02/04/2011 - Pay heed to the rules

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“And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.” (2 Timothy 2: 5)
We mustn’t do recklessly the work of God. Jesus set the example before handing out the five loaves of bread and the two fish (Luke 9:12 – 17). Besides, we aren’t allowed to make up doctrines. All we’ve got to do is to recognize the sovereignty of the Lord and to legally fight His battles and to bear in mind that the final reward is our target.
Nothing can be made up for the divine work to be done successfully. We are but to observe the way people were used in the biblical times and imitate them so we’ll achieve the same productivity. They behaved out of inspiration; they did what they were told to do and they didn’t fear any threat whatsoever. Besides, they didn’t make up means to do something for the Most High just like that, out of the blue. Those who tried to do so weren’t successful.
In the biblical passage when our Master was handed in the loaves and the fish to feed the hungry crowd, He demanded that they should be sitting in groups of fifty and a hundred people. He didn’t bless or multiply the food before that. He shows us that He wants everything in order when we’re doing His will. Those people were undoubtedly eager to eat, but they had to be prepared first as Jesus had determined.
Those who decide to imitate a communication expert, for instance, and begin to do something being instructed by the “wise men” of this world will realize that what they’ve done is fruit of flesh which is worthless to the Lord. The Door is still narrow and the Way is tight (Matthew 7: 13 – 14), and only those who get in it through Him can please God. When it comes to the matter of God, we’d better pay heed to His instructions and follow His rules and also depend only on the Spirit of the Lord.
Those who decide to do the work of our Father the way they deem to be the best don’t recognize the sovereignty of our Lord over their lives and over His work. Listen! God’s the most intelligent Being in the whole universe. He’s the One who created all the rules that govern nature; He put the Earth and the other stars in orbit and all of them are kept alive by Him. When we let Him use us the way He wishes we’ll certainly be completely successful in all senses.
On the other hand, those who make up means to do the work of God aren’t fighting His battles the right way and that’s dangerous. Two sons of Aron did that and they ended up dead because the Most High took that as strange fire – strange inspiration – at the altar of the Lord (Leviticus 10: 1, 2; Numbers 26: 61). So, my brother you should never bring strange fire into the divine work. Those who come from idolatry need to be careful not to use witchcraft in the work of the Lord.
The apostle Paul tells us about rewards in the verse mentioned above. There’s nothing wrong to have them as a target; after all, if the Lord has promised He’s got a purpose. He would have kept each one in secret and He’d surprise us on the last day if they didn’t serve as a target.
I believe He’s having in store many gifts for us. Yet, purposes might be what have been revealed through which we can strive to do His holy will. Bu of course everything must be according to the pre-established rules.
In Christ, with love,
R. R. Soares