What steps can we take to ensure obedience to God's will today? The wake-up call of Jeremiah 42:18 “Just as My anger and My wrath have been poured out on the residents of Jerusalem, so My wrath will be poured out on you if you go to Egypt. You will become an object of cursing and horror, of condemnation and reproach; and you will never see this place again.” (Jeremiah 42:18) Grasp the stakes • God’s will is not a suggestion; it is the dividing line between blessing and judgment. • The remnant wanted safety in Egypt, yet God exposed that plan as rebellion. • Today, every choice still carries either the protection of obedience or the perils of self-direction. Step 1: Seek God’s counsel before you move • “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) • Regularly open Scripture, inviting it to shape desires and decisions. • Include fasting or extended prayer times when facing major choices, just as the remnant consulted Jeremiah (Jeremiah 42:1-3). Step 2: Listen with a surrendered heart • God answered the remnant, yet they later rejected His word (Jeremiah 43:1-2). • “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:15) • Cultivate humility: commit to obey before knowing the outcome. Step 3: Compare every plan with Scripture • Egypt represented a return to the world’s security. God had already prohibited that path (Deuteronomy 17:16). • Filter modern decisions through clear biblical commands—sexual purity (1 Thessalonians 4:3), honest work (Ephesians 4:28), gathering with believers (Hebrews 10:25). • If a plan contradicts God’s word, abandon it immediately. Step 4: Trust God above human logic • Egypt looked prosperous and safe; Judah looked ruined. Faith chooses God’s promise over visible comfort. • “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) • Record past faithfulness of God to strengthen confidence when obedience feels risky. Step 5: Act promptly on God’s direction • Delayed obedience is disobedience in slow motion. • “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22) • Take the first concrete step—make the call, cut the tie, start the mission—before comfort-seeking excuses return. Step 6: Remember the consequences of rebellion • Jeremiah 42:18 spotlights divine wrath, not because God is cruel, but because holiness demands justice. • Similar warnings echo in Deuteronomy 28 and Acts 5:1-11. • Keeping the consequences in view sobers the mind and strengthens the will to stay on course. Step 7: Walk daily in yielded fellowship • Obedience is sustained by relationship, not mere rule-keeping. • “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) • Maintain habits of Scripture reading, worship, and fellowship so obedience becomes the natural overflow of love for Christ. Living it out today • Invite God to veto any plan. • Let Scripture be the final word. • Act quickly, trusting that God’s path, though narrow, always leads to life and peace (Romans 8:6). |
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