Judges 3:12 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel.

Some of the Old Testament is really depressing reading – the amount of things which went wrong and the trouble and strife the people went through just seems too much to bare!

But why did it all happen? Because they went off on their own and did things against God time and time again! When they did, God allowed the evil around them to close in on them.

But each time they turned back to God with open hearts, God was waiting patiently to turn things round again.

God loves you more than you can know!

Judges 3:6 They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

How likely is it that you will do things wrong, get things wrong or run off and follow the wrong paths? Very likely!

Mankind has shown time and time again just how easy it is to run off and follow the path of least resistance by giving it to everything around us. And we will likely do that same one day!

But we do not have to continue doing this just because we got it wrong once – God has provided us a way out. God has forgiven us already – but we should bring it before Him by acknowledging it!

Judges 2:3 And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; they will become traps for you, and their gods will become snares to you.’

God has not promised us everything is going to be smooth sailing and that we shall not have to face up to evil – rather the opposite and He has done this from the beginning.

The more we play with fire, the more likely we are going to get burned.

The more we play with evil, the more likely we are going to be hurt by it and give in to its ways!

God has warned us about the evil in the world and how easily we fall into it, but has also warned us against it just as much. Stop. Look & Listen!