Scripture: Judges 17: 1, 5-6

Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim(1) Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household gods and installed one of his sons as his priest. ⁶ In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.(5-6)

Scripture Commentary:

Micah and his mother seemed to be good, moral people and may have sincerely desired to worship God but they disobeyed Him. They did as they saw fit and followed their own desires instead of doing what God wanted.

The attitude of Micah’s day is found in our society today. Everyone is doing what they feel like doing. It’s remarkable that nothing has changed in 2,000 years!

God gives us standards to live by.

He does not leave our conduct up to us to do as we see fit. God provides His framework and standards. Today, as in Micah’s day, everyone wants to do their own thing. Human nature, unfortunately, has not changed. Micah made an idol to worship, and as a result, justice was replaced by revenge and chaos.

Ignoring God’s direction leads to confusion and destruction.

Submit to God’s way. Don’t continue to live as you see fit. Don’t head into Satan’s arms. So the question is this: are you trying to live as God would have you live?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Judges 17

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Judges:

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

Why Do We Disobey and Neglect God?

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15: 8-10

 ⁸ and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 

Scripture Commentary: Jesus tells us that ‘whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Paul was a Pharisee who persecuted the Christian church. He felt he was the least of the apostles, unworthy to be one of them .

Do you feel unworthy to spread the Gospel of Christ?

Ask God for forgiveness like Paul did and by His grace, you will become God’s servant. Humble yourself to God and see His works both in and through you.

Because of Paul’s prominent position as a Pharisee, he was a greater object of persecution than the other apostles; thus he had to work harder to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Don’t think that things will be easy because you’re spreading God’s message. Look what they did to Christ as He went about preaching the Word.

Paul was saved on the road to Damascus and born again. Maybe you, like Paul, are on the road to Damascus. Ask God to detour you.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 Corinthians 15

Read Other Commentary from 1 Corinthians:

Spiritual Gifts Are Given for the Good of All

You Are God’s Temple

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10: 13, 21

¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted^[d] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,^[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.  ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 

Scripture Commentary:

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can handle. God will provide a way out if you call on Him when you are tempted.

Paul tells us there is a battle going on with the flesh and the spirit.

Paul isn’t referring to your physical flesh. He is referring to your spiritual soul. The “nature” self wants to do what feels good and easy. The Holy Spirit in you wants to glorify God, not yourself.

The flesh and the spirit are constantly against one another as long as you live.

Paul tells us that the flesh (Satan) desires what is contrary to the Holy Spirit (God). And consequently, the Spirit of God is contrary to the flesh.

The Holy Spirit inside you says, “Live for God,” and your flesh says, “Live for yourself.” Living for God means you submit to God daily by reading the Bible and calling on Him. This is how God nourishes your spirit (our soul).

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 Corinthians 10

Read Other Commentary from 1 Corinthians:

Now About Food Sacrificed to Idols

The Lord Offers You A Seat At His Table

Scripture: Genesis 3: 1-4

The Fall

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” ² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” ⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Scripture Commentary:

This is the first recorded lie: Satan tempting Eve by pointing her to the one thing that she must not do. God gave Adam and Eve luscious, desirable fruits but we, like Eve, focus on the fruits of the flesh. This negativeness darkens our heart, mind and soul so that we succumb to Satan’s temptation.

When we focus on what we don’t have or on situations that displease us, our minds become darkened. We take for granted salvation and the countless gifts God has provided. We look for what we think is right.

1 John 2: 15 says “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father^[a] is not in them.”

And 1 John 4:8 says “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.“

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Genesis 3

1 John 2

1 John 4

Read Other Commentary from Genesis:

Don’t Be Ruled By Your Lusts

The Consequence of Knowing Good and Evil

Scripture: Ezekiel 29: 9-10

Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord. “‘Because you said, “The Nile is mine; I made it,” ¹⁰ therefore I am against you and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt a ruin and a desolate waste from Migdol to Aswan, as far as the border of Cush.^[b]

Scripture Commentary:

The Nile was Egypt’s pride and joy, a life-giving river cutting through the middle of the desert. The ruler and the people declared, “The Nile is mine; I made it.” We do the same when we say, “This is my house; I built it,” or “I have brought myself to this place in life where I am today,” or “I have built this church, ” or “I have made my business what it is today.”

These statements reveal our pride and don’t acknowledge God as our Provider, Creator, and Heavenly Father.

We have a tendency to take God for granted.

We forget that if not for God, where would we be? God is our supplier and resource. God has gifted us with the talents and abilities that we have. Instead of claiming our own greatness, as the Egyptians did, we should proclaim God’s goodness. Give Him the credit.

What you have is the gift that God has given you.

So use your gifts to His glory. Don’t boast about it or misuse it. When you stand before God, there will be a question put to you. “What have you done in my name?”

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Ezekiel 29

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Ezekiel:

Let God Give You a New Heart

Spread the Word And They Shall Know That There Hath Been A Prophet Among Them