GOD DISCIPLINES, THOUGH HE IS MERCIFUL 1

17 THEN Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “THIS IS WHAT THE LORD GOD OF HEAVEN'S ARMIES, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, SAYS: ‘IF YOU SURRENDER TO THE BABYLONIAN OFFICERS, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL LIVE, AND THE CITY WILL NOT BE BURNED DOWN.
18 BUT IF YOU REFUSE TO SURRENDER, YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE! This city will be handed over to the Babylonians, and they will burn it to the ground.’ ”
19 “BUT I AM AFRAID TO SURRENDER,” THE KING SAID, “for the Babylonians may hand me over to the Judeans who have defected to them. And who knows what they will do to me!”
20 JEREMIAH REPLIED, “YOU WON'T BE HANDED OVER TO THEM IF YOU CHOOSE TO OBEY THE LORD. YOUR LIFE WILL BE SPARED, AND ALL WILL GO WELL FOR YOU."
Jeremiah 38:17-20 (NLT)

• If God instructions were followed by you, you would not perish. However, If you disobeyed, calamity is inevitable (Jeremiah 38:21-23)

• Zedekiah the king of Judah was afraid to surrender to the Babylonians as God had said through Prophet Jeremiah. He was still skeptical even with the prophecies of the acclaimed national Prophet (Jeremiah 38:19,20).
• When God asked or instructed you to do contrary to what seems logical, or contrary to things happening around you in the physical; the choice to make at such a time is obedience—do what He says.

• God would not and cannot mislead you. If you cooperate with God in the tribulation meant as chastisement, and do whatever He said to be done; He would have mercy on you.

• Being stubborn and not being able to trust Him enough to surrender totally, is the main problem He may have with any believer in Christ Jesus.
• If you missed it, and you repented, and cooperated with God in the process of restoration, He would have mercy on you—not be angry with you perpetually.
  WHERE the problem comes In, is, when He wanted to restore you, but you refused to cooperate or agree with Him about the way and pattern through which He wanted to do it, that might piss Him off, or put Him off.
• What God wants from those who are His is, Submission. When you cooperate with Him and allow Him to do things in His own way, you would always have a reason to thank Him at the end.
• Most problems of the believers are based on disobedience, wanting to do things in their own way, instead of giving a place to God in their lives as He wishes.
• If God says you should submit to someone who seems to be enemy, who is not friendly, you go ahead and obey Him.
• Some people, even professed believers, are still contending the teachings of Christ about resisting not an evil person, being allowed to be mistreated, and the likes:
  38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 BUT I TELL YOU NOT TO RESIST AN EVIL PERSON. BUT WHOEVER SLAPS YOU ON YOUR RIGHT CHEEK, TURN THE OTHER TO HIM ALSO. 40 IF ANYONE WANTS TO SUE YOU AND TAKE AWAY YOUR TUNIC, LET HIM HAVE YOUR CLOAK ALSO. 41 And WHOEVER COMPELS YOU TO GO ONE MILE, GO WITH HIM TWO. 42 GIVE TO HIM WHO ASKS YOU, And FROM HIM WHO WANTS TO BORROW FROM YOU DO NOT TURN AWAY" (Matthew 5:38-42 NKJV).

"NOW therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. WHY DO YOU NOT RATHER ACCEPT WRONG? WHY DO YOU NOT RATHER LET YOURSELVES BE CHEATED?"
1 Corinthians 6:7 (NKJV)
READ: 1 Peter 2:19-23

• If you submit in tribulations, as instructed by God, He would not leave you to yourself (1 Peter 2:19-23; 4:14).

• A believer cannot win in life without obedience, submission to do things in God's Way.
• Most people, believers, think If you follow Jesus' teaching that says If your right cheek is slapped, you should turn the other side; that people would think they are stupid, and take advantage of them and ride on them—cheat them.
• God Who said you should submit, you should not retaliate or fight for yourself; Is He a fool? Would that God go to sleep without doing anything about it?
• What Jesus Christ was simply teaching in that passage is, do not fight for yourself but let Me do it for you. And surely when He did, fight for you, you yourself would be afraid; because of the way He would deal with the person who maltreated you:
  17 NEVER PAY BACK EVIL WITH MORE EVIL. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 DO ALL THAT YOU CAN TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH EVERYONE. 19 Dear friends, NEVER TAKE REVENGE. LEAVE THAT TO THE RIGHTEOUS ANGER OF GOD. FOR THE SCRIPTURES SAY, “I WILL TAKE REVENGE; I WILL PAY THEM BACK,” SAYS THE LORD. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS OF SHAME ON THEIR HEADS” 21 DON'T LET EVIL CONQUER YOU, BUT CONQUER EVIL BY DOING GOOD" (Romans 12:17-21 NLT).
• What God asked or instructed you to do might be debasing and humiliating in some instances, you just had to humble yourself and cooperate with Him and allow Him to have His Way.

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• Should there be any ailment in your body, I declare your healing now in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
• Whatever God has not planted in your body that is working against your health, such is cursed and rooted up in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
  Peace!
  TO BE CONTINUED

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!