My Sunday School class is reading and studying through the Old Testament of the Bible. We mostly stay on topic, but we also can get sidetracked by other topics brought up by a group member. Our leaders always try to steer us back to the original text of the day's study, and/or they find other verses in Scripture that pertain to the discussion. No matter what, I always learn something new from class.
King Saul was the first king of the Israel nation. He was anointed by the prophet, Samuel. Saul lost his kingdom by not listening to God. Samuel, a messenger for the LORD, told him he would lose it. You can read all about it in 1 Samuel.
1 Samuel 13:13-14
13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.
If you read more of the books of Samuel, and Chronicles, and pretty much any where else in the Bible, you will see God's people swearing that they would do what God commands, and then not follow through. They are disciplined in many ways, one being exiled or overtaken by other nations that do not fear the LORD.
I know that I can relate. I tell God that I am going to be faithful and seek His Kingdom first. Yet, I usually forget I said that and just do my own thing. I continue to sin. I know that there is grace, but I seem to keep forgetting that. I know the things I should do, yet I do not do them every time. What is God going to do with me, a failure at listening to Him? He is not done with me yet, and He is not done with you either. Let's move on from these failures. Let's listen to wise teaching, and read the Bible for ourselves. Practice more on doing good, rather than following our own fleshly desires.
15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love[f] toward all the saints,16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 1: 15-22
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