Why Do We Disobey and Neglect God?

Scripture: Judges 6: 12-13

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Mid’-i-an-ites.

Scripture Commentary: Why look on God as a last resort?

How much suffering could the Israelites have avoided if they had trusted God? How much suffering can you avoid if you trust God? Why does so much strife befall us?

Turning to God shouldn’t be a last resort; we should look to Him everyday. This isn’t to say life will always be easy, but God will give you strength to take you through anything.

Gideon questioned God about the problems he and his nation faced, and about God’s apparent lack of help. What he didn’t acknowledge was the fact that the people had brought calamity upon themselves when they decided to disobey and neglect God.

Are you disobeying and neglecting Our Lord?

It’s so easy to overlook personal accountability and blame our problems on others, even God. Unfortunately this does not solve our problems. It brings us no closer to God, and it escorts us to the very edge of rebellion and backsliding.

When problems come, the first place to look is within. Our first action should be one of personal accountability – confessing to God our sins that created the problem. God will lift you up, if you believe in Him.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Judges Chapter 6

The Wise Take Time to Prepare

Scripture: Matthew 25: 1-4

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Scripture Commentary: Are you wise or foolish?

Matthew 25 tells us to be prepared because Jesus Christ is coming. What about you – are you prepared?

If Jesus came today and asked you what have you done in His name, how will you answer? Have you fed the poor, visited the sick, helped someone in need or prayed for someone?

In John 14:3 Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself.” Help others. Show love. We are responsible for each other.

You will give an account on judgement day.

Jesus gives us the parable of the 10 virgins. Five came prepared, and five did not. The bridegroom took those who were ready to the wedding banquet, and he told the others when they returned that he didn’t know them.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 25

Additional Reading:
John Chapter 14

Judas Let Himself Be Used by Satan

Scripture: Matthew 27: 3-5

Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Scripture Commentary: All of us have been in Judas’ shoes

How many times have we said or done something that we regret and wished we could have taken it back? If we truly think of the consequences of our actions before we say or do something, we wouldn’t do it. All of us are like Judas at some point.

Judas allowed Satan to use him. Consequently, we place ourselves in Satan’s hands when we let him use us.

Judas returned the silver to the priest but they refused to take it back and free Jesus. Therefore, they, too, became Satan’s instruments.

When we let ourselves slip into doing the wrong thing, we become like Judas. The Word – The Bible – shows us right from wrong, and the path to follow. It gives us the direction to travel, and all we have to do is follow God.

Forgive and forget. Love and help one another. Don’t be a hindrance. Ask “What would Jesus Do?”

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 27

Gideon Continued to Question God; Trust That What God Tells You Is True

Scripture: Judges 6: 36-39

And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

Scripture Commentary: Why are we like Gideon, always testing God?

Are you like Gideon? When God tells you to do something, do you question Him? Furthermore, are you always asking Him for signs? Because Gideon asked God three times to give him a sign so that he might believe God. And He believed only after seeing the miracles.

Was Gideon testing God, or was he simply asking God for more encouragement? Are you trusting God, or do you need more signs?

Was Gideon’s motives and methods correct? What about you – do you ask for a sign when you go to God and pray for help?

God will always guide you the right way. Visible signs are unnecessary if they only confirm what you already know is true. The greatest means to God’s guidance is his Word, The Bible. If you want to have more of God’s guidance, put your life in His hands and study the Bible.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Judges Chapter 6

They That Were Ready Went In With Him

Scripture: Matthew 25: 6- 10

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Scripture Commentary: Will you be ready when the time comes?

God has planned a banquet for us … and He sent each of us an invitation to attend. Sadly, we won’t all be there. Are you ready? Why not? Because not everyone has read the instructions for how to get to the banquet.

Where are these instructions? The instructions – the roadmap – is The Bible.

The instructions are easy to understand. In Matthew 25, He gives us three parables to help us find our way. These parables tell of three separate stories of joy, foolishness and judgment.

The first parable tells of ten virgins. Five are prepared and ready to go with the bridegroom; five are not and as a result, they are not able to go to the wedding banquet.

In the second parable, a master entrusts his money to three of his servants. When he returns, the servants must give an account of what they did with the money.

Lastly God tells us how it will be when the Son of Man sits on His throne in heavenly glory. He asks a number of questions: did you feed me, give me drink, clothe me, or visit me when I was sick or in prison?

What will be your answer?

Will you be in the group that He tells, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire”? Or will you be part of the group that He tells to “take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world”?

God loves you, and He has shown you the way to eternal life with Him. Spiritual preparation cannot be bought or borrowed.

Our relationship with God must be our own.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 25

God Will Not Fail or Forsake You

Scripture: Deuteronomy 4: 29-31

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

Scripture Commentary: God will neither forsake, destroy, nor forget you

Before Moses led the people into the promised land, God had him deliver a message, and that message is still viable today. God will not forsake us; He loves and protects us.

God promised the Israelites – and He promises us- that we will find Him when we search for him with all our heart and soul. God teaches us who He is. He wants us to know Him, but we have to want to know Him.

We learn in Hebrews 11:6 that, “he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

In 1 John 4: 8, we learn that “God is love.” In Hebrews 13: 8, we learn that God is constant. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

And there’s the ultimate evidence of God’s love laid out for us in John 3:16, which says “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

We are not to be tempted to look everywhere for guidance. Our God is a jealous God, the kind of jealousy that is appropriate and good. His love requires our love. We must treat the Lord our God with respect and have no other before Him at anytime in our life.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Deuteronomy Chapter 4

Open Your Heart and Be Blessed By God

Scripture: Psalms 117: 1-2

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Scripture Commentary: God has blessed you in every way

This psalm says a lot, using few words; however the message is to praise the Lord, let the world hear your praise, and lift up the Lord, your God. Be blessed!

Not only is Psalms 117 the shortest chapter in the Bible, it is also the middle chapter. Are you at the mid-point in your life? If so, ask yourself the following questions:

Have I accepted God?
Have I, at any time, given God the praise?

Have you ever said , “I can’t think of anything that God has done for me.”

If you are reading this, then God has given you another day. You aren’t in the grave. If you have a place to stay, if you’ve had a meal today, then give God the praise.

God has given you His love, and His faithfulness endures forever. You probably cannot say that you have been faithful to God all of your life but God has been faithful to you always.

If God did nothing else for you, He would still be worthy of your highest praise. Praise the Lord!

Read the Entire Chapter:
Psalms Chapter 117

God Shows Us Great Mercy

Scripture: Psalms 6: 1-5

(To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.) O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long? Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake. For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

Scripture Commentary:

David accepted God’s punishment but he begged God not to discipline him in anger. He implored God to have mercy on him. He poured out his heart to God, being completely honest with Him.

Be honest with God (He knows when we are not) even when filled with anger or despair. God knows us thoroughly and wants the very best for us.

God would wipe us out with His wrath if He treated us with justice alone and no mercy. Instead, God is kind to us and forgives us instead of giving us what we deserve.

God searches our minds and hearts. He knows our motives. There is no place to hide and no way to pretend that we can get away with sin.

We don’t have to impress God. Communicate with Him in prayer. Talk to Him and talk about Him to others while able because the day will come when we will not talk or praise His name.

Even after others have forgotten us, He will call us His good and faithful servant.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Psalms Chapter 6

I Once Was Lost But Now Am Found

Scripture: Luke 15: 6-7

And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Scripture Commentary: I Have Found What Was Lost

The parables in Luke illustrate that God is forgiving. Luke 15 takes us through the parables where there is a lost son, sheep and coin. Each parable illustrates the joy we feel when we have found what was lost.

We have all gone astray. We feel much joy when we return and accept Jesus as Our Lord and Savior. God loves us and feels much joy when we return to Him. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to earth to save us and to give us direct access to Him.

Just as the shepherd, the woman, and the father in the parables rejoiced on finding what was lost, all of heaven rejoices over the return of a repentant sinner.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Luke Chapter 15

And I Heard A Voice From Heaven

Scriptures: Revelation 14: 13 and John 5: 24

And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. (Revelation)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John)

Scripture Commentary: Will you hear Christ’s voice on judgment day?

Is the Lord Jesus Christ your Savior? Death has no hold on you if He is your Savior. You are free from death if you have placed God first – not money, fame, and belongings that you can’t take with you.

Christ, on judgment day, will separate the faithful from the unfaithful. Physical death is inevitable but when Jesus Christ returns, that sleeping body of yours will be resurrected to live forever with Him. If you are a Christian, you will hear His voice on that day and your spirit will rise.

Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? You face eternity apart from Him if you have not accepted Him.

Do not be one of those who thinks death is the end. It is the beginning. Jesus paid the price to save you.

You will face judgment. What will be the outcome?

Read the Entire Chapter:
Revelation Chapter 14
John Chapter 5