32 "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
89 Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. 90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. 91 Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. Psalms 119:89-91 (NIV)
It would do us well to remember that the only two things we can invest our time and efforts in eternally are the souls of men and the Word of God. Everything else will pass away. As the wisest man that ever lived wrote:
12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Eccl 1:12-14 (NIV)
Unfortunately we often expend much effort on the temporal resulting in no eternal lasting results gained – spending rather than investing our time; hence the “chasing after the wind” remark.
"Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance or medicine, but lost time is gone forever." Samuel Smiles
The teacher closes his Book of Ecclesiastes with the following command:
13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Eccl 12:13-14 (NIV)
“If you wish to know God, you must know his Word. If you wish to perceive His power,
you must see how He works by his Word. If you wish to know His purpose before it comes to pass, you can only discover it by His Word.” C.H. Spurgeon
"The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others.
Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian." A.W. Tozer
“The best protection against Satan’s lies is to know God’s truth.” Anonymous
Favorable consequences follow God’s people who live by God’s laws. This is not to say we will never encounter difficulties or hardships, but by pursuing God’s way through His revealed will in His Word we will fulfill our God given purpose and be filled with His peace which passes all human understanding. The prophet Isaiah tells us:
8 Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. 9 My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. Isaiah 26:8-9 (NIV)
The psalmist adds this following insight:
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalms 119:9-11 (NIV)
"Beware of reasoning about God's Word - obey It." Oswald Chambers
"Truth and love are the characteristics which build up the church, especially in association with each other. Yet this combination is rare in the contemporary church. Some leaders are great champions of the truth and anxious to fight for it, but display little love. Others are great advocates of love, but have no equal commitment to truth...Truth is hard if it is not softened by love and love is soft if it is not strengthened by the truth." John Stott
We are called to love God and to love His people. Fleshing out His life to others through our obedience to His revealed will is proof of our love and of our sonship.
“Remember Whose you are and Whom you serve.” Oswald Chambers
36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matt 22:36-40 (NIV)