Genesis 6:13-14, 17-18, 22 - And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
Noah receives information on how to build an ark based on instructions from God. Noah didn't question God, instead he followed God's specific instructions. So often God gives us instructions or an assignment in our lives. It's important that we don't deviate, or turn aside, from those directives. Let me remind you, you do have an assignment! Fulfilling your assignment is crucial to your survival. To receive instructions and not follow them is foolish. Had Noah not completed the task of building the ark, he and his family would have perished. Noah and his family suffered much persecution and ridicule, but he didn't let this deter him from following the instructions God gave. When you feel yourself getting weak, that's the time when you need to dig in and work even harder. You must realize that anything that distracts you from your calling is the enemy. You must stay the course! God's reward is in finishing the task.
God's instructions are precise, and He never makes a mistake or error when giving them. Make sure you hear and understand the instructions in their entirety. Don't challenge God's direction. When we don't walk according to God's plan, He brings discipline to us. Take God at face value. Whatever you do, don't be a fool in this season.
What Causes People to Deviate from God's Instructions:
1. Rebellion
2. Listening to unwise counsel
3. Being determined to do it your way regardless of the outcome
4. Satan has deceived you to believe a lie
5. Operating with a superficial mindset
6. Lack of patience to wait on God
7. Distractions of all sorts that cause you to loose focus
Read this week's scriptures: Genesis 6:13-22, John10:10, Proverbs 1: 2-5, 7-8
Prathan L. Powell, Sr. is the senior pastor of World Changes Tabernacle, Columbus, Georgia. To get more information, visit the website at www.wctministries.org or visit the church at 1241 Alta Vista Drive, Columbus, Georgia
