THE BIBLE SPEAKS DAILY (NOVEMBER 8th, 2024)

TODAY'S TOPIC: HOW MAN DISOBEYS GOD.

TODAY'S VERSE: Matthew 7:21.

"...Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the Will of my Father in Heaven..."

When we look around us today we see disobedience to God everywhere. 

In our lives today, obedience seems to be a thing of the past. 

Please read the following passages: 

a. "...Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth..." Ephesians 6:1-3; 

b. "...Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 

Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor..."

Romans 13:1-7.

c. "...Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you..." Hebrews 13:17.

In Hebrews 5:8-9, the Bible says that:

 "...though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of Eternal Salvation to all who obey Him." 

Salvation, then, is predicated on obedience. 

One must obey God; i.e., do His will: Matthew 7:21.

Let Us Examine Some Ways A Man May Disobey GOD.

1. By Doing What GOD Has Forbidden. 

Adam and Eve were guilty of this very thing. "...And the woman said unto the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die..." (Gen. 3:2-3). 

Adam and Eve knew God's will in this regard, but being deceived through the serpent's lie, they did what God had forbidden: 

"...And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat..." (v. 6).

Another clear case was that of Lot's wife. 

God's instructions are given plainly:

"...And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said: escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed..." Genesis 19:17. 

Then we read: 

"...Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; and He overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt..." Genesis 19:24-26.

 Jesus said in Luke 17:32, "Remember Lot's wife." She therefore become a monument of warning for all time, concerning doing that which God has forbidden.

Jeroboam knew what God required of His people concerning their religious activity, the feasts and festivals that were to take place at Jerusalem. He felt that if the people were to go back up to Jerusalem to do those sacrifices there, they might be influenced to stay with Rehoboam, so he devised a wicked plan, clearly involving things which God had forbidden! He set up idols (Golden Calves), 1 Kings 12:25-33.

He made the same claim for them that Aaron had made for the Golden Calf at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 32:4). "Behold, thy gods, 0 Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt" (v. 28). He played upon the longing of the people for convenience by saying, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem" (v. 28).

God had forbidden idols, and God had commanded worship, only in Jerusalem, in the Temple. The Priests were to come from the tribe of Levi alone, and they were to make their offerings on the altar God had erected, and observe the feast days which God had set up. But Jeroboam changed everything!  

Read 2 Chronicles 11:13-17. The tribe of Levi had rebelled against the House of David with Jeroboam, but when he devised his own system of religion, and the Levites were rejected and cast out, they returned to Rehoboam and Judah.

As you read this account of Jeroboam in 1 Kings 12, notice the phrases: "He set," "he made," "he offered,""so did he," "he placed," "which he had made," "he ordained," "which he had devised of his own heart." But God said, "and this thing became a sin. . . " (v. 30).

Consider also the young Prophet, and the Old Prophet, in 2 Kings 13, they disobeyed God by doing what God forbade to do. They did what God said not to do and they were punished for it. 

When God directs us and forbids us to do a certain thing, we peril our very souls when we do it. 

Men, and Brethren, take heed, Beware!

2. By Refusing or Failing To Do What He Has Commanded. 

Jonah was guilty of this very thing: 

"'And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord." Jonah 1:1-3

GOD clearly outlined to the prophet Jonah what He wanted him to do. But Jonah refused to do it! God specifically told him to go one way,  but Jonah went the other way. 

He disobeyed God! You know what happened to Jonah, and so after his experience in the belly of the great fish, God came to Him a second time. God's instruction was the same as it was at the first, but this time the Bible says: 

"...Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord..." (Jonah 3:3).

Friends, Jonah refused to do what he was commanded. 

He did not want the Assyrians spared, and he knew that if they heeded his preaching that God would spare them (read 4:1-3). 

We too shall be guilty of of sin, if we refuse to do what God says. Remember Jonah. He had to learn some very valuable lessons and the learning process was not too easy for him.

God's instructions were clearly outlined to Saul: 

"Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass"  1 Samuel 15:3. 

"...But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them..." 1 Samuel 15:9. Saul was disobedient to God the Almighty. 

God accepts no excuses for disobedience. 

Some may reason that it is alright to do "part" of what God says, or refuse or fail to do what He says as long as the failure is well intentioned. 

But what does God say? 

"It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. . . " (v. 11) Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king" (w. 22-23). When we fail to do what God has commanded, He sees us as stubborn and rebellious!

"...Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. " That one who claims fellowship with God while refusing to do His will is characterized as a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."  1John 2:3-6 

That one who claims fellowship with God while refusing to do His will is characterized as a liar! It is one thing to "claim" to know God and another thing altogether to actually know Him. Paul writes of those who "profess that they know God; but by their works they deny Him. . . " (Tit. 1: 16).

Examine Yourselves Now:

a.  God commands us to "not forsake the assembling of ourselves together" (Heb. 10:25). 

If I refuse to obey that command, would I still have true fellowship with Him?

b.  Christians are commanded to be modest in dressing (1 Tim. 2:9-10). Rather than obey this command of God, if I conform to the standards of styles of this World. Would God still hear my affirmations of "knowing Him"? Would I not be a Liar?

c.   God commands people to be baptized to be saved (Mk. 16:16). 

Could I claim to be saved without doing His Will? Could sincerity and good intentions be enough, to safe a Soul?

d.   God commands that we Sing with our Lips alone, in Worship to Him (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Heb. 13:15). What about one who refuses to obey and adds mechanical instruments? Does he know God? Would his claims to "know God" be found to be false?

3. By Adding To His Word.

The Bible is filled with warnings, and dangers about adding to the Word and Commandment of God. We put our Souls in jeopardy when we presume to add to the Word of the Almighty:

"...Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command you. . . that ye may keep the commandments of the'Lord your God which I command you..."  Deuteronomy 4:2, 

The only way to keep the commandments of the Lord is to do it exactly, as He commanded it. When we presumptuously add to His Word, or when we apply our own human wisdom to His Word, we do not keep His commandments, anymore. 12:32: 

"...What thing soever I command you, observe to do it; thou shalt not add thereto..." Deuteronomy 12:32.

Joshua, reiterates the same thing when he says in Joshua 1:7: 

"...Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee, turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest." 

True wisdom dictates that we: 

 "add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar" (Prov. 30:6). 

Any person who adds to the word of God and claims God's approval in doing so, is found to be a Liar.

In 2 John 9, we read: 

"Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son." 

That person who abides in the teaching of Christ is one who veers neither to the right nor the left of it. He does not add anything to it. He regards it as God's complete and sufficient standard insofar as this Life is concerned. Adding to the Word of God is serious sin, and results in the loss of God's abiding favour and Grace!!!

 "...For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophesy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things. God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." Revelation 22:18.

Accept it as it is, 

"...not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe..." 1Thess. 2:13.

Any who seek to add the doctrines of men or feign some new latter-day revelation stand condemned of God and cursed in His sight.

4. By Takinh Away From His Word. 

In Revelation 22:19: 

"...And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophesy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book..."

The prophet Jeremiah echoed the same sentiment: 

"...all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word..."  Jer. 26:2.

Our obedience to God's Word must be complete. God will never accept a partial obedience. We need not think that we can please God by altering, mutilating, adding to, or substracting from His Will. 

Jesus said:

 "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). 

Doing the will involves all of the will. 

"...For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God..." (Acts 20:27). 

Paul understood that nothing was to be taken away or substracted from God's word. 

"...I kept back nothing that was helpful..." 

Acts 20:20 

Friends, let us learn that whenever we take anything away from the revealed Will of God we sin!

5. By Replacing The Word Of God. 

The classic example of this would be Aaron's two boys, Nadab and Abihu. 

They "...offered strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not."  Leviticus 10:1-2. 

What was involved in this violation: 

a. They took the fire from the wrong place (16:12) b. Or maybe it involved the incense also (Ex. 30:9). 

But one thing I do know, Nadab and Abihu did that "which he commanded them not. " 

We learn here that "fire is not fire" when the Lord has specified a certain thing. 

We do not hastily offer just any kind of service and expect the Lord to accept it, for He will not! He did not then, and He will not today.

Other examples could be cited as well:  

a. David transporting the Ark and Uzzah touching it and losing his life because of it. 

1 Chron. 13; 15:13; Num. 4:15; Exo. 25:14-15.

b. Naaman the leper, who when told to dip seven times in the river Jordan became wroth and thought to substitute two others rivers that he surmised "would do just as well." Had he not gotten over his anger and listened to reason and finally obeyed the commands of God, he would have forever remained a leper. 

Listen friend, it is no small thing to replace God's Word.

Readers, look around you today: 

a. Churches are replacing God's Word in every realm; 

b.Substituting Human Institutions for God's Divine institution, the Church. Matthew 16:18.

c. Substituting the patterns of men for God's pattern revealed in His will. 

d. Corrupting His Worship by substituting the things of men for the simple Worship outlined in His Holy Will (Matt. 15:8-9). 

e. The Organization of our Savior's Church is bastardized before the World because ungodly Men who have no respect for His way have substituted their own Organizational Structures for His. 

Men have built structures on Human Foundations, like the General Overseer; Chief Superintendent; Senior Pastors; Holy Mother; Reverend; His Eminence; Most Holy; Popes; Reverend Father; Nuns; State Pastor and many more. All these human foundations were not authorized in the Bible, hence they were not commanded by the Will of God, and Jesus Christ: 

"...But He answered and said, “Every plant which My Heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind Leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch...” Matthew 15:13-14.

Please, repent now, I can assure you, Men and Brethren reading this, a day of reckoning is surely coming, and what a sad day it will be for those who would tamper with God's will.

We must never disobey God in any of these five ways. God is dear to us and very good to us, but He demands that we obey Him in all things (Matt. 7:21; Heb. 5:8-9). 

Honesty and sincerity are honorable and necessary, but they alone are not enough, without obedience. 

God does not "wink at ignorance" no matter how sincere one may be (Acts 17:30). 

We must know God's will and we must do God's will.

Read, Study, Meditate and Do the Will of God always.

TODAY'S PRAYER: 

My Heavenly Father, I thank You for the gift of being alive today. Thank You Father.

Help me to do all things by the Authority of Jesus Christ, your Begottened Son, expressed in Your Holy Bible.

Bless me with adequate knowledge, understanding and the wisdom to apply Your Will in all areas of my Life.

Please my Father, heal the Sick and provide for the Needy around us, AMEN!

credits: 

Dennis Abernathy,

Benson Omole.

For questions and comments, please contact us on: +2348060066660; +2347069554486; +2347070020042.

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This work is under the oversight of the Church of Christ Ekute Quarters Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State Nigeria.

THANKS.