Israel craved for evil things.
Things became their master.
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6: 24)
Does your life express your love and gratitude to Jesus Christ having been saved by Him?
To be devoted, study the Bible regularly and make your daily Quiet Time an integral part of your life.
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2)
Do your actions reveal your commitment to the Lord?
Do you have a passionate desire to obey Him?
David, who is a man after God's own heart obeyed God in all His life. From being a shepherd to being a King, he was faithful in all things. He had set aside his own desires to obey what God has commanded.
Although He had faults, David's ultimate goal is to do what God has commanded.
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (John 14:15)
A humble heart and a servant's heart.
Do you have a humble heart?
Despite the cheers and the accolades of the crowd towards him, he remained humble, believing that everything that he had accomplished, is of God and not of him, remaining under King Saul's authority and waiting on God for everything.
Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family that You have brought me this far? (2 Samuel 7:18)
Do you have a Servant's Heart?
David's desire is to serve God, whether as a shepherd or as a King.
His actions reflected his humility and heart of a servant, longing to please God.
Does your life express your commitment to Jesus?
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. (1 Peter 1:13-15)
When our perspectives, belief systems, values, and priorities are wrong, we become like Israel who craved evil things.
Some of what Israel craved for were not evil in itself, but it became evil when they began to put it before God.
Your view or perspective of life and what you believe can either make you happy and secure or not.
Your perspective will always determine your values.
Your values in turn determine your goals.
And your goals determine your pursuits.
Your pursuits are that for which you thirst.
You either thirst for righteousness or crave for evil things.
This determines your behavior and the manner of your life.
Israel's history teaches us that we need to get our perspectives, values and priorities right.
Do you thirst for righteousness under God's control?
Or do you lust for evil things who is under the control of your sinful nature?
Be Holy. Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. (1Peter 1:13)
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.(1 Peter 1:17)
Evil things does not necessarily include evil in themselves.
Israel craved the past pleasures of Egypt as summarized in their cry,
“Give us meat to eat” (Numbers 11:4-34)
What are evil things?
God knows what is best for you, and if you continue to crave something He may give it to you, the results are often bad.
So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease among them.(Psalm 106:15)
Legitimate things become evil when they possess you and become the object of your devotion, your security, or your happiness rather than the Lord.
You will know that you are drifting away from God when you realize that you are beginning to seek happiness in the details of your life rather than in God, or when you value things more than God, your walk with Him 0r the ministry that He has for you.
Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals or character.(1 Corinthians 15:33)
2. Pray regarding temptation.
“lead us not into temptation” (Matthew 6:13)
3. Do not play with fire or you will get burned.
Avoid unnecessary temptation. Do not Test God.
You test God y unbelief, by despondency, by not trusting in His power and aid, by being careless, unguarded, by failing to take heed (1 Corinthians 10:12)
Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah. (Deuteronomy 6:16)
Things became their master.
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6: 24)
Does your life express your love and gratitude to Jesus Christ having been saved by Him?
To be devoted, study the Bible regularly and make your daily Quiet Time an integral part of your life.
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2)
Do your actions reveal your commitment to the Lord?
Do you have a passionate desire to obey Him?
David, who is a man after God's own heart obeyed God in all His life. From being a shepherd to being a King, he was faithful in all things. He had set aside his own desires to obey what God has commanded.
Although He had faults, David's ultimate goal is to do what God has commanded.
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (John 14:15)
A humble heart and a servant's heart.
Do you have a humble heart?
Despite the cheers and the accolades of the crowd towards him, he remained humble, believing that everything that he had accomplished, is of God and not of him, remaining under King Saul's authority and waiting on God for everything.
Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family that You have brought me this far? (2 Samuel 7:18)
Do you have a Servant's Heart?
David's desire is to serve God, whether as a shepherd or as a King.
His actions reflected his humility and heart of a servant, longing to please God.
Does your life express your commitment to Jesus?
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. (1 Peter 1:13-15)
When our perspectives, belief systems, values, and priorities are wrong, we become like Israel who craved evil things.
Some of what Israel craved for were not evil in itself, but it became evil when they began to put it before God.
Your view or perspective of life and what you believe can either make you happy and secure or not.
Your perspective will always determine your values.
Your values in turn determine your goals.
And your goals determine your pursuits.
Your pursuits are that for which you thirst.
You either thirst for righteousness or crave for evil things.
This determines your behavior and the manner of your life.
Israel's history teaches us that we need to get our perspectives, values and priorities right.
Do you thirst for righteousness under God's control?
Or do you lust for evil things who is under the control of your sinful nature?
Perspectives
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19-20)Be Holy. Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. (1Peter 1:13)
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15)
For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. (Luke 12:23)
Values
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21)For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
Priorities
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.(1 Peter 1:17)
Evil things does not necessarily include evil in themselves.
Israel craved the past pleasures of Egypt as summarized in their cry,
“Give us meat to eat” (Numbers 11:4-34)
What are evil things?
- EVIL that is always evil and contrary to the will of God like idolatry and immorality.
- EVIL that is not evil in itself but becomes evil because of a disposition towards the thing desired.
- Will it cause someone to stumble?
- It becomes evil when you become obsessed with it.
Desiring something other than what God has planned for you would lead you to drift away from God. When you begin to seek happiness in the details of your life rather than in God, When you value things more than God, your walk or the ministry God has for you, is a sign that you are already drifting away from God.
God knows what is best for you, and if you continue to crave something He may give it to you, the results are often bad.
So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease among them.(Psalm 106:15)
Legitimate things become evil when they possess you and become the object of your devotion, your security, or your happiness rather than the Lord.
You will know that you are drifting away from God when you realize that you are beginning to seek happiness in the details of your life rather than in God, or when you value things more than God, your walk with Him 0r the ministry that He has for you.
HOW TO AVOID EVIL
1. Have the support of friends from the right environment.Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals or character.(1 Corinthians 15:33)
2. Pray regarding temptation.
“lead us not into temptation” (Matthew 6:13)
3. Do not play with fire or you will get burned.
Avoid unnecessary temptation. Do not Test God.
You test God y unbelief, by despondency, by not trusting in His power and aid, by being careless, unguarded, by failing to take heed (1 Corinthians 10:12)
Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah. (Deuteronomy 6:16)
“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ (Matthew 4:6-7)
Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house. (Proverbs 5:8)