"If" - Daily Devotional August 14th 2009

Daily Bible Reading Plan - 1 Kings 9, Jeremiah 35, Mark 9

"If"

If = in case that; granting or supposing that; on condition that:

My friend always used to say that, if is a small word with a big meaning. That statement is so true and has stuck with me ever since I have heard it. If is not only a small word with a big meaning but it is really the greatest word that your whole life rests on. If I start a business then..., If I marry this person then..., If I do this than I am running the risk of... The list goes on and on and on and your life experiences the ups and downs of life from the if's to the then's.

As we read through these passages today there is so many rich principles that we could discuss but this little word with a big meaning keeps popping off the pages to me. You do not have to read too far in to the Bible before you encounter this little word and realize that the Bible is a very conditional book and that a life as a Christ follower has conditions as well. In 1 Kings 9:4 God speaks to the people of Israel and says, "If you will walk before me..." then I will bless you and do all these wonderful things for you. Then again in vs. 6 He says, "But if you turns aside from following me..." then all of these bad things will happen to you. What is this? This is that little word with a big meaning in action. It is the promise of life and life abundant if we follow after God and a life that is not so fruitful and abundant if we do not. We see in Jeremiah 35 the results of the if being played out because of choices made by the people of Israel.

Mark 9:23 reads, "If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes." Listen to the little word with a big meaning. Look at how powerful of a principle Jesus is sharing with us. He is saying If...Then... If you can just believe then all, everything is possible. All things being possible hinges on this one little word if. Listen to the words of Jesus in the Bible and hear what it is saying!!!!! Stop wondering what will happen and do the if - step out! To many of us are wondering what will happen if. I say stop wondering and get to the then by doing the if. Too many people are walking around saying I want to fulfill my dream and I tell you that if you step out you will fulfill your dream. The problem is that we fail to take responsibility for our own destiny and so we fail to walk in the power God has given us. When we fail to walk in that power He has given us than it becomes way to easy to blame others for the fact that we are not where we want to be in life. When this happens the all things are possible if that Jesus talks about in Mark 9:23 becomes an, if they would release me than I would be in my dream, if I had different parents than..., if I had a different job then..., if I had different friends then... In this case the if of promises God wants you to experience, becomes the if of complaints imposed on ourselves.

What about you? What then's are happening in your life today? Rather than complaining and pointing the finger maybe it is time to examine that small word with a big meaning in your life. Maybe it is time to change the if so that you can experience the then that God always intended for you.

Thanks for listening.

Tomorrows Bible Reading - 1 Kings 10, Jeremiah 36, Mark 10

Dream Big
Ben