Date: August 22, 2021 | Series: From Pastor’s Desk | Number: Vol. 10, No. 16
Beloved: grace and peace be yours abundantly from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. I am glad to welcome you to another week of the month of August 2021. And my prayer is that you will always be prevented by the Spirit of God from desiring or doing anything that will expose you to God’s judgment, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Now that may not sound like a very serious prayer to many. But Paul offers a similar one for the Corinthian brethren, saying, “We pray to God that you will not do anything wrong…” (2Cor 13:7NCV) So, though this appears to be a very simple prayer, it is perfectly scriptural. And since it is perfectly scriptural, it can actually be the difference between life and death or between exaltation and fall for us.
For example, Reuben was not cursed by his father because he was a troublesome young man that was always causing problems and pains. Rather, he was cursed because of just one wrong thing he did. He slept with his father’s wife. Why he did this is not stated in the bible. Perhaps he was seduced by the woman, just as Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph. We would not know. But just that one offence made him and his descendants lose their place of excellence in life. (Cf. Gen 35:21-22 & 43:3-4)
Also, what got Nadab and Abihu, two of the sons of Aaron, killed on the same day and at the same time? It was just a wrong step that they took. They were good people. Also, they were anointed priests of God. But when they offered unauthorised fire before the Lord, fire came out from His presence and consumed the two of them right away. They were not given any warning or any chance to repent. So, any wrong thing can expose us to instant destruction or a life time of trouble. (Cf. Lev 10:1-2)
See, people may be involved in all kinds of wrong things and not get punished for them immediately or in any serious or obvious manner. But just one more wrong thing from them, one that may not even appear as grievous as the ones they have been doing, and they may find themselves in some very serious trouble with God. That was what happened to King Belshazzar. God did not put him to death or take away his kingdom from him for any of the wrong things he had been doing before the day he and his people decided to use the articles belonging to His temple for merriment. But on the day he did that, the sentence of death was pronounced on him. And he was killed and his kingdom given to another. (Cf. Dan 5)
In like manner, someone may have been doing everything right before God and receiving His praise. But just one wrong thing from him can make him lose his life, his ministry or his place in the kingdom of God. Remember Moses. It was just one wrong thing that he did that made him lose his ministry of leading Israel into the Promised Land. So, one wrong thing can spoil everything for us. (Cf. Num 20:1-13)
All of this is why I find Paul’s prayer for the Corinthians to be a very relevant one for me and in fact for every child of God. And what again is this prayer? It is that we will not do any wrong thing, whether one that will lead to our death or one that will lead to our failure, destruction, depression or uselessness in life, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Do have a great week.
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