DON'T IGNORE DIVINE INSTRUCTION

"Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded. Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord" - Proverbs 13:13 & 16:20 (NIV)

Few days after a successful old hunter indicated his intention to retire from the hunting business, an energetic young man approached him and offered to buy his shop, his hunting rights, and even his secrets for successfully hunting. The old hunter agreed; he sold all his goods to the young man and carefully told him all the secrets to his great hunting success. Thereafter, the old man retired and travelled to another city. A year later, the old man returned to the city, looked for the young hunter and asked how his first year as a hunter had been. The old man was however surprised when the young hunter said that he had not caught anything since the old hunter retired and left that city. The old man then asked him: did you followed the instruction and adhere to hunting secrets I gave to you? "No Sir, I found a better way" was the young hunter's response.   

King Solomon, the wisest man that has ever lived was right by saying "Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers and whoever scorns instruction will pay for it." Unfortunately, many some people have been struggling with their unfruitful/unprofitable personal hunting ventures/projects on earth for years like the young hunter in the above story. They are busy accusing their enemies for their predicaments but did not know that their refusal to obey God's instruction is the source of their problems. They ignored divine instruction on the ground that they are staled and of no relevance again in our world today. They seem to have forgotten how Adam and Eve got their fingers burnt when they ignored God's first instruction to man in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3: 11-19) . They don't understand that the only antidote for frustration, tragedy, lack and failure in the race of destiny is total obedience and adherence to divine instruction. 

Beloved, despite all your many qualifications, experience/ exposure and connections, why are things not looking up for you as expected? Don't you think you may have ignored some important divine instruction? Could it be that you have ignored divine instruction on salvation (Acts 2:21), holiness (2 Corinthians 7:1) and evangelism ? What do you have to show that Great Hunter (Jesus Christ) who gave you all His hunting rights when he retired from the hunting business on earth over 2000 years ago (Mark 16:15-20) . Please be sincere with yourself, in the first eight month of this year, how many souls have you shown the way to the cross? Don't you know that your prosperity, fruitfulness and fulfilment in life is a function of your willingness to obey God's instruction on soul winning (John 15:16), giving (Luke 6:38), tithing (Malachi 3:10) and kingdom service (John 12:26) etc? Don't you know that every divine instruction you ignore opens up doors for demons of pain and hardship to invade and torment your health, marriage, finance, career and business?

May we receive grace to repent genuinely, trust and obey all God's instruction immediately, cheerfully, completely and without complaining henceforth. Please join me to prayerfully sing and meditate on the lyrics of one of my favourite hymn titled" Trust and Obey". This wonderful hymn was composed in 1887 by John H. Sammis. 

TRUST AND OBEY

When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way;
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
      Trust and obey,
       For there’s no other way
      To be happy in Jesus,
      But to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear,
Not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss,
Not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove
The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows,
And the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do;
Where He sends, we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Good morning and do have a blessed day.

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

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