2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
A conjunction is 'the act of joining', the 'relationship of a conjunction to it's joining components'. Every day, we use these three conjunctions in our sentences, in relationship to our lives.

*If it didn't cost so much,
*If they weren't so mean to me,
*If I had known better,

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
A conjunction is 'the act of joining', the 'relationship of a conjunction to it's joining components'. Every day, we use these three conjunctions in our sentences, in relationship to our lives.

*If it didn't cost so much,
*If they weren't so mean to me,
*If I had known better,
*and they didn't do what I asked.
*and they didn't act like I thought they should.
*and we decided to leave the church.
*But the pastor didn't visit us.
*But you didn't tell me.
*But you can't do that and be a Christian.

In God's word, they are used to give us direction in our lives. IF we do the things that he commands us to do in His Word, then, he in return to our obedience, will give us what he desires for us. And, when we live by the Truth of God's Word, He will honor his promises. But if we decide we don't need God's Word, or we don't want to be guided by the Holy Spirit, then we must suffer the consequences of disobedience.

We are commanded to follow every word of the gospel, not just those that we pick and choose to follow. Too often God's Word is taken lightly; man doesn't want to abide by 'every' word that is in a particular command, or perhaps wants to leave out a command, and do 'his thing', all the while thinking he is following God's direction for his life. Then he wonders why trials and temptations come his way that he's unable to overcome.

God's ways are not grievous; it should be a joy to serve the Lord and want to walk faithfully with him in all his ways.

Psalms 128:1 Blessed [is] every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.

Heavenly Father, help us to have only the positive aspects of the If, And's and but's in our lives, with the engrafting of your word into our hearts. Thank you for the joy you've put into my life, the strength you give me from day to day to walk in your ways. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright 2004 by Barbara Sanders, Empire, AL. Used by permission.
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Created at Barbara's Entourage: http://www.entourages.com/barbs, "my humble abode".