Why Can’t I Live Life the Way I Want?

People may be right in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their heart. (Proverbs 21:2)
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.(Proverbs 14:12 )

Notice how closely the preceding verses resemble what Satan told himself in the heavens before being cast down in the pit.

12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!
13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; b
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’

See the resemblance? Most men and women of today are looking for one thing and one thing only. Their own glory. The first 2 verses presented show that people while living their daily lives. Even from being a child, your daily chore was to go to school, do as well as you could. Come home and battle with mom and dad about not doing your house work. I remember those days, I was there. Hated doing homework. Would rather be outside playing baseball, soccer, tennis, (or whatever version of it we played at 6- 12 yrs old).Then came the days of high school, with my driver’s license and my own truck. I wouldn’t say I was 100% rebellious to mom and dad, but now I had much more freedom. Dad paid the gas most the time, paid the tires so I remember sometimes burning $50 in gas in one night….

Once the days of education were over, then there was work, going to work, to pay bills and then go an party. Have fun, Ecclesiastes 12 talks about this. Now the days of post marriage, been happily married to my wife for over 6 yrs. Some days are rough, some days are great. But the thing we must, must keep in mind, we are both sinners, married together.

Here’s the point I want to make, my life was for the most part uneventful in great sin. No drugs, drinking, smoking, stealing, killing, or anything that could lead to penitentiary consequences. So, as the first 2 verses said, I thought the way I was leading was straight. I even went to Catholic church on my own without parental supervision from time to time since having my license. Which impressed my parents and most that knew. Imagine, an 18 yr old kid, going to church before his own parents wake up.

Here’s the great issue, this is ALL related to works based salvation. If I keep doing enough, maybe God will bring me in heaven. I might be able to tip the scales in my favor. More good than wrong. After all, my parents were catholic, and well respected in the neighborhood. My grandparents were incredibly strong Catholics, praying nearly every night, grandma was reading her “Bible de Jerusalem” (Catholic bible) almost on a daily basis. But there is one thing in this, in ALL this that is missing. There is absolutely NO mention of someone that gave His life 2000 years ago. There is no repentance, no acknowledgement of our own sin. He died for EVERYONE didn’t He?

I have touched this topic a number of times in my previous posts. Now look at the verses above again. Look at Isaiah,
I, I, I, I, I….count them, 5. Basically, the summary,  I don’t need God….I can do it. Frank Sinatra has a song about this. “I did it MY way”…..now I know he’s probably crediting his work, his efforts, long hours and not wavering. But still, it was HIS way. Didn’t consult anyone on how to do it. Much less God.

Dear friend, I need to be faithful to you. There is one thing that is correct in what you are doing on your own, your path to destruction. To hell, just keep going exactly how you are going.  As mentioned above, there is a way that seemed right unto man, but it leads to death. Psalms 51:5 says we were born in sin. So in a sense, it’s not your fault you were born in sin. But it is your responsibility to admit your shortcoming before a three times Holy God.
If you don’t recognize this, you don’t repent. The wages of sin is death. There is no other way out, no matter what people will tell you. Everyone has an opinion. But they are not always correct.
I have my own experiences in asking people their opinion. More often than not, I don’t agree with them but that doesn’t change theirs or mind. So now we need some reference point of authority for it. For which this issue of sin, we MUST turn to the bible. The only book written by God. Any other book was written by man, and is therefore biased toward that man’s “opinion”

Dear friend, won’t you look at that cross 2000 years ago, leave the path you’re on, turn from it, it will not be profitable when you meet your maker (Amos 4:12). Only a personal meeting with Christ, can ensure a home in heaven.