03.03.06 The 4th Snare that Causes Some Seemingly God-Fearing People to Succumb to Corruption

4. Taking God for Granted

People that take God for granted can repeatedly participate in corruptive activities without a wince, claiming that God will just look at them and do nothing, since He is loving, patient and kind.  For instance, you may recall how, at Tafiti Technologies Agency, Daudi relayed to Keziya the statistician about the ‘miracle job’ that he had received from God.  It was obvious that the man’s fasting, overnight prayers and church tours seeking each and every other prophet in town had been solely aimed at manipulatively twisting God around the Engineer’s little finger until he got the job; after which he would revert to his (Daudi’s) corrupt mannerisms.  The man even had a hymn for a caller-tune on the cellphone that he would use to make calls when furthering his corruption agenda.  If that is not taking God for granted, then I don’t know what other habit would explain such behaviour.

Micah 3:11 complains about people that take God for granted by leaning on Him as they take bribes, thinking that no harm will come to them since God is in their midst.  Itreads (NKJV): Her heads judge for a bribe… Yet they lean on the Lord, and say, “Is not the Lord among us? No harm can come upon us.” 

Did any harm come upon Daudi?  Yes indeed!  The man experienced ‘harm’ in the real sense of the word…  In fact, his life ‘corruption-funded empire crumbled’: the very car that he had bought with ‘bribe money’ condemned him to a wheel chair; his assets disappeared down the drain; his résumé went to the dogs; and, according to our story, although fictitious, there is a very high likelihood that he would be imprisoned[DN1] . 

My friend!  The presence of God in a defiled Christian can lead to destruction especially if we confess Him while doing the exact opposite of what He says!  From the day we accepted Jesus, His presence lives in us… So, where does one get the confidence to lean on God whilst continuing to perform fraudulent activities; then think that all will be well with him or her?  Do people not know that discounting God’s presence as if ‘He is not there’ is a foolish thing to do?  See what Psalms 14:1 (NKJV) says: The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.”  

Living one’s life as though God is muted is the surest way to doom!  That is why Jesus cautioned a person against taking his salvation for granted.  John 5:14 reads(AMPC): … Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.  

Further, participating in bribery is equivalent to forgetting God.  Ezekiel 22:12 reads (NKJV): …Thus says the Lord God: ¹²In you they takebribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me, ... But if we forget God, how do we plan to exist?  How will we prosper in our careers, profession or life in general?

Another way that people take God for granted is by disrespecting or disobeying His Word.  And, disrespect for God’s Word has caused many people to succumb to corruption.  No wonder Isaiah 5:22-24 associates bribery with rejecting and despising God’s Word.  It reads (NKJV): ²² Woe to men… ²³Who justify the wicked for a bribe,… ²⁴…Because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, And despised the wordof the Holy One of Israel.  Daudi is a perfect example of how one can discount God’s Word.  The man refused to go to the prayer line; turned a deaf ear to sermons that were condemning corruption; and downplayed the warnings from Mama Tatu, his church elder.  Undoubtedly, since the Engineer was disconnected from God’s powerful Word, sinking deeper and deeper into corruption was inevitable.

How about you? Do you honor God’s Word as the final authority rather than embracing it only when it says what you want to hear?