Clear Example

 

Clear Example

1 Corinthians 10: I want you to remember, my friends, what happened to our ancestors who followed Moses. They were all under the protection of the cloud, and all passed safely through the Red Sea. ² In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptized as followers of Moses. ³ All ate the same spiritual bread ⁴ and drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them; and that rock was Christ himself. ⁵ But even then God was not pleased with most of them, and so their dead bodies were scattered over the desert.

 

⁶ Now, all of this is an example for us, to warn us not to desire evil things, as they did, ⁷ nor to worship idols, as some of them did. As the scripture says, “The people sat down to a feast which turned into an orgy of drinking and sex.” ⁸ We must not be guilty of sexual immorality, as some of them were—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them fell dead. ⁹ We must not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did—and they were killed by snakes. ¹⁰ We must not complain, as some of them did—and they were destroyed by the Angel of Death.

 

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Wanting to fit in, I paid attention to the technique. I wanted to get the movement right for when I did it. The thug saw me looking and motioned a hush finger over his lips. When the unsuspecting guy was going to sit down, he would snatch the chair away. Unfortunately his prey hit his head on the desk behind.

 

• There have been many times when I saw bad examples and got straightened out.
• There have been many times when I saw someone else do the wrong thing and I stayed away from doing the same.
• There have been many times when I saw the consequences of doing the wrong thing, so I avoided it.

 

Paul points out that obedience is not enough. Many people did as they were told, but what was really in their heart was to fulfill their every lust and complain when things were not going as they wished. These people were killed and never made it into the promised land.

 

• GOD wants me to obey but also to do it with a heart given to HIM.
• GOD wants me to follow HIS rules, but do it because I want to be with HIM versus manipulating HIM.
• GOD wants me to praise HIM versus complaining about where I am in the trial.

 

Sometimes the examples don’t seem fair. I mean, I can’t even complain? No. In fact, the more I look at GOD’s word, the more I realize I act like Satan when I complain. He was not satisfied with GOD being GOD so he vowed to take over and do things better.

 

GOD tossed him out of heaven for trying to get his way. GOD wants me to align my desires with HIS and put my trust in HIS hands. I am glad HE gives me mercy so I can praise HIM another day.

 

• Do you have a complaint against GOD?
• Are you going through a trial and are blaming GOD?
• Will you heed the warnings and turn your complaints to true praise for all HE has done for you today?