"23 But this command I (GOD) gave them: 'OBEY MY VOICE", and I will be your GOD, and you shall be MY people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.'
24 But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.
25 From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all MY servants the prophets to them, day after day.
26 Yet they did not listen to ME or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers."
Being a Prophet from GOD must be a humbling position. You are told by the LORD the things HE directs you to say, but when the message isn't pleasant to hear you can easily be labeled a "gloom and doom" preacher with a pessimistic outlook. When your message contains good things you are labeled a "wealth and prosperity" preacher disconnected from reality. If your message is truly coming from GOD you can rest assured it will offend and alienate the world, for "this world" is of the devil and he "blinds" everyone he can!
One of my favorite verses of scripture is Jeremiah 29:11 that says "For I (GOD) know the plans I (GOD) have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope". That verse has brought me through some deep valley's and has displayed a tremendous amount of encouragement for me. It is reassuring to know that the Creator of the Universe has my future planned out and my rewards await!
But earlier in Jeremiah the message was not so hopeful. GOD instructs HIS children to "OBEY MY VOICE" and do the things HE commands them "that it may be well with you". GOD wants to bless us greatly (Deuteronomy 8:18: 28:8), but HE cannot be a part of sin and iniquity. When we walk "in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts" GOD's only option is to NOT BLESS our efforts. While wealth is certainly no measuring stick for spiritual growth, "this world" will attempt to label the "successful" by their bank accounts or stock portfolios. GOD uses a different measuring stick. Whether not not we GLORIFY HIS name is the charge I want to be found guilty of!
When "this world" comes to an end for me there will more than likely not be a great deal to squabble over. The only thing of lasting value that I can leave my heirs is showing how to "OBEY MY VOICE " and doing what HE commands! One point that "this world" would like for us to believe is that we have AN OPTION when it comes to whether or not we "OBEY MY VOICE"! Deuteronomy 7:23 says GOD "commands", not requests us, to "OBEY MY VOICE"! Do you even KNOW HIS VOICE? Or are you TOO BUSY to hear the STILL, SMALL VOICE (1 Kings 19:11-13) that Elijah heard? It might behoove us to slow down and listen for and "OBEY MY VOICE"!!
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