Consequences - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) February 15, 2022

Do you remember how you felt about all the rules your parents had when you were a kid? I recall being forced to regularly drink cod liver oil. There was no debate, no way to get out of it! I was simply told it was good for me and instructed to open my mouth to receive it. Little did I know, cod liver oil was packed with nutrients my young body needed. Nutrients that kept me active and helped me grow. As an adult, I understand this, but back then? I was upset! It felt like my opinion didn't matter and I couldn't wait to get older and ditch stinky cod liver oil for good.

Just as kids rebel against rules, so also do we buck against God's instructions. However, God has laid out guidelines for us for our own good. He tells us what to do and what not to do. Not because He wants to deprive us of 'fun' - after all, this is the same God who has instituted feasts and periods of rest into His yearly calendar. No, God has given His directives because He wants us to avoid the negative consequences of failing to abide by them.

Think of Adam and Eve. Why do you think God informed Adam to not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in Genesis 2? It's because He knew satan would show up and use that very tree to tempt them into sin. He was trying to help them. He gave them the instruction and left the choice up to them. We all know what happened next. We are still living with the consequences, generations later.

Same thing with the instructions God gives us today. They are laid out for us so we avoid the negative consequences of failure and heartbreak. God knows exactly how the devil will attack us, and warns us from the beginning. We therefore have to read the Bible to learn those directives. We have to study them, find ways to implement them each day and thereby stay safe from the enemy's schemes.

God is a Father, directing and warning us in an effort to ensure we do not experience certain negative consequences. As the Beginning and the End, He knows what's coming our way and simply wants to keep us safe. He doesn't want us to make mistakes then have to deal with their long-term consequences. And believe me, just as there are blessings for obedience, there are consequences for every misstep. This is why He tells us in Proverbs 3:5 not to lean on our own intelligence but instead to look to Him for guidance.

God bless you!

Join us for P&P this afternoon at Noon EST. Come ready to acknowledge the Lord who has given us instructions to prevent negative consequences from befalling us. We shall worship at His feet then pray for the needs of others, and call on God for grace to change our perspective on Him and the rules He kindly gave us.

See you then!