Sue J Love
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- Joined
- Mar 27, 2015
- Messages
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“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1 NASB1995)
The Lord brought to mind this morning a secular song with religious overtones, written by Billy Joel, called, “The River of Dreams” (1993). What he described in the song lyrics was a person of religious heritage who knew the way of salvation, but who was wandering in the wilderness. He knew the right way, the way of truth, the way of God and of his righteousness and holiness, but something always held him back from crossing over to the other side, into “The Promised Land,” and into eternal life with God.
He was on a journey, with his sights set on “The Promised Land,” but he never quite got there. Something always stopped him, perhaps his addiction. He seemed to go back and forth from a place of hope to a place of despair, always struggling to find inner peace, for he continued to walk in the darkness and not in the light of truth and righteousness. He knew he needed to pass from the darkness to the other side, and he said that he tried, but doubt was standing in his way, keeping him from reaching his destination.
Billy Joel finally came to the conclusion that he was not sure about life after this life, and he acknowledged that God knew he was not a spiritual man. And sadly, that is where many people are today, in one way or another, who know the way of righteousness and holiness, who know that the answer they are looking for requires that they cross over to the other side, that by faith in Christ they die with Christ to sin, that they obey God and his commands, and that they cease with their wanderings, but something holds them back.
And I know this doesn’t seem to quite fit the passage of Scripture, but yet it does. Although I don’t believe that Billy Joel was practicing righteousness, or that he was putting on a performance to try to show that he was, still he seemed to be pursuing passing over to the other side, but he never could get there, and so he finally gave up. Why? Because his efforts were of the flesh and not of the Spirit of God, not from someone who’s life was being guided by the Spirit, but someone who’s life was controlled by the flesh.
And that, in truth, is the picture in this passage of Scripture, for it is someone performing or trying to be religious or to appear religious for human approval which means all their efforts were of the flesh and not of God and that is why they never truly became righteous, but only in appearance. In other words, if you are living in addiction to sin, but all your efforts to be free of your addiction and to “cross over to the other side” have been of the flesh, and not of God, you will never reach your destination.
There are, though, many people professing faith in Jesus Christ outwardly, who might even appear righteous on the outside, whether or not by willful performance, who are still wandering in the wilderness, still living immoral, wicked, rebellious, idolatrous, revelrous, deceptive, adulterous lives, in direct defiance and disobedience to our Lord and to his commandments, just like so many did who wandered in the wilderness and who died in the wilderness, and who did not enter into the Promised Land for lack of obedience to God.
And what they did is written down for us in the Scriptures as examples for us in what not to do and of the results we should expect if we follow their example (1 Corinthians 10:1-22). And this wasn’t just about physical death, for we will all die one day unless Jesus returns and he takes us to be with him while we are still alive on the earth. But this is a warning to all who make outward professions of Christ as Savior but who are still wandering in their sin. If you do not die to sin and obey God, you have no eternal reward from God, because your sin always keeps you from true faith which saves.
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
As the Deer
By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
Caution: This link may contain ads
Still Wandering in The Wilderness?
An Original Work / September 27, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
The Lord brought to mind this morning a secular song with religious overtones, written by Billy Joel, called, “The River of Dreams” (1993). What he described in the song lyrics was a person of religious heritage who knew the way of salvation, but who was wandering in the wilderness. He knew the right way, the way of truth, the way of God and of his righteousness and holiness, but something always held him back from crossing over to the other side, into “The Promised Land,” and into eternal life with God.
He was on a journey, with his sights set on “The Promised Land,” but he never quite got there. Something always stopped him, perhaps his addiction. He seemed to go back and forth from a place of hope to a place of despair, always struggling to find inner peace, for he continued to walk in the darkness and not in the light of truth and righteousness. He knew he needed to pass from the darkness to the other side, and he said that he tried, but doubt was standing in his way, keeping him from reaching his destination.
Billy Joel finally came to the conclusion that he was not sure about life after this life, and he acknowledged that God knew he was not a spiritual man. And sadly, that is where many people are today, in one way or another, who know the way of righteousness and holiness, who know that the answer they are looking for requires that they cross over to the other side, that by faith in Christ they die with Christ to sin, that they obey God and his commands, and that they cease with their wanderings, but something holds them back.
And I know this doesn’t seem to quite fit the passage of Scripture, but yet it does. Although I don’t believe that Billy Joel was practicing righteousness, or that he was putting on a performance to try to show that he was, still he seemed to be pursuing passing over to the other side, but he never could get there, and so he finally gave up. Why? Because his efforts were of the flesh and not of the Spirit of God, not from someone who’s life was being guided by the Spirit, but someone who’s life was controlled by the flesh.
And that, in truth, is the picture in this passage of Scripture, for it is someone performing or trying to be religious or to appear religious for human approval which means all their efforts were of the flesh and not of God and that is why they never truly became righteous, but only in appearance. In other words, if you are living in addiction to sin, but all your efforts to be free of your addiction and to “cross over to the other side” have been of the flesh, and not of God, you will never reach your destination.
There are, though, many people professing faith in Jesus Christ outwardly, who might even appear righteous on the outside, whether or not by willful performance, who are still wandering in the wilderness, still living immoral, wicked, rebellious, idolatrous, revelrous, deceptive, adulterous lives, in direct defiance and disobedience to our Lord and to his commandments, just like so many did who wandered in the wilderness and who died in the wilderness, and who did not enter into the Promised Land for lack of obedience to God.
And what they did is written down for us in the Scriptures as examples for us in what not to do and of the results we should expect if we follow their example (1 Corinthians 10:1-22). And this wasn’t just about physical death, for we will all die one day unless Jesus returns and he takes us to be with him while we are still alive on the earth. But this is a warning to all who make outward professions of Christ as Savior but who are still wandering in their sin. If you do not die to sin and obey God, you have no eternal reward from God, because your sin always keeps you from true faith which saves.
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
As the Deer
By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
Caution: This link may contain ads
Still Wandering in The Wilderness?
An Original Work / September 27, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
