Cost of Disobedience is High

 2 Corinthians 9     Psalm 82     1 Kings 19-20

Paul reminds the church of it’s need to be ready at all times and places to present the good news of Jesus Christ. We will reap what we sow whether sparingly or bountifully. It is what God has put in our heart to sow and never are we under pressure to give for God loves the cheerful giver. God will glorify those that are obedient to the good news of Christ.

The song tells us God stand in the middle of the rulers and observes all they do and acts accordingly. He observes those that judge unjustly and those that judge well and uplift the one with the greatest burdens in life. It is a call for God to judge all the earth for all is His creation.

After Elijah kills the false prophets of Baal his life is threatened by the one most effected by that loss. He finds himself fearful of her and flees for his life to the mountains. While there the Lord ask him why he was there hiding. His response is that he can only see himself as the one that is left to speak for the Lord, and it is a terrifying position.

Elijah goes to the mountain to meet with God and after all the signs of the power of God pass by he recognizes the presence of God in the soft blowing wind, the breath of God. When he expresses the same fear, he is told that in fact there are 7000 that have not fallen away to evil and they are with him. He is then instructed to anoint Elisha as the voice of the Lord in his place. He does as he is told and anoints Elisha and the power to speak for God begins the transfer from one leader to the next.

We continue to see God at work through those he chooses to speak for him as he uses others to speak to Israel and test if they will trust in him or not. We see the results of blessing when they follow the instructions and ways of the Lord and when they choose their own path. Those that choose to ignore the voice of the Lord pay a tremendous cost, often the penalty that the one they were called to speak to should have received.

It is clear we will have returned to us that which we plant in the lives of others. If we plant the ways of God and encourage others we will be blessed by God. If we choose to seek our own way, we will pay the penalty of our sins. God’s way is the only way to salvation.