VIDEO RECORDING OF THIS SERMON

You’re in a bad spiritual condition when you are:

Disobedient – 1 Chr 10:13-14, “Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not…”. See how Samuel rebuked Saul’s disobedience in 1 Sam 15:22-23 and 1 Sam 28:17-19.  Your disobedience can affect many others besides yourself.  As a result of Saul’s disobedience, Saul’s sons died and the Philistines defeated Israel.  In Ai, Achan’s disobedience caused the death of 36 men of Israel.  

When you are trying to discern the will of God in your life, you will often find that there is some area of disobedience that must be dealt with before the Lord will reveal what he wants you to do.  In Idaho, recently, I was preparing to preach and couldn’t discern what the Lord wanted me to preach one evening.  He led me, first, to deal with some area of disobedience.  After we dealt with that, then he made plain what sermon to preach.  The Lord demands and expects obedience.  And he is worthy.

Disorderly – 1 Chr 13:9-12, “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.”  See 1 Chr 15:12-13.  God wants things done decently and in order, 1 Cor 14:40.  Two men have called me recently contemplating divorce.  They are out of order.  They have no scriptural basis for even considering divorce.  They need to take that option off the table.  God will not bless that decision.  Nor will he bless any decision in your life that is out of order.  You must follow God’s order.  Things always work out right when your steps are ordered by the Lord.

Doubtful – Rom 14:21-23, “whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”  You have to know where God stands concerning your decisions before you proceed.  If you aren’t sure, then you cannot proceed.  It would be wrong for you to act on a decision when you are in doubt.  Adrian Rogers gave an illustration about a man who asked his wife if the shirt he was thinking about wearing was clean enough to wear.  She was in the living room; he was back in the bedroom.  She said “No.”  When he came out wearing another shirt he asked her how she knew it wasn’t clean enough without looking at it.  She said, “If you had to ask, it wasn’t.”  

When you do something in doubt it is sin.  Doubt may not result in your death like disobedience did for Saul and disorder did for Uzza,  But, doubt will surely weaken your prayer life.  See Matt 21:21-22 and Mk 11:23-24.  We must “doubt not” and be “believing.”

Conclusion: Check your heart for any area of disobedience.  If Saul had done that, he would have saved his life.  Check the scriptures for how God demands things to be done.  If there is any area of disorder, correct it.  Uzza would have lived if the Levites had carried the ark the first time.  If you are in doubt about a matter, don’t proceed until you are sure.  You will start second guessing other decisions in your life and weaken your prayer life.