2 Kings 5:11. It is in our human nature to come up with good excuses not to obey God. One of the most subtle excuses we can give when God calls us is to say that “this is not God's way”. The Bible has many examples where people resisted God's calling because they had preconceived ideas about God. Naaman, a mighty General in the Syrian Army, almost missed God's blessing because of his preconceived ideas about God. In this example, Naaman desired to be cured of leprosy and Elisha, a man of God, gave Naaman instruction via way of a messenger on how to be cured of leprosy.

2 Peter 1:10. Faith is easy thing to say we have, but faith is not fulfilled until we exercise it. This is done only through Christian diligence. It is faith and our day-to-day diligence that assures our calling and election (II Peter 1:10, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”). God desires for us to diligently live Christian lives who chooses goodness, love, and truth over evil and disobedience. It is acting on our faith that pleases God, not just talking about it.

Acts 24:25. Many of us have good excuses for not fulfilling God's purpose in our lives. For us that our ambitious or prosperous the best excuse is that doing God's purpose in our lives is not convenient. This is what happened when Felix, the Roman Governor, met with the Apostle Paul and received God's Word. Felix listened to Paul's words concerning righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come, but Felix did not act on God's Word.

1 King 3:26. A mother's love can never be separated from her children. When King Solomon had to decide which mother was the mother of a child, he used his wisdom of a mother's selfless love to decide who was the mother of the child. When both mothers claimed the child, Solomon decreed that the child be cut into two and divided between the two women. He knew that the true mother would never agree to her child being harmed.

2 Timothy 1:9. It is easy to be deceived that our good works will take care of all things to include our eternal salvation. This is faulty thinking because God is our Creator and ultimately we are governed by His purpose and saved by His grace and not by our works. It is our faith and love in our Lord Jesus Christ that assures us of continuing grace and eternal salvation.

Daniel 5:21. God will ultimately destroy people that continue to display selfish behavior. God does not desire to destroy us because He is a loving God, but just as a loving parent He will punish us. A good example of this is what happened with King Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel. The king had become proud, and God brought him down to correct him. God made "his heart... like the beast. For seven years King Nebuchadnezzar lived in a pig sty and ate grass with the oxen.

Mark 12:30. In Mark 12:30-31, Jesus tells us how to be obedient to God. He tells us that we must "...love thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength..." He also tells us that it is just as important to "...love thy neighbour as thyself." This is the path to righteousness and being in right standing with God.