Bible Matters 384: Consequences

Your life is a series of actions.  As you live your life, there is a cause and effect for every action you perform.  Once you chose God as your guiding light, he looks for your positive and righteous actions to be performed on a daily basis.  He is looking for you to give him glory in everything you do.  The effect or consequence can either be positive or negative.  As you study the lessons in the bible, it is apparent that God hates sin.  The consequence of sin in the Old Testament was severe.

Genesis 38:9-10 – And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.  And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also.

When God gave you a command, you did it.  When it came time for God to execute judgement on the Egyptians, the children of Israel Hebrews were told to mark their door posts with blood so that the Lord would pass over their household.  This was a do or die command.  Failure to do this command, resulted in death to your first born.

Exodus 12:7,12,23 – And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.  For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

The children of Israel escaped the Egyptians with Moses.  Although captive, they enjoyed the foods that they ate freely, while in captivity.  The cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic were enjoyed.  When walking away from the Egyptians, these delicacies were replaced with food supplied by God, manna.  When you repent and turn from sin, you remember the desires of sin that wants to draw you back into it.  You replace sin with the saving knowledge of God’s word.  With the right attitude and knowledge that word of God provides, the freedom in God’s word provides nourishment that is able to keep you free!

Numbers 11:1-2,4-6 – And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord : and the Lord heard it ; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.  And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched.  And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?  We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

A freedom that will allow you to prosper in all you do for the glory of God.

Deuteronomy 29:9-10 – Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.  Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel,

When repenting and turning from sin, do not go back.  When God says not to touch, then don’t do it!.  Uzzah couldn’t resist the temptation of touch the ark of God.  God will take care of business.  Put your trust in him. 

2 Samuel 6:6-8 –  And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.  And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.  And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day.

Lust of the flesh and the desires of sin, strikes when you let it replace the things of God.  David fell prey when he lusted after Bathsheba.  His first son with her died. 

2 Samuel 11:27 – And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

Like the criminal on the cross, you must realize the predicament that you are in.  When in the presence of the almighty God, nothing works better than prayer and giving glory to him as the Almighty.  For defending Jesus and his testimony and belief, Jesus offered the criminal a life in paradise. 

Luke 23:40-43 – But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Your life should be a daily exercise in giving God the glory.  Ungodly men can creep in and take you down a path where you may deny God.  When you turn from your Lord, there may be no going back.  When you deny Jesus, the consequence is that he will deny you before God the Father in heaven.

Jude 1:4 – For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 6:66 – From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Matthew 10:33 – But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Paul gave you the simplest of all instructions.  When you fear God, you give audience and are his witness. 

Acts 13:16 – Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

You repent and cleanse yourself of the filthiness of the flesh.

2 Corinthians 7:1 – Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

God has given you the power to serve him!  Not of fear but out of love and a sound mind. 

2 Timothy 1:7 – For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Revelation 14:7 – Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Ephesians 5:20-21 – Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;  Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Think about the impact that the Ohio State football players that witnessed for God had on the 10,000 plus students at Ohio State this past week!  Those men know of God’s power.  They gave him witness.  These men could have been working out or doing anything, but being a servant for the Lord.  These men followed Jesus. 

Mark 8:34 – And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Luke 9:23-24 – And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Study to know God’s instruction.  To know his truth. 

2 Timothy 2:11-13,15 – It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him :  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him : if we deny him, he also will deny us:  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

You are the Church of Nineveh.  Endure to the end and God will be waiting for you!

1 Peter 2:17 – Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

God is asking you to follow him.  To be his witness.  The time is now to share his word.  To share this ministry!

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.