I Kings 12:6-11, 13-14 - And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter? And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him; And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
How many of us have received instructions in our youth not to stay up all night knowing we had to go school or work the next day? Wasn't that day the hardest to get through? Weren't you ready for bed the following night? Often times we receive wise instructions and don't heed them. King Rehoboam requested instructions from the elders on how he should handle his people. God gave wise instructions through the elders to the king. Rehoboam then decided to seek his peers on the same matter. They convinced him to do the complete opposite of what the elders said. King Rehoboam decides to follow the instructions of his peers, and his disobedience to God causes him to loose his kingdom.
God tells us in II Timothy 3 that the scripture was given to us as a guideline for wise instructions. These instructions will come with correction or reproof. Had Rehoboam listened to the elders and treated God's people with love, his actions could have corrected a relationship, between the king and the people, that had gone wrong two generations ago. How many times do we receive wise instructions to avoid disaster, yet we do the opposite anyway? When you fail to follow the instructions God gives, you tend to make the error of a lifetime. God has specific instructions for your life. Don't make the mistake of not listening.
The Results of Following Wise Instructions:
1. It will guide you to success
2. It will prevent unnecessary hardship
3. You'll be glad you listened
4. It will keep you out of trouble
5. It will mature you in how to handle everyday life issues
Read this week's scriptures: I Kings 12:6-11, 13-14, II Timothy 3:12, 14-17, Psalms 1:1-3
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
