Are You Guilty Of This?

Last night, Chris Godbey was leading us through a passage in Proverbs and there was a section in that passage that really stood out to me. I hope that you will take the time to read this and see if you are guilty of it as well.

Here is the good news of that section... Proverbs 1:23 (ESV) — 23 If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. God was telling the Israelites to repent of their sins and turn back to God and if they did, then God would pour out His spirit upon them and enable them to know His words... but they were not doing what God told them to do.

Proverbs 1:24–27 (ESV) — 24 Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, 25 because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, 27 when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Go through verses 24-27 slowly and see the tension...

• "I have called and you refused to listen,

• "[I] have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded"

• "you have ignored all my counsel"

• "[you] would have none of my reproof"

And because they would not listen to God, look at what was happening next "26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, 27 when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you." God told them "Since you didn't listen to me, then you have done this to yourself." In fact, God then said "28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, 30 would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, 31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices."

Are you guilty of this? Are you guilty of ignoring God until you want something from Him? This is not the right way to live. It will hurt you in many ways. Listen to God through prayer and His Word. Do what He says. Pray without ceasing. Glorify Him with your thoughts, your words and your deeds. Otherwise, God will treat you the way that you treated Him.