but you must dig the bait! –Anonymous.
How many of us have learned anything while mumbling? I dare say, none. Words without action assassinate desires. A small fulfilling of ministry to another is greater than any intention. Action is actually a fruit of the heart.
Getting word from the Spirit should be like sitting on a tack—it should make us jump up and do the very thing expected!
Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. –Proverbs 6:6-8.
Life Application
Nothing preaches better than an ant; yet she says nothing! –Ben Franklin. We earn respect through our action; or inaction earns us disrespect.
People find life empty because they put nothing into it. Every time one person expresses and idea, do we muddle the pot by expressing that ten others thought of it before (but took no action). Thunder is good, thunder is impressive, but it is lightning that does the work. —Mark Twain. Our appraisal by God is to read His Word; our response should not be to report it is a lovely book, our expected response is a commitment to do the Word.
We adults get the message that says action gives life to our faith (James 2:26). We need to be reminded that even a child makes himself known by their acts, by whether their conduct is pure and upright (Proverbs 20:11).
Too many in the church sing Standing on the Promises while they sit on their Rusty Dusties.
Sittin’ by the Fire
When the frost was coming down,
And the wind was creeping up higher,
He spent his time just that way,
A sittin’ by the fire.
Same old habit, day after day,
He never seemed to tire.
While others worked and built their classes,
He just sat there by the fire.
When he died of slow degrees,
Some said, he went way up higher.
But if he’s doing what he always did,
He’s just a sittin’ by the fire.
