Daily Devotional for Thursday, October 1, 2009 Have you missed any of our devotionals? Remember they can be found in the Archive section of our Website
http://www.gospelines.com "The "God" Standard" Throughout history, mankind has understood that buying and selling required some kind of "standard." We call it "money." A common word for money in the Old Testament was "shekel." Genesis 23 records that Abraham paid 400 "shekels" of silver for a field. A Roman coin mentioned in the New Testament is the "denarius", which was the common daily wage for a working man. The New Testament also refers to the "talent" which represented a very large amount of money - generally about 75 pounds of gold or silver. One talent was roughly equivalent to 6,000 denarii; or, over 20 years of work. This theme is common all over the world. Whether gold or silver or paper money is used, the common thread in all exchange is work - how much work the money represents is the key. If you're on the gold standard, how much gold represents a certain amount of work? If you're using paper money (printed by a government), how much work does a particular denomination represent? Common questions; common theme - how much work for how much reward. Although the "God" standard is completely different, it's easy to see why we try to make His standard fit our interpretation. God says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) In other words, He gives us the ultimate reward without any work - He only asks for faith. We just can't accept that. Our history tells us that if we don't work for something, it can't have any value. God's point is simple. If Christ dwells in our hearts by faith; then we're rooted and grounded in love" (Ephesians 3:17); and, if we love Him, we'll keep His commandments. (John 14:15) We work because of love; we don't love as a result of work. "Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?" (James 2:5) Live by the "God Standard." "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. this do, and thou shalt live." (Luke 10:27-28) And when Jesus used the word "live" in this context, He was speaking of eternal living - now that's pretty good value, don't you think? Shalom, Ron U "Be made new in the attitude of your minds and have the same attitude, purpose and humble mind that was in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 4:22-24; Philippians 2:4-7) Amen and Amen! O. Addison Gethers e-mail address [email protected] [email protected] twitter URL http//:twitter.com/OAddisonGethers Messenger contact window live/msn messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS rs --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/dbilg?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
