Spiritiual Direction: The Difference Between Wants And Needs In This World And The Next

Brothers and sisters, these are surely troubling times but, we have had troubling times before what makes this time special or different?

This is a very good question and Paul actually addresses some of this in Letter to the Thessalonians. In this passage look for the lessons of accountability and what we are supposed to do to prepare ourselves. Remember this world is a preparation for the next, it is

not the end in itself.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Vigilance

Concerning times and seasons, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you, yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. When people are saying, “Peace and security,” then a sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief. For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober. Those who sleep go to sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is hope for salvation. For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do.

We must rise up and take our rightful place among the nations to their part to fight evil in this world.  Are we going to be complacent and allow our beliefs and faith to just wither and die a slow death because we have placed our faith in government and not God? 

Remember this which was created by man and which created man?  Can a man be a servant to both when they are in conflict?  Of course not.  Look at the Maccabees. Should we give up on our beliefs and accept those of the government when they are not our

beliefs, look the Bible is very clear on this subject. 

Giving Into The Ways Of Others

1 Maccabees 11-15

11 In those days there appeared in Israel transgressors of the law who seduced many, saying: “Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles all around us; since we separated from them, many evils have come upon us.”

12 The proposal was agreeable;

13 some from among the people promptly went to the king, and he authorized them to introduce the ordinances of the Gentiles.

14 Thereupon they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the Gentile custom.

15 They disguised their circumcision and abandoned the holy covenant; they allied themselves with the Gentiles and sold themselves to wrongdoing.

Clearly, the message is crystal clear here, we must keep the focus on the here and now so we can live our life with Him in the hereafter.  If we focus on other things the only result will be in our own eternal demise.  Do you want this?  Do you really and truly want

this?  If you do not, snap out of it and begin to do something about it today.  Rise up and take back your faith, you know it is the right thing to do. 

1 Maccabees 41-51

41 Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people,

42 and abandon their particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king,

43 and many Israelites delighted in his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath.

44 The king sent letters by messenger to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah, ordering them to follow customs foreign to their land;

45 to prohibit burnt offerings, sacrifices, and libations in the sanctuary, to profane the sabbaths and feast days,

46 to desecrate the sanctuary and the sacred ministers,

47 to build pagan altars and temples and shrines, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals,

48 to leave their sons uncircumcised, and to defile themselves with every kind of impurity and abomination;

49 so that they might forget the law and change all its ordinances.

50 Whoever refused to act according to the command of the king was to be put to death.

51 In words such as these he wrote to his whole kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people, and he ordered the cities of Judah to offer sacrifices, each city in turn.

52 Many of the people, those who abandoned the law, joined them and committed evil in the land.

Here is the difference between wants and needs.  The government wanted the people to be one and go against God.  When the people did-my question to you is did those people prosper?  What did their government demand of them?  What good does a man do if he gives up his soul for a few pieces of bread or silver in this world when it is the next world where we should be concerned about. Keep the focus in this world. Keep the faith and together we will overcome with God’s help the difficulties that are before us in this world. Can I say the same if I trade my faith for a government promise?  If the government does not keep its promises in this world how can you expect them to keep them in the next one?  Can you truthfully say the same thing about God’s Word?  Amen