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“Beneficial
Boundaries”
One
winter a ski resort in Breckenridge, Colorado, posted
signs warning skiers to keep off a certain
slope. The
signs, LARGE and distinct, said, “DANGER!
OUT OF BOUNDS!”
In spite of the warnings, however, several
skiers went into the area.
The result?
An avalanche, one-half mile wide, buried four of the
trespassers beneath tons of snow and rock. This
tragedy would have NEVER happened if the warning
signs had been heeded!
From
this incident, one recognizes that one benefit of
boundaries is to protect us from harm.
Nevertheless,
in our culture, boundaries are often HATED
because they are viewed as being too constrictive. It is believed that our freedom will be hampered if
limitations are imposed on our lives.
Opposition to boundaries is no where more
evident than when it comes to boundaries that God has
given through His Word.
Often,
we fail to recognize that just as those signs
were posted for the SAFETY and BENEFIT of the skiers
in Breckenridge, following God’s instructions ALSO
ensures that WE are protected from harm.
When God and His standards are ignored, man
digresses into all kinds of immorality and suffering,
which ultimately results in Judgment. (read Romans
1). When
God’s ways are followed, man’s condition improves!
It
is ALSO important to recognize that God didn’t set
forth His commands to curb our freedom, but rather to
teach us the meaning of REAL
liberty!
God’s "loving
limits" actually set us free to
become the people God created us to be.
We’re kind of like kites!
The kite is attached to a string, which is held
by a person standing on the ground.
After the kite is airborne, one might be
tempted to cut the string to allow the kite to fly
higher. However,
if the string is cut, the kite will NOT gain greater
altitude. Instead,
it will plummet to the ground.
A kite finds its freedom to fly within a
boundary. So
do we!
God
blesses those who are obedient to His will.
Those who believe
in Jesus (Acts 16:31), repent
of living by their OWN boundaries (2 Corinthians
7:10), confess
that Jesus is God’s Son (Romans 10:9-10), are
baptized in the
name of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins
(Acts 22:16), and continue to walk within God’s
boundaries as a way of life (1 John 1:7), are blessed
by God with the abundant life NOW (John 10:10) and
eternal life to come (Romans 6:23).
Clear
and beneficial boundaries have been set
for us by our loving Creator, who sees what we DO
NOT and knows what we CANNOT!
Will YOU trust and submit to Him?
Have
YOU obeyed the gospel? (click
here)
God
bless you!
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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