The Living God -Major Frank Materu
Key Scripture
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” — Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV)
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INTRODUCTION
The Living God possesses everything we need for life, guidance, deliverance, and the fulfillment of His divine purposes. When we seek Him sincerely and desire His presence, He reveals His way to us. He is not a God who abandons those who genuinely seek Him and walk in obedience to His commandments. His wisdom is sufficient, His counsel is trustworthy, and His power is able to make a way where there seems to be no way.
Yet, in this generation, many people who claim to belong to God rarely seek His face. Instead, they turn to worldly systems, ungodly counsel, and corrupt practices, looking for refuge in places that cannot provide the true security they need. They seek their answers in the spiritual equivalents of Egypt and Sodom rather than turning to the Living God. Consequently, they accumulate troubles that could have been avoided if they had sought the Lord, listened to His counsel, and obeyed His instructions.
God desires His people to inquire of Him, trust His wisdom, and follow His direction. The tragedy is that many refuse to seek Him because they have already decided that they will not obey what He says. Nevertheless, the way of the Lord remains available to those who genuinely desire to know Him. The question is whether we are willing to seek His face, receive His counsel, and walk in His ways.
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GOD HAS EVERYTHING WE NEED
The Living God is the source of true wisdom, provision, direction, and deliverance. From the beginning, when He created humanity, He provided what was necessary for human life according to His purpose. He did not create mankind to live independently of Him, following every desire of the human heart. He created us to live in fellowship with Him, trusting His wisdom and submitting to His authority.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” — Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
When we seek God above all else, we acknowledge that He is our source and that His wisdom is greater than our understanding. We stop treating Him as a last resort and begin to recognize Him as the One who must direct our decisions. God desires His people to know Him as their Provider, their Light, their Deliverer, and the One who makes a way before them.
However, many people seek solutions everywhere except in the presence of God. They run from one source of advice to another, following the opinions and practices of people who neither know nor honor His ways. In doing so, they neglect the One who sees the beginning and the end. If they would sincerely seek His face and inquire of Him, they would discover the wisdom and direction they have been seeking elsewhere.
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SEEKING REFUGE IN EGYPT AND SODOM
Throughout Scripture, Egypt and Sodom represent places and systems associated with particular forms of danger, bondage, corruption, and opposition to God's purposes. Spiritually, turning to Egypt and Sodom can represent seeking security, wisdom, or satisfaction through worldly and ungodly means rather than trusting the Lord.
“Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!” — Isaiah 31:1 (KJV)
When God's people abandon His counsel and place their confidence in ungodly alternatives, they expose themselves to unnecessary trouble. They may believe that they are securing their future, protecting their interests, or finding a shortcut to success. Yet, any path that requires them to disregard God's truth will eventually lead them away from His purposes.
The Lord never instructed His people to depend upon what contradicts His will. He calls them to seek Him, ask for His direction, and trust Him enough to obey. The problem is not that God lacks answers; the problem is that people often prefer answers that agree with their own desires.
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GOD REVEALS HIS WAY TO THOSE WHO SEEK HIM
God does not hide His wisdom from those who sincerely desire to know Him and walk in His ways. He invites His people to seek Him, call upon Him, and receive His instruction. However, seeking God is not merely a religious activity or the act of speaking words in prayer. It involves a heart that is willing to hear, believe, and obey whatever He reveals through His Word and by His guidance.
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” — Jeremiah 29:13 (KJV)
Many who claim to be God's people do not want to obey His commandments. Their unwillingness to obey reveals that they are not truly interested in submitting to His counsel. They may want His blessings, protection, and provision, but they resist His authority over their decisions and desires.
How can someone sincerely ask God for direction while already intending to reject the answer? To seek the Lord genuinely, we must be willing to surrender our own plans when they contradict His will. The purpose of asking God is not to persuade Him to approve our decisions, but to discover His will and align our lives with it.
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THE SHAME OF REJECTING GOD'S COUNSEL
It is a serious contradiction when those who profess to belong to God become more willing to follow ungodly practices than to obey His commandments. They may accept what is corrupt, embrace what is contrary to His truth, and follow the world's ways while claiming to represent Him.
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” — Luke 6:46 (KJV)
The Lord is not pleased by religious claims that are unsupported by obedience. Calling Him Lord while persistently rejecting His authority is a contradiction that must be confronted. God desires a people who honor Him not only with their words but also through their decisions, conduct, and willingness to follow His instructions.
When people refuse God's counsel, they must not be surprised when their choices bring confusion, bondage, and hardship. Although not every difficulty is the result of personal disobedience, many troubles arise because people knowingly reject wisdom and pursue paths that oppose God's will.
The solution is not to continue defending our own way. It is to humble ourselves before God, acknowledge where we have gone astray, and return to His counsel. When we seek Him sincerely, He can expose our errors, correct our direction, and lead us into the path of obedience.
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THE DANGER OF FOLLOWING OUR OWN WAY
Where have you encountered repeated difficulties? Where do you continually find yourself trapped in the same troubles? It is important to examine your life before God. Are you seeking His counsel, or are you making decisions according to your own desires? Have you heard His instruction but refused to obey it?
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” — Proverbs 14:12 (KJV)
Human beings are influenced by the choices they make. When people deliberately choose against God, they place themselves on a dangerous path. What appears attractive at first may eventually become a source of sorrow, bondage, and destruction.
Some people become captives of worldly systems, ungodly desires, and sinful habits because they have rejected God's instructions. The longer they remain in these conditions without turning back to Him, the more familiar their bondage may become. They may even begin to love what enslaves them because they have grown accustomed to life outside the will of God.
Yet, bondage is not the purpose for which God created humanity. He calls people to freedom through obedience to His truth. The way out begins with acknowledging the Lord, seeking His counsel, and turning away from the choices that have led them into captivity.
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THE LESSON OF HUMANITY'S FALL
When God created mankind, He did so with a good purpose. Humanity was not created to live in rebellion against its Creator. Yet, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command and ate the forbidden fruit, they brought sin and its consequences into human experience.
“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it.” — Genesis 2:16–17 (KJV)
The fall of humanity illustrates the danger of choosing personal desire over God's instruction. The temptation was not simply about eating fruit; it was about disobedience and the decision to act independently of God's command.
This pattern continues whenever people know what God requires but deliberately choose another way. They may convince themselves that their decisions are harmless or beneficial, but rejecting God's authority carries consequences. The human heart must therefore be guarded against pride, unbelief, and the desire to determine right and wrong independently of the Lord.
God's purpose remains good, but His people must be willing to trust Him. We cannot walk in rebellion and expect to enjoy the full benefits of a life surrendered to His will.
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THE WARNING FROM ISRAEL'S JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS
When God delivered the Israelites from Egypt, He did not bring them out of bondage so that they would perish in the wilderness. He was leading them toward the land He had promised to their ancestors. They had suffered under oppression and could not deliver themselves, but God heard their cries and acted in mercy.
“And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them.” — Exodus 3:7–8 (KJV)
God's deliverance was an expression of His faithfulness and compassion. Nevertheless, many Israelites responded with unbelief, fear, and resistance. They repeatedly questioned God's intentions, complained against His provision, and refused to trust His promises. Their unbelief prevented an entire generation from entering the promised land.
“So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” — Hebrews 3:19 (KJV)
The lesson is clear: experiencing God's deliverance does not remove the need to continue trusting and obeying Him. A person may begin the journey with joy, having experienced His mercy, yet later turn away through unbelief and disobedience.
The same warning applies to those who receive salvation today. When God rescues a man or woman and brings them into His kingdom, He does not intend for them to begin entertaining thoughts and desires contrary to His will. He calls them to continue in faith, humility, and obedience.
GOD HAS PREPARED A PROMISE, BUT HIS PEOPLE MUST TRUST HIM
The land of Canaan was prepared as the destination of Israel's journey. God had made His promise, and He called His people to believe Him and move forward according to His instructions. However, fear and unbelief caused many to look at the obstacles instead of trusting the One who had brought them out of Egypt.
“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” — Hebrews 4:1 (KJV)
God's promises should not be treated carelessly. His people must learn to trust His character even when the path ahead appears difficult. They must not allow fear, personal ambition, or the opinions of others to lead them away from His direction.
In the same way, believers today must not assume that every alternative path will lead to God's intended destination. When those who profess to belong to Him abandon His counsel and pursue their own desires, they risk bringing harm upon themselves. The answer is to return to the Lord, seek His face, and walk according to His Word.
We must remember that God is not the author of evil. His counsel is given to guide His people toward what is good and consistent with His righteous purposes. Therefore, we should not entertain evil suspicions about Him when He calls us to trust, wait, repent, or obey.
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ASK GOD, LISTEN, AND OBEY
God has much to reveal to those who genuinely seek Him, yet many miss His direction because they do not come before Him with a willing heart. Others pray and ask for guidance but ignore the instruction they receive through His Word. The issue is not simply whether we ask God questions; it is whether we are prepared to accept His answers and act upon them.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” — Proverbs 3:5–6 (KJV)
If you are facing a difficult decision, seek the Lord. If your life has become entangled in repeated troubles, examine your ways before Him. If you have heard His instruction but failed to obey, repent and return to the path He has shown you. Do not allow pride to keep you from acknowledging your need for His wisdom.
The way of the Lord remains available to those who seek Him sincerely. He calls His people to depend upon Him rather than placing their ultimate confidence in worldly wisdom or their own understanding. Ask Him for direction, study His Word, receive godly counsel, and obey what He has made clear.
Above all, do not seek God merely to obtain what you want. Seek Him because He is God, because He is worthy of your trust, and because His will is better than the path you would choose independently of Him.
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SUMMARY
The Living God possesses the wisdom, power, and provision His people need. Yet many neglect Him and turn to ungodly alternatives because they are unwilling to submit to His authority. Their choices can lead to avoidable trouble, spiritual bondage, and destructive consequences.
The experiences of Adam and Eve and the Israelites in the wilderness warn us about the dangers of disobedience and unbelief. God created humanity for His good purpose and delivered Israel with the intention of bringing them into the promised land. Nevertheless, choosing against His instructions brought serious consequences.
Today, the Lord calls His people to seek His face, ask for His counsel, trust His promises, and obey His Word. Asking God must be accompanied by a willingness to surrender our own desires and follow His direction.
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CONCLUSION
Why should you entertain evil thoughts about God when He is the God of goodness, wisdom, and truth? Why should you seek refuge in paths that contradict His Word when He invites you to come to Him? Why should you continue following your own way when the Lord is willing to direct your steps?
Return to the Living God. Seek His face with your whole heart. Ask Him for wisdom, listen to His instruction, and obey His commands. Do not allow unbelief, pride, or worldly desires to lead you away from His purpose for your life.
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CALL TO ACTION
Examine your heart today. Identify the areas in which you have relied upon your own understanding instead of seeking God's counsel. Confess your disobedience where necessary, turn away from ungodly paths, and renew your commitment to follow the Lord. Make prayer, the study of His Word, and obedience essential parts of your daily walk with Him.
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ENCOURAGEMENT
The Lord has not ceased to call people to Himself. His wisdom remains available, His Word continues to guide, and His mercy invites those who have strayed to return to Him. Do not allow past mistakes or present difficulties to convince you that you must continue walking in your own way. Turn to God, trust Him, and follow His direction. He is worthy of your confidence.
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PRAYER OF SALVATION
Heavenly Father, I come before You in the name of Jesus Christ. I acknowledge that I have sinned and have often followed my own understanding instead of seeking Your will. Please forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins and rose again. I receive Him as my Lord and Savior. Give me a new heart that desires to know You, seek Your counsel, and obey Your Word. Deliver me from unbelief, pride, and every path that leads me away from Your truth. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and teach me to walk faithfully before You all the days of my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
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