~ Presumption is defined as overstepping of proper bounds; to take for Truth without prior evidence one way or the other. It is also described as Blasphemy ~
To assume or presume is not necessary good in most particle cases. If you have worked with someone on a regular basis on a similar project you might get away with presuming you know what the person you are working with is going to do next and what they will need next. But when it comes to serving God and doing what He wants one should always ask Him first to know what His mind is.
King David in Psalms 19:13 wrote, “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.”
One of the best ways not to sin through presumption other than doing like King David did in praying, is to never presume when it comes to serving God.
In Numbers 15:30 we read, "The soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people."
Ignorance is not a viable excuse. Regardless to whether or not you know you should or should not have done, said or not done, said this or that, if you do or say wrong, you are guilty. Even in civil courts when it involves the law most Judges will not accept a, “I didn’t know” excuse.
There is always a price to pay for ignorance. For instance, several years ago I moved from the State of Arkansas back to the State of Oregon where I grew up and where I obtained my first driver’s license. My Arkansas driver’s license was about to expire so, I applied for and received an Oregon driver’s license and was assigned the same number I received when I was a teenager.
However, I had recently acquired an updated vehicle license on my pickup while back in Arkansas so, I didn’t want the expense of paying for the title registration and new license plate. I thought I would forego that expense until a later date.
A few months later, while on my way to class at the college I was attending, I was pulled over by a State Police Officer. After getting out of my vehicle, I asked the Officer what I had done wrong. He informed me that he pulled me over for having an out of state license plate on my vehicle. To which I responded, “what’s wrong with that? It’s still a valid plate.” He then informed me that I should have obtained an Oregon registration and plate within thirty days of becoming a resident of Oregon.
I thought, because I was a student in college that I could keep my Home State License Plate because I saw other students doing the same thing. When I went before the Judge and told him my reasoning, he said, “it doesn’t make any difference what others are doing or not doing, the law is the law and you are guilty of not obeying it.”
I paid the fine and from that point on, I endeavored to obey the laws of the land.
In Deuteronomy 18:20 we read, "The prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die."
If the laws of the various States here in the United States of America were enforced in a similar manner as God handled the breaking of His laws prior to Jesus bringing in more abundant Grace, this world would be a lot different than it is now.
There are a lot of Ministers (speaking as prophets) speaking as though, “Thus saith the Lord” but there isn’t anything in the Written Word of God to back up what they are saying and way too many people are swallowing what they are saying hook, line and sinker. The sad thing about it is that in the Bible it states, “if the blind lead the blind, they both shall fall into the ditch”, St. Matthew 15:14 and St. Luke 6:39.
The Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 5:20 wrote, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
Let me ask you this one question, “can you or I afford to be wrong when it comes to the Word of God?” I think most people would answer this question with, “NO.” Therefore, it behooves each of us to study the Word of God for ourselves. Start in Genesis 1:1 and read All the way through the Bible to Revelation 22:21. It’s the entrance of God’s Word that gives light and understanding, Psalms 119:130.
I’m not as old as some people I know but I can remember when there was a much more distinctive line between right and wrong. Even the meaning of words is different than they use to be. For instance, when someone was displaying a great deal of happiness, folk’s back years ago might say, “there is a really gay person.” However, a gay person in this day and time might be construed as a person that is a Sodomite or bi-sexual.
Isn’t it wonderful to know that God’s Holy Word never changes, Malachi 3:6, He says what He means and means what He says! Praise His Holy Name!
The Apostle Peter in 2nd Peter 2:10 wrote, “But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.”
One thing that is very important for Saints to remember is, “we are not to walk after the flesh” ~
As Saints of God, we are Citizens of God’s Heavenly Kingdom and as such, we are commanded to, “walk after the Spirit, the Written Word of God.”
Our desires are to be towards those things that pertain to the Holy Spirit of God. We are commanded to obey the laws of the land for conscience sake, Romans 13:1-5. We are also commanded not to pleas our selves but our neighbour, Romans 15:2.
In Isaiah 58:3 the Prophet Isaiah said, “Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.”
If a person wants to do something for the Lord, one needs to find out from the Written Word of God, the Bible, what it is God requires. In Isaiah 58:6-7, concerning Fasting, it says, "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? *Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?"
In Acts 19:13-15 we read, "Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. *And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. *And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?"
It can be very dangerous for a person to presume that they have the authority to do a thing in the Name of the Lord when the Lord has not given the OK. We do not fully understand the nature of how to deal with evil spirits therefore, it behooves us to know that we know what the Lord would have us to do in any given situation.
In Deuteronomy 1:43 we read, "So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill."
When God says that we are not to do a thing, we need to realize that God always knows what is best in every situation and that He is emphatic about what He says and trying to get Him to change His mind can cost a person their life. You might want to read the twenty second chapter of the Book of Numbers, about what happened to the Prophet Balaam after he talked the Lord into changing His mind about something He told Balaam He did not want him to do.
The Prophet Samuel in 2nd Samuel 6:6-7 wrote, “And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. *And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.”
Here is an account of a man trying to do something for God that seemed like a logical thing to do. But God said that only certain Priest were allowed to tough the Ark of God. The situation happened quick as most accidents do but regardless to the situation, God is serious about the observance of His Holy Word.
In closing, here is a good rule to follow. The Apostle James in James 4:15 said, “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”
Listen, we do not know whether or not we can or can’t do a thing so, we should make a practice of saying, “the Lord willing,” I will or will not do or say this or that. One good reason for this is, we do not know if when we breathe out a breath that we will be able to take another berth in or not. Therefore, as the Lord wills, we live, move and have our being, Acts 17:28.
Derwood A. Stewart, Minister
House of Prayer Sabbath Ministries
Comments? Email us: hope@preachersteacher.org 