Is the forest pitch black beyond the fifth row of trees? By Alan Ballou; a servant.
Who am I to bother you? Who am I to say “take this path?” Has not the Lord made everything to contribute to its own end, according to the Word of the Lord, written in Proverbs 16:4? Do not the wicked contribute to their own destruction, as surely as the righteous believe and accept what the Lord has prepared for them (Romans 4:21-24, Matthew 25:34)?
Who can be wise and not speak in line with what the Lord wrote (Isaiah 8:20)? Is not wisdom from the Lord? The thoughts of the humanly wise are useless, and the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God (1 Corinthians 3:19-20). What is highly valued among the people of this world is detestable in God’s sight (Luke 16:15). Who dresses a pig the day before the slaughter and claims to be wise?
Who can reject God’s ways and yet speak with God’s wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:6-16)? Where is he who hates God’s instructions and yet proclaims His promises expecting results (Psalm 50:16-17)? Will God answer the call of those who ignore His calling (Proverbs 1:22-32)? Who can reject Jesus Christ and yet explain Jesus, Who is our understanding (1 John 5:20, John 1:1-14)? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
There is no room for God in the thoughts of the wicked (Psalm 10:4). Do we not walk in the Spirit by keeping our mind-set on the things above (Romans 8:5-8)? How can we even think correctly until we forsake our worldly thoughts (Isaiah 55:7)? Do we Christians fight by taking every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)? Let the wicked continue to be wicked still (Revelation 22:11).
If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whom the God of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). If they do not believe, they will not receive (James 1:5-7). If we die with Him, we will live with Him (2 Timothy 2:11, Romans 6:5-8). Those who find their life will surely lose it (Matthew 16:24-25, John 12:25-26, 2 Corinthians 5:15). Check it!
What happens to those who receive grace, but never learn righteousness (Isaiah 26:10)? What happens when the righteous leave the path and despise instructions (Proverbs 15:9-10)? Why should any living man complain for the punishment of his sins (Lamentations 3:39, Hebrews 12:7-8). Land that drinks in the rain, often falling on it, that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned (Hebrews 6:7-8).
Look around! Can a fig tree bear tomatoes forever (Matthew 12:33-37)? At what point will they call it a tomato bush? All who have this hope within them purify themselves (1 John 3:3), through obeying the truth (1 Peter 1:22-25). If the darkness were passing, would not the light shine through (1 John 2:8)? Is the forest pitch black beyond the fifth row of trees? If you do not know, do not raise your head at the gate of the city to speak, but first study (2 Timothy 2:15, 1 Corinthians 11:19).
I’m Alan Ballou; a servant. Sorry to bother you.
