Friday... What do you love to do? What does it cost?

Pastor Drew, our Pastor, loves to climb mountains. He really does. Now I love to see them. I am sitting right now looking out on some beautiful mountains. And I do love to hike on them.

Now in order to climb and hike some mountains in the Sierra Madre Mountains in California and the Rocky Mountains in Colorado you need a permit. It will cost you something.

Psalm 24:3 (NLT) asks a very good question, "Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?" There are some requirements. Did you know that? Well there are. There are some costs.

It goes on. "Who may stand in his holy place?" Verse 4, "Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies." Wow, you can't tell lies? Yes, you must be honest.

What would happen in this world if everyone told the truth, they never told lies? What would it be like? It really would be a good world to live in, wouldn't it? What about everyone in your family? You could trust what they say.

The purity thing would also be very good too. The Message says it this way, "Only the clean-handed, only the pure-hearted; Men who won't cheat, women who won't seduce." You see there is a price to pay to have a right relationship with God.

And then verses 5-6, "God is at their side; with God's help they make it. This Jacob, is what happens to God-seekers, God questers."

Verses 5-6 in the Amplified Bible says, "He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from God of his salvation. This is the generation (description) of those who diligently seek Him and require Him as their greatest need. Who seek Your face, even [as did] Jacob."

The NLT says, "They will receive the Lord's blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob."

Yes, it has a cost to it but oh the benefit, oh the blessing. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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Friday... We have this hope of expectancy.

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