In Christendom, we have got used to some things
that are basically wrong; however they are now seen as the norm in the society.
We do a lot of wrong things in God’s name. There are some Biblical examples of
those who did wrong in God’s name. May we not do anything wrong in God’s name.
SAUL INTRUSION INTO THE PRIESTLY ROLE I Sam
13:8-14
Saul believed that Samuel had stay so long for
seven days. Imagine the way we also rush into things when we believe God is too
slow for us. You know that a significant number of us, especially youths rush
into marriages, we rush to get a job, we want everything to be defined by our
timing. Saul saw seven days as being too distant, the scripture reminds us, “for a thousand years in thy sight are but as
yesterday when it is past and as a watch in the night” Psalm 90:4. Also II
Peter 3:8, “but, beloved, be not ignorant
of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a
thousand years as one day”.
The emphasis as regards this discourse is in
verse 12, “the Philistines came down to
me at Gilgal and I have not made supplication unto the Lord, I forced myself
therefore and offered a burnt offering”. This sounds so easy but he had
done wrong in the name of the Lord. He received a very grave judgment because of
what he did:
1.
He is considered foolish
2.
He did not keep the commandment of
the Lord
3.
His kingdom will not continue
4.
God has sought for a man after His
heart
5.
The man shall be captain over God’s
people.
GEHAZI’S AVARICE II Kings 5:20-27
The healing of Naaman is the twelfth miracle in
the Bible. A maid was captured, she worked with Naaman’s wife, this made her
know Naaman’s state of health and she told madam Naaman of the prophet. The
husband eventually went to see the prophet Elisha and he got healed. Naaman
wanted to reward the prophet but he objected.
Gehazi did not like the way in which Naaman was
allowed to go with all his riches, he made up his mind with this statement, “behold my Master has spared Naaman the Syrian,
in not receiving at his hands that which he brought; but as the Lord liveth, I
will run after him and take somewhat of him”
Yes the Lord liveth but the Lord did not send
him to do that which he did. How many times have we wished that the Lord will
do that which is sinful, ungodly and do things contrary to His holy name unto
us?
James 4:3 says, “ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it
upon your lusts?” What do you lust after and you want to turn into the will
of God or something that God has not done for you? We do many things wrongly in
the name of God.
The outcome of
these two wrongs in the name of the Lord was:
a.
The Lord revealed the truth through
discernment
b.
The leprosy of Naaman came upon
Gehazi and his family forever.
What are the wrongs that we do in the name of
the Lord? How do we put God into our wrongs? We cannot indict God, we must
remember! Let us seek forgiveness to avoid grave consequences, we need to stop
these attitudes and attributes that associate us with satan, we need not forget
that the devil slighted God’s instruction to Eve and that was the entrance of
sin into the world. If we want to live beyond wrong doings in the name of the
Lord; we need to keep the following in mind:
1.
Deuteronomy 5:11 “thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy
God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in
vain”
2.
Proverbs 18:10, “ the name of the Lord is a string tower; the
righteous runneth into it and is safe”
3.
Collosians 3:17, “ and whatsoever yet do in word or deed, do
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him”
4.
Acts 2:21, “whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved”
5.
John 16:13, “howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into
all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsosever he shall hear; that
shall he speak and He will show you things to come”
The Spirit of truth is with us, we should know
what to do with the name of the Lord, we should keep the second coming of Jesus
Christ in our mind, we must never give ourselves unto the devil as an
instrument. WE MUST DO THINGS RIGHTLY WITH THE NAME OF THE LORD!