Have you wondered why the world is more wicked?

Are you a men-pleaser or a God-pleaser?  

Do you live to gain approval firstly from those around you or do you live to do that which would honour God always?

The response to such questions has been seen in the actions of leaders since time began. 

Adam could have been asked that question, King David could have been asked that question, and surely you and I can be asked that question. 

Choice and accountability of choice will always be seen in the lives of humanity.

1 Chronicles 21:7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.

Disobedience to God does come with a price tag attached.  

Sin

You see, God is good and therefore when you excuse God from your presence, when you insist that God should not interfere with how you want to live, essentially and specifically you will have just asked ‘good’ (God is good) to leave your life.

Ladies and gentlemen, what is left after good goes? Well, what is left is all that is not good. 

Do you ever wonder why the world has become increasingly wicked and why crimes have become more heinous?  

Have you ever wondered why it seems people can sin and not even blink an eye when sinning? 

Well, this is what happens when you decide to live outside of God’s word and His will.

God does not tempt or cause bad things to happen.

James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.

Men make choices and decide to do that which pleases them instead of that which God promotes and will be pleased with.

James 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

King David was drawn away from God unto himself. 

Why? King David had the power of the nation upon his own shoulders, but he felt that the power was his power instead of recognizing that the power he had was a delegated power that was given to him by God. 

Therefore, when David forgot to walk in his God-given duty and honour — God who gave him the authority and the duty to rule over the people — it led to the consequences of disobedience. 

That is when bad things happened. That is when you excuse God from your life.

When God is not there, then awful and sinful things happen. 

God will not stay where His presence and holiness is not welcomed.  

Be ye Holy!  That is not a suggestion; it is a commandment.

1 Pet 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

1 Pet 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

King David was king but he was not God. God reigns above all powers and principalities. 

King David’s disobedience came with a price.  

1 Chronicles 21:8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

The good thing is that King David did not remain in his sin. 

King David knew that he had missed it and so David did what he was most admired for; David repented. 

David told God that he was sorry and that he would do whatever he needed to do so that the stench of sin and its scarlet stain would be removed from the people of Israel.

When a leader misses it, the nation will suffer. 

When a leader admits his error, there is the opportunity for the nation to be saved. 

There must exist within the hearts of leaders, a desire, yes, a desire that their nation is covered and blessed with the favour of God. 

Outside of that, the leader and the nation believe that it is within their own might and power to make decisions that will make their nation great.

Any nation that excuses God out of the leadership plan or their plan of strategic development will reap the consequences of that choice. Let’s truly choose to honour God, so that God will be pleased to honour and bless us with His favour. 

Obedience will always brings on the blessings. Respice finem. 

Dr Maria A. Seaman is the pastor of Shekinah Worship Centre, Hamilton Parish.