Psalm 119:105
“Thy word is a lamp
unto my feet, and a
light unto my path.”
When I was a child,
I followed my
parents’ teachings,
because they said
so. Being a little
guy, these people I
called “mommy and
daddy” were relied
upon for everything.
They were so much
stronger and bigger
than me and how
could I not do as I
was told? When my
Dad said jump, it
was usually “how
high?”. Or at least
in following his
verbal command, I
jumped at doing what
he said because of
fear.
All of us remember
as children when our
parents told us
something to do,
even though we did
not understand why,
we did it anyway.
Remember being a
little person and
saying that often
uttered word, “Why?”
In my house, the
response was
usually, “Because I
said so.” And if we
disobeyed the rules
of our parents or
the warning, not
doing as we were
told, what was the
end result? Correct.
We got our behinds
tanned with a wide
belt or a paddle. We
obeyed out of
fear─fear of
discipline and the
pain that would be
the result.
OUR HEAVENLY
FATHER
I remember growing
up in the Baptist
church and hearing
messages that could
only be described a
“hell fire and
brimstone” sermons.
A lot of people came
to the altar to
repent out of having
the living daylights
scared out of them.
No one who came down
wanted to experience
a never-ending
judgment of torment
by fire. Was their
basis for repentance
based on faith and
pure unadulterated
fear of an
all-consuming God?
Of course, the
answer was fear, but
better fear than no
response at all.
Many of these (same)
people when they
felt that they had
appeased God,
returned to their
lifestyles, as if
nothing had ever
happened in their
lives.
Why is that?
Because: they got
past their fear. Oh,
they knew that to
sin was not part of
their “being saved”
but hey, “I did it
this time and
nothing happened,
right? If I do it
again, maybe nothing
will happen again.
God doesn’t see and
I won’t get caught.”
So they keep doing
the same sin, over
and over and expect
no discipline for
their actions. They
reason “God is love
and He saved me, so
I’m good.” No need
to fear anymore.
I have many people
email me and lament
that the “world”
believes that if
they say a simple
prayer, that they
have a free pass now
to do whatever they
want and get away
with it.
Let us make a bold
statement. You
cannot offend God.
God is not a God of
meanness. You cannot
cause Him any injury
or inflict harm on
Him. God does not
sit around just
waiting for you to
mess up and hit a
button labeled
“Smite.” But God IS
a God of judgment.
God will ultimately
discipline all who
He calls His
children, just as
our human parents
did, in love. Why?”
Because: He wants
you to grow in His
nature and His ways.
He wants to spend
eternity with His
children and cannot
abide sin in our
lives. God
disciplines on two
levels: First in
correction and in
then in final
judgment. Question?
How much can you
push God, by
repeating the same
sins over and over
and not have
correction and final
judgment? Yes, God
is a God of mercy
and patience, but
there is a time when
God’s patience runs
out.
Ecclesiastes
8.11-13:
“Because sentence
against an evil work
is not executed
speedily, therefore
the heart of the
sons of men is fully
set in them to do
evil. Though a
sinner do evil an
hundred times, and
his days be
prolonged, yet
surely I know that
it shall be well
with them that fear
God, which fear
before him:
But it shall not be
well with the
wicked, neither
shall he prolong his
days, which are as a
shadow; because he
feareth not before
God.”
Those who have no
fear of God and have
no need for God,
think they can do
whatever they
please, as they rely
on themselves. Godly
fear, is a product
of wisdom and those
who do not fear God
out of respect and
reverence, God calls
a fool.
Psalm 4.1-3:
“The fool hath said
in his heart, there
is no God. They are
corrupt, they have
done abominable
works, there is none
that doeth good. The
LORD looked down
from heaven upon the
children of men, to
see if there were
any that did
understand, and seek
God. They are all
gone aside, they are
all together become
filthy: there is
none that doeth
good, no, not one.”
BLESSINGS AND
CURSES
Looking back at the
bible’s example of a
people most blessed,
and those most
cursed because of
their disobedience,
we look at Israel
who disobeyed God
and did not continue
to fear Him.
Deuteronomy 28.1-2:
“And it shall come
to pass, if thou
shalt hearken
diligently unto the
voice of the LORD
thy God, to observe
and to do all his
commandments which I
command thee this
day, that the LORD
thy God will set
thee on high above
all nations of the
earth: And all these
blessings shall come
on thee, and
overtake thee, if
thou shalt hearken
unto the voice of
the LORD thy God.”
As you read this
passage, God
explains to the
nation of Israel the
blessings they will
receive if they
hearken unto the
voice of God and
follow His commands.
But beginning in
verse 15 to the end
of the chapter, God
warns them of not
following His
commandments. The
curses and judgments
are staggering until
God says:
“And thy life shall
hang in doubt before
thee; and thou shalt
fear day and night,
and shalt have none
assurance of thy
life” (Deuteronomy
28:66)
Disobedience to the
voice of God
affected the
national
character─until many
years into the
future, God had had
enough of their
disobedience of His
Word and His people,
the nation of Israel
were sent into
exile, not once, but
twice until the
modern day revival
of that nation.
JESUS, GOD OF THE
OLD TESTAMENT ON
EARTH
Travel with me, many
years into their
future, after Israel
had been returned to
their homeland to be
rebuilt at the end
of the Babylonian
exile into the time
of the coming of our
Lord, Jesus Christ
on earth. When Jesus
began to teach, one
of the most
memorable of His
sermons, was the
Sermon on the Mount.
Here Jesus explained
what was meant in
the Old Testament of
the commandments
given to their
fathers. What did
Jesus say?
Matthew 5.18-19:
“For verily I say
unto you, Till
heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in no
wise pass from the
law, till all be
fulfilled. Whosoever
therefore shall
break one of these
least commandments,
and shall teach men
so, he shall be
called the least in
the kingdom of
heaven: but
whosoever shall do
and teach them, the
same shall be called
great in the kingdom
of heaven.”
In this sermon, our
Lord developed what
was written in the
Old Testament, known
to them as the
Torah, or Teachings.
These were the
commandments given
by this same God
standing before them
having fleshed them
out in their
spiritual intent so
it could be
understood plainly.
Let me make
something very plain
to the reader who
may misunderstand.
This is not about
Law keeping, as no
one can keep the
Law. Paul spoke of
this very fact, they
we are not subject
to the Law and its
penalties, because
we have been saved
by grace and the Law
has no effect on
us...in penalty.
What does Jesus mean
then when He spoke
of the commandments
of God, emphasized
by Himself and
preached with
authority? Jesus was
saying that if you
follow the
commandments as a
way of life, to
trust God that He
knows what is best
for each of us. Then
blessings will
result. If we do
not, then curses
will follow. Let me
illustrate.
Look at any prisoner
in our penal system.
Have any of these
people followed the
commandments of God?
Of course not, as
they have broken
norms of society
that are based on
law. Man-made laws
came from one
authority, Almighty
God and based on the
Ten Commandments and
His judgments.
If you follow
the law, you will
have blessings such
as guaranteed by the
bill of right and
our Constitution,
but if you break the
laws, as each of
these prisoners did,
then you have lost
your rights and have
been cursed and
incarcerated for a
predetermined amount
of time. You lose
your freedom; your
property, possibly
your family, and
ultimately some
loose their lives.
Turning to the
born-again Christian
who follows after
Jesus in belief and
faith. What has
happened to this
person? They have
become a new
creature in Christ
Jesus and they
follow His example.
What is His example?
Following what He
said beginning with
the Law of God,
handed down to
mankind and
ultimately to His
sermon on the mount.
Jesus gave us
commandments to
follow for a reason.
It is the recipe for
a productive and
meaningful life.
Those in the world
follow after their
own lust and do what
is right in their
own eyes. Right or
wrong, they follow
their own humanistic
ideas of what is
good for them. They
have no need for
God. Why? Because:
They do not trust
Him. They don’t wish
to know Him because
they love their
sinful ways. We, who
are called of God,
have put our trust
in our Heavenly
Father and our Lord
Jesus who knows the
beginning from the
end, and ultimately
what is best and
right for each of
us.
Each of us chooses
consciously, whom we
will follow. Jesus
said in John 14.6-7:
“Jesus saith unto
him, I am the way,
the truth, and the
life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but
by me. If ye had
known me, ye should
have known my Father
also: and from
henceforth ye know
him, and have seen
him.”
Our Father in
heaven, God
Almighty, knew that
we could not keep
the letter of the
Law. It is not in
our nature or
character to seek
God or to know Him.
Psalm 10.3-5:
“For the wicked
boasteth of his
heart's desire, and
blesseth the
covetous, whom the
LORD abhorreth. The
wicked, through the
pride of his
countenance, will
not seek after God:
God is not in all
his thoughts. His
ways are always
grievous; thy
judgments are far
above out of his
sight: as for all
his enemies, he
puffeth at them.”
Man by nature, who
is mortal, and prone
to sin, does not
follow after God or
search for Him. God
seeks us and draws
us to Himself,
through the work of
the Holy Spirit to
see Jesus─the only
payment for the sins
that we commit.
John 6.44-45:
“No man can come to
me, except the
Father which hath
sent me draw him:
and I will raise him
up at the last day.
It is written in the
prophets, And they
shall be all taught
of God. Every man
therefore that hath
heard, and hath
learned of the
Father, cometh unto
me.”
When we accept Jesus
Christ by faith, as
our Savior and
Redeemer, we use
that faith and
belief to follow His
way of life. Why do
we follow His
example and live His
commandments?
Because we TRUST
Him!
To follow
after Jesus,
produces blessing in
this life, and all
of eternity. To not
follow after Jesus,
accept Him as
personal Savior by
faith, leads to the
flip side of this
life; curses in this
life and for all
eternity.
Following Jesus
produces right
living and being
obedient to His
command produces
another by product
of our
belief...character.
Through trials and
life’s never ending
struggle to put on
the new man and
avoid evil, we
become more like
Jesus Christ and
less like the world.
It will never be
complete in this
life, but will be
accomplished finally
when our Savior and
Lord changes us into
what He
is...Immortal
Spirit.
Romans 5.1-5:
“Therefore being
justified by faith,
we have peace with
God through our Lord
Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have
access by faith into
this grace wherein
we stand, and
rejoice in hope of
the glory of God.
And not only so, but
we glory in
tribulations also:
knowing that
tribulation worketh
patience; and
patience,
experience; and
experience, hope:
and hope maketh not
ashamed; because the
love of God is shed
abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost
which is given unto
us.”
NATIONAL
DISOBEDIENCE
As the individual
decides to follow or
to not follow after
God, it permeates
into all of society
when a society has
thrown the
commandments of God
to the curb.
I have seen what I
never thought I
would see, but I
have. What I have
seen in our nation
is apathy for doing
what is right in
political office.
Never would I have
thought to have seen
that the office of
the leader of the
most powerful nation
on earth, the
President of the
USA, be given a pass
over lewd behavior
or lying to the
people, or trampling
on our freedoms. It
didn’t just start
with this president,
but has been going
on for decades.
We saw Bill Clinton
who had an affair
while in office and
nobody held him
accountable, they
even glorified his
behavior stating
“When Clinton lied,
nobody died,”
meaning GW Bush was
guilty of lying and
that then gave a
pass for a liberal
president for sexual
misconduct and lying
while in office. OH,
Bush had his
grievous errors in
judgment and people
blame him for
starting unneeded
wars, but this
president that now
graces our
television screen
most every night, by
and far, takes the
cake.
And “We the people”
do not hold our
elected officials
that are supposed to
be speaking for us
to a higher standard
of conduct. This
includes our
congressman, our
senators, and our
local officials at
the state levels.
No, we have become
them. They are a
reflection of the
moral decay and the
departure from
common decency and
following after
God’s commandments,
and the commands of
our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ in both
halves of the Holy
Book we call the
Bible. Remember what
I just quoted in
Deuteronomy 28
concerning blessing
and curses? The
national tone is one
of moral bankruptcy
and a decline in
righteous living. No
other nation has
been given so much,
as to require even
the more.
Luke 12.48:
“But he that
knew not, and did
commit things worthy
of stripes, shall be
beaten with few
stripes. For unto
whomsoever much is
given, of him shall
be much required:
and to whom men have
committed much, of
him they will ask
the more.”
All, the world
“knows better,” and
ignores the God of
the Bible. As for
mentioning the USA,
she has turned her
back on the
benefactor who made
her great. Nation
after nation has
fallen because they
did not follow the
ways of God and
chose not to honor
or reverence Him.
The USA is not any
different. She has
been blessed more
abundantly than any
nation on earth. She
has had her zenith
and her star has
shown to the ends of
the earth, but she
has rejected her God
and taken on pagan
gods of idolatry and
filth of
perversions.
It all starts with
you and is a
reflection of our
national tragedy.
You who read this,
are you following
the commandments of
God? Have you
followed His way of
living based on the
life of Jesus
Christ? Have you
believed in your
heart, repented and
decided that you
have no hope apart
from Jesus Christ
and His sacrifice on
Calvary’s cross to
be the substitute
for what you and I
both deserve, which
is death?
Put your trust in
the only hope you
have for blessings
in this life and the
next. If you feel
down, depressed,
hooked on drugs or
alcohol to numb that
empty feeling of
hopelessness you
feel inside, then
look up from the
bottom of that pit
you are living in
and see the
outstretched arms of
God in the flesh,
Jesus the Christ. He
seeks to deliver you
from the life you
are living and only
wishes to fold you
in His arms. Feel
and listen to that
still small
voice─who speaks to
your inner being.
Jesus is the way,
the only way and
there is NO other
way to be saved.
OBEDIENCE BY
FAITH!
Obey His voice and
His calling by
faith. Accept His
invitation to repent
of those sins you
have committed and
will commit, in this
mortal life. Stand
before Him with a
broken heart and a
contrite spirit and
ask for forgiveness
and mercy to cleanse
you from all
unrighteousness...You
know what? He will
do as you ask.
John 6.37-39: “All
that the Father
giveth me shall come
to me; and him that
cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out.
For I came down from
heaven, not to do
mine own will, but
the will of him that
sent me. And this is
the Father’s will
which hath sent me,
that of all which he
hath given me I
should lose nothing,
but should raise it
up again at the last
day.”
Paul the apostle
wrote in Romans 23,
“For all have sinned
and fall short of
the glory of God.” (ALL
OF US)
Romans 10.9-10:
“That if you confess
with your mouth,
‘Jesus is Lord,’ and
believe in your
heart that God
raised him from the
dead, you will be
saved.
For it is
with your heart that
you believe and are
justified, and it is
with your mouth that
you confess and are
saved.”
John 3:16-18:
“For God so loved
the world, that he
gave his only
begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth
in him should not
perish, but have
everlasting life.
For God sent not his
Son into the world
to condemn the
world; but that the
world through him
might be saved. He
that believeth on
him is not
condemned: but he
that believeth not
is condemned
already, because he
hath not believed in
the name of the only
begotten Son of
God.”
Romans 8.38-39:
“For I am convinced
that neither death
nor life, neither
angels nor demons,
neither the present
nor the future, nor
any powers, neither
height nor depth,
nor anything else in
all creation, will
be able to separate
us from the love of
God that is in
Christ Jesus our
Lord.”
Revelation 22.17:
“The Spirit and the
bride say, "Come!"
And let him who
hears say, ‘Come!’
Whoever is thirsty,
let him come; and
whoever wishes, let
him take the free
gift of the water of
life.”
By FAITH: That Water
of Life─is Jesus
Christ. He paid the
penalty for
disobedience to His
righteous law that
convicts us all. To
come to Him is to
make a personal
choice to follow
Him, to trust Him by
faith and actions,
to live as He lived
to the best of our
mortal ability TILL
HE COMES. SO COME
LORD JESUS.
This is Pastor Mike
Taylor, praying you
obey that still
small voice calling
you to repentance
and accepting Jesus
as your personal
Savior. If you need
prayer, counseling,
or just a listening
ear, email me at
realteam1999@sbcglobal.net,
or visit me online
at:
www.churchofgod-usa.org.
God bless you, till
we meet at Jesus’
feet.