Being Deceived by Not Thinking Rationally

So brother Ryan and I just got back from getting some stuff at the store, but I had this thought that if, if we act contrary or live contrary to what we believe, then we are irrational. And I was thinking about, you know, like if we believe that the wages of sin is death and that the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience and that Jesus Christ is returning the flaming fire taking vengeance on those who don't know God and that do not obey the gospel. And we believe that all liars and fornicators and idolaters and blasphemers and murderers shall be cast into the lake of fire. If we believe this, then we should stop doing it. And if we don't stop doing these things and we claim to really believe that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God, but they'll be cast into the burning lake, then we are irrational. Like, and I had this thought that like, let's say that there is this bridge called death bridge. And you're pretty much guaranteed that that bridge will fall apart if you try walking across it. Like right when you got to the middle, everybody knew the boards underneath your feet would give out and you'd fall 500 feet and dash, you'd be dashed to pieces upon the rocks below. But there was something you really wanted on the other side of the bridge. Let's say it was a billion dollars. There's a billion dollars. Like everybody knew there's a billion dollars over there. Like they knew it. But your only way to get to it was to cross that bridge. And you really believe that if you got out on that bridge that you would die. Could you do it? I think if somebody that's irrational would. Somebody that says, yeah, I believe, yeah, that bridge, man, if I walk on that bridge, or if you walk up on that bridge, you're going to fall through and be dashed to pieces upon the rocks below. But that's the way it is with sin. If we say that if we live in sin, like whoever loves and practices a lie is going to be cast in the burning lake, a lie. And we lie. And we deceive others. And we claim that all such will be cast in the burning lake, then we deceive ourselves. And we're irrational. But anyways, I was just thinking about that. And like, there's this quote that I really like by Don Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He said, Only those who believe, obey, and those who obey, believe. I remember in 2009, it was my third year carrying a large wooden cross. I walked from Maryland to Florida, from Minnesota to Wisconsin. I flew to Israel with the cross, Oklahoma, and I had all these trips planned. But during that time, I met a lot of people. And I began to have a lot of time to study the Bible and to really be challenged with a lot of questions that people had about divorce and remarriage, about going to war, filing lawsuits, about all kinds of different things that Jesus taught, that the apostles taught. I stayed the night with several pastors of all kinds of denominations and people from all kinds of denominations and all walks of life who invited me into their homes to stay with them as I journeyed with the cross. But in 2009, I took some time to search out these questions that people asked to really give it some thought. And I found truth. I found some truth. And I remember this song that just bubbled up out of my innermost being. I could hear the music in my mind like God has given me a gift of music, but I just can't play it on an instrument. But anyways, this is the song. And I was singing this song in 2009. And I would just get so excited. And I felt like the Lord was telling me, don't sing it now. Because you're too excited now. Save it for those times that are coming when your love is just starting to cool or when your heart is starting to harden because of injuries you've received, persecution or different things. Just sing it then. So anyways, I was singing this song tonight because my heart is hurting for various reasons. I just began to feel that fire of God burn inside. It's a blessing. So I'm going to sing it for you, okay? There's a fire inside my soul And I'm weary Of holding it back inside me There's a fire inside my soul And my lamp is filled with the oil of truth And it's burning after you Yes, it's burning after you, my Lord There's a fire inside my soul And I'm weary Of holding it back inside me There's a fire inside my soul My lamp is filled with the oil of truth And it's burning after you Yes, it's burning after you, my Lord God gives us songs. He gives us messages, verses, words as part of our arsenal, as part of our weaponry that we use in this fight called faith. God's given you a song. Sing it. He's given you a poem. Recite it. If He's done something in your life, remember it. Fight the good fight of faith. Lord bless you.