" ACTIONS "

Welcome aboard, here we are once again another week has come and gone. This time we are looking into " Actions. " " Actions: " Act or Deed; The manner or method of performing, or even a legal proceeding. My parents when the time came for chastisement or reproving they would explain that our actions will always speak louder than our words. I'm reminded of an accounting in the Bible that most of us are aware of. After promising to let the Hebrew people go, Pharaoh immediately broke his promise and brought even more trouble upon the Land. His actions reveal that his repentance was not real. We do damage to ourselves and to others if we pretend to change but don't mean it. Children copy our actions; another way to put it is... what we do good or bad, our children will do in excess. Do you remember when Isaac relocated to Gerar because of famine. Now Isaac was afraid that the men in Gerar would kill him to get his beautiful wife, Rebekah. So he lied, claiming that Rebekah was his sister. Where did he learn that trick? He may have known about the actions of his Father, Abraham (see Genesis 12:10-14). Parents help shape the world's future by the way they shape their children's values. The first step toward helping children live rightly is for the parents to live rightly. Your actions are often copied by those closest to you. What kind of example are you setting for your children. It is dangerous to pretend to obey God when our hearts are far from him because God knows our true intentions. Our actions must match our words. Last Point: Ask yourself if your actions back up your words. Let's take a look at John The Baptist, he called people to more than words or ritual; he told them to change their behavior. " Bear fruit in keeping with repentance " means " that God looks beyond our words and religious activities to see if our conduct backs up what we say, and He judges our words by the actions that accompany them. Do your actions match your words? Until Next Time... Jim,