# 1 Kings 09 #soap ## Title: If-Then Statements ## Scripture: (1 Kings 9:4-5) “You must serve me with integrity and sincerity, just as your father David did. Do everything I commanded and obey my rules and regulations. Then I will allow your dynasty to rule over Israel permanently, just as I promised your father David, ‘You will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’” (NET) ## Observation: The Bible is full of conditional statements. I have learned the value of these types of statements as a parent. I will tell my girls all the time that IF they will clean their room THEN there will be blessings. IF they do not clean their room THEN there will be consequences. The goal is to give them the freedom to choose, while hoping they choose to do the right thing when presented with the aftermath. This is also to teach them the process of thinking through things instead of blindly moving through life. I can see all this playing out in the many If-Then statements by God. He gives us free will and lets us know what will happen with each choice. The hope is we choose the right thing, but He also wants us to be aware of the consequences. What a gift! ## Application: Choose to follow God today. Receive His blessings and avoid the consequences. ## Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for leading us like a Father.