Money is not always the only consideration.  Out here we place emphasis upon the basic virtues, and I have noticed that the more organized our lives become the less attention we pay to such things as courage and loyalty.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (North to the Rails)

    “But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
              –Jeremiah 17:10 (NLT)
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              “Jesus is the One, yes He’s the only One,
               Let Him have His way until the day is done,
               When He speaks you know, the clouds will have to go
               Just because He loves you so.”
                       –unknown

We used to sing that chorus way back when I was a teenager in our youth group.  That cannot be true until we realize that God is in charge.  We are continually bound by our desires, we are bombarded by our fears and worries until we realize that God is truly in charge.
    People clamor and scream today for their rights.  Even in the church there are songs now proclaiming our freedom.  Freedom from what, I might ask?  “There is a direct correlation between freedom and the nature of those in authority.” (Brown)  If we truly surrender ourselves to God, we are free from sin and the yoke of the law.  This freedom actually means that we freely obey God’s commands.
         “[Biblical Freedom] is that state in which a child of God is accepted by God forever on the sole basis of Christ’s finished work on the cross.  It is always accompanied by God’s Spirit inn the life of the child of God, whereby the fear of failure is gradually replaced by the desire to succeed in the obedient, godly life.”  –Stephen Brown
    There are several things from which we are free.
         1)  We are free from fear — “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4, NKJV)
                 It is important to notice that God did not deliver him from things that made him afraid, but from his fears.  Fear is a reality.  Many time we bring it on ourselves; many times we over-exaggerate it, but there is such a thing as fear.  However, it is imperative that we understand that God is a greater reality than any of our fears.  
                 Fear of the unknown is said to be the greatest fear, and along with that is death.  We are all going to die, so why are we so afraid of it?  If God is in charge, when and how I die is not my responsibility, but God’s.
         2)  We are free from guilt — “‘Comfort, yes, comfort My people!’  Says your God.  ‘Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.'”  (Isaiah 40:1-2, NKJV)
                 Some people are on a continual guilt trip.  That is one of the favorite devices of the devil.  Some are still asking forgiveness for sins committed thirty years ago.  God must shake His head.  He forgave those sins thirty years ago; you received a pardon; that means the sin is erased from the books.  If God forgives, why do we continually beat ourselves up with guilt?  
         3)  We are free from the responsibility for the world.
                 This is something to really ponder–only a fool accepts responsibility without authority.  The world loves to play on our guilt.  Too many Christians still want to pay penance.  The world has no authority over you, so why continue to bow to the wishes of the world?  God is in charge and His authority is absolute; therefore, His responsibility is absolute.  We are then to be responsible where God put us.  We act out of obedience and love, but not to pay penance because of guilt.

If he’s broken his word, he’ll pay for it, like a man pays for everything he does.”
              –Luke Short  (Ramrod)

    “Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.”     
              –Psalm 15:2 (NLT)
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Another good thought from Lois A. Cheney’s book, “God Is No Fool.”  Better ponder this one!

         “Once,
          A boy cheated on a test, He got a good grade on the test, And passed the course.
          He told his friends, ‘I had no choice.’

          Later,
          As a man he took a job that denied another need but the money was good and he had his family to think of,
          And he told a friend, ‘I had no choice.’

          Later,
          The man denied his calling and chose a different role and it made him quite famous and he bacame well thought of,
          He told a friend, ‘I had no choice.’

          Later,
          The man reviewed his life before God, the Almighty God.  He shrugged his shoulders as he told God, ‘I had no choice.’

          And God said as he turned his back and walked away from the astonished man,
          ‘I have no choice.'”

Choices are always before us; some of them small, and some of them carry great consequences.  Even by not making a choice you are making a choice.  Remember, if you do not make your own choices someone will make them for you.
    One other little thought–do not deny your calling!
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Take time for a little grin (from Grandpa Was a Preacher, by Leroy Brownlow)
    “You shouldn’t expect much for nearly nothing,” preached grandpa.  He said that a family, upon returning home from church, began their devistating criticisms.  The mother objected to the sermon.  The father ridiculed the ushers, The older sister made light of the singing.  But it was little Eddie that tore them up when he said, ‘Still it was a pretty good show for a dime.'”

A man can do worse than be by himself.  He can read.  He can think.  He can sit on the porch and listen to the sounds of life out yonder.”
              –Elmer Kelton  (The Man Who Rode Midnight)

    “Finally bothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable–if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise–dwell on these things.”
              –Philippians 4:8 (HCSB)
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A year ago we started to plan to move from our home of twenty-two years in San Antonio to stay with our daughter in Cleveland, TX.  That meant we had to begin to downsize.  There was a garage sale, some things were given away, and there were some things meant for the dumpster.  We were beginning to build a house in Coldspring (ha, little did we know it would take a year).  We were moving from 1900 square feet to 1400 square feet and no garage.  That meant downsizing.
    Now we are in the process of unpacking boxes and trying to find places to put my treasures, even though there are those who call it “stuff.”  Before our move, Annie would periodically say, “clean out your closet and dresser drawers.”  In other words, “get rid of some stuff.”
    Earlier in the week I read a devotion concerning this idea.  From time to time we need to get in the closet and get rid of things.  Women I think more than men, and if that’s sexist, so be it, but some things just aren’t in season or style anymore.  And I hate to say it, but some things just don’t fit anymore and usually it isn’t because of losing weight.  Some things are no longer desired, our attitudes have changed and we don’t care for that outfit anymore.
    Paul writes to the Christians in Ephesians, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man…”. (4:22, KJV)  The words “put off” means to lay something down and push it far away beyond reach.  This is something that is deliberately done (Rick Renner).  As we take the time to declutter our closet or homes sometimes, “We must take the time and clean the ‘closet of our heart’ to get rid of hearts and attitudes that no longer fit who we are.” (Renner)
    Grace is given to us, but we must also remember that we are told to grow in grace.  As we grow in grace there are some things that just don’t fit anymore.  The old attitudes are out of date; they are no longer desired.  From time to time look at your life; take inventory and if need be–declutter.

This was a lesson my father had taught me, that we only borrowed from the land, and borrowed with discretion and a thought for the years to come.  He taught us that to live in the wilderness one must live with it.  Live from it, but allow it to live also.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (Bendigo Shafter)

    “The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.”
              –Genesis 2:15  (NLT)
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“Perilous times!”  Look again at 2 Timothy 1:3 (AMPC) “But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].
2 For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.
3 [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.”

    In these last days men will be morally confused.  Look around you at the confusion and the chaos.  Society, those pseudo-intellectuals that try to direct our minds and actions, cannot find a solution.  Listen to what they say to do–it is hogwash.  Some of it is  downright stupidity.  People are so double-minded, that they don’t know what to do so they do anything or nothing.
    Let’s add verse four to Paul’s description of what it will be like during the end times.

      “[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.”

The people of the day will be given to violence.  They might talk something else, but in their hearts they devise violence and they will be know for their violent, reckless behavior.  They will be emotionally intemperate and will exhibit a lack of self-control.  Don’t you dare doubt it.  From movies, to music, to video games this is the most violent generation in history and they take what they hear and see and put it into action.  If you wonder why there are kids perpetrating violent acts it is because violence is being poured into the minds of teenagers.  They are a type of violent, destructive storm that affects all those in their proximtiy.
    They will be “lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements.”  They will be preoccupied with the pursuit of their own comfort, pleasure, lusts, and happiness.  They will practice these in excess and ignore anything that has to do with the true worship of God.
    Now, the Holy Spirit did not inform us of the “perilous times” to worry us.  “He forewarned us of these things in advance so we could spiritually reinforce ourselves to live victoriously and free until Jesus returns!” (Rick Renner)  It is important that we realize that self-centered living does not produce happiness.  It is also vital that we know that God is more concerned about our obedience rather than our happiness.  God does not want you to be happy above all else.  God wants servants who practice obedience.
    People ask the question, “What will it be like in the end times?”  Read these verses and see the description that Paul gives is right from the nightly news.
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Ponder This:  To be mature means that we learn, “that it is even better to desire the things that we have than to have the things we desire.” (Harry Drummond)