God’s Will

Christina Lampkin

God's Will

1Kings 13:1-28

So, it’s been a minute since we did a blog. It feels good to be starting things up again. I want to start things back up by sharing with you guys one of my favorite bible stories and what I take away from the story.

This story comes from 1King Chapter 13 verses 1-28. In my bible (The Woman’s Study Bible NKJV) This chapter is called, The Message of the Man of God. So, a short summary of this story (but I encourage you to go read the whole chapter yourself) A prophet was sent from Judah to Bethel to prophesy that God would cleanse the alter at Judah from the sacrifices and sins that were happening there. A sign that this message was sent from God was that the alter would split apart. The alter did indeed split apart. King Jeroboam invited this prophet back to his home, which the prophet told him that the Lord commanded him that he shall not eat bread, nor drink water nor return the way that he came. So, word got out to another older prophet about what happen at the alter and he set out to find this man of God. He found him and invited him home to eat. The man of God also told this older prophet what the Lord had commanded to him. The older prophet then lies and tells the man of God that an angel spoke to him on behalf of God and told him to bring the man of God back to his house to eat and drink, which the man of God believes, and does. Long story short the word of the Lord came over the older prophet that since the man of God went against His command and ate and drunk where the Lord told him not to that his body would not be laid in the tomb of his fathers. When the man of God, went to go home from the older prophets home, he was eaten by a lion.  (That’s a really short version again I encourage you to go read the story yourself).

So, there’s so much that I could unpack in this story. But when I just really sat with God after reading it, the biggest message that I got from it was don’t go to someone else to confirm what God has already told me. God's Will over your life is your responsibility to fulfill. The older prophet wasn’t necessarily a bad man (just a liar) and he ultimately felt bad about what he had done (depending on what translation of the Bible you read), but the man of God still died. So, this told me that God holds us accountable for our actions and us alone.

I often try to spend time alone with God. I know when He's trying to express something to me. At first these revelations can be exciting when I first get them I’m ready and motivated. But sometimes doubt sets in, and I start getting discouraged. So,what I USE to do whenever I was feeling that doubt is try to get reassurance in the form of a being, someone tangible. I would take that special message from God and try to get someone else to verify. While talking to someone about your ideas and the things that God, puts on you is not bad, it’s when we’re looking for reassurances from others is where I think the error is.

For example, you’re praying to God and He puts it in your heart and mind to go back to school. You’re excited about this but then you start having some doubts and fear. So, you begin looking to your parents, siblings, friends for reassurance. Some people are positive but not everyone. A friend said that’s good for you! But one of your siblings told you that you were too old, not smart enough, or what’s the point. So, they just laid some of the fear and doubts that they really had for themselves and placed it on you. The biggest thing He brought to my attention out of all this is why would you go to someone for reassurance when this person probably has never even prayed to God on your behalf. They haven’t sat at his feet, praying to Him for you, they haven’t done the fast for you, they haven’t mediated and asked for a sign like you have. So why are you expecting them to know His Will for you. Again, talking about your plans and sharing things is different from looking for reassurance.  This also makes me rethink the way I interpret “faith without works.” Maybe, it’s really when we claim to have faith but we’re not putting that faith into action. It’s faith with no motion. It’s faith but worrying, it’s faith but doubt. Maybe faith without works is really saying to have faith without really having faith is pointless.

This ties with the story out of the bible earlier because the man of God KNEW what God had told him to do and what not to do. He let someone reroute him, cause doubt, and ultimately it led to his death. Yea the older prophet felt bad for lying, but I mean……

At the end of the day, God is going to hold us accountable for what we do with our lives. That's why it's so important to have a intimate relationship with Him for yourself. Sometimes good people give bad advice. Someone can be a good person and they still won’t or even can’t understand the Assignment/Will God has over “Your” life. Sometimes this really good person can be a person of God themselves, but this still doesn’t mean they hold all the answers to “Your” life. Even if they said they will or have prayed for you, it is still ultimately your responsibility to take that back to God and ask Him, and if he doesn’t tell you the same thing. Well....

Well if feels good to be back, please email or share here some of your favorite bible stories and somethings that you take away from it.. Love you guys until next time!