"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." John 15:10
When we think of obedience to God, is it relative to all things in life? Because human beings think of obedience in terms of duty or obligation rather than faith and love, we tend to only apply godly obedience to matters of significant consequence.
As with every other important life principle, obedience is best practiced in ALL things. Godly obedience should be our state of existence rather than reserved for select circumstances and/or challenges. God is pleased when obeying Him is our "default" attitude, actually becoming a part of our nature. (2 Chronicles 31:20-22)
Willful obedience to God encourages intimacy with Him, and in close harmony with God we are best able to be used for His good purpose. (Romans 6:16) Godly obedience is a step-by-step process which must be a foundational component of who we are, and hope to be. Obedience to God is a choice, but chosen in ALL things it becomes our nature.
Onward Christian soldiers!
When we think of obedience to God, is it relative to all things in life? Because human beings think of obedience in terms of duty or obligation rather than faith and love, we tend to only apply godly obedience to matters of significant consequence.
As with every other important life principle, obedience is best practiced in ALL things. Godly obedience should be our state of existence rather than reserved for select circumstances and/or challenges. God is pleased when obeying Him is our "default" attitude, actually becoming a part of our nature. (2 Chronicles 31:20-22)
Willful obedience to God encourages intimacy with Him, and in close harmony with God we are best able to be used for His good purpose. (Romans 6:16) Godly obedience is a step-by-step process which must be a foundational component of who we are, and hope to be. Obedience to God is a choice, but chosen in ALL things it becomes our nature.
Onward Christian soldiers!
November 2
Obedience or Independence?
Our Lord never insists on our obedience. He stresses very definitely what we ought to do, but He never forces us to do it. We have to obey Him out of a oneness of spirit with Him. That is why whenever our Lord talked about discipleship, He prefaced it with an "If," meaning, "You do not need to do this unless you desire to do so." "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . ." ( Luke 9:23 ). In other words, "To be My disciple, let him give up his right to himself to Me." Our Lord is not talking about our eternal position, but about our being of value to Him in this life here and now. That is why He sounds so stern (see Luke 14:26 ). Never try to make sense from these words by separating them from the One who spoke them.
The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself. Jesus Christ will not force me to obey Him, but I must. And as soon as I obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny. My personal life may be crowded with small, petty happenings, altogether insignificant. But if I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God. Then, when I stand face to face with God, I will discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed. When God’s redemption brings a human soul to the point of obedience, it always produces. If I obey Jesus Christ, the redemption of God will flow through me to the lives of others, because behind the deed of obedience is the reality of Almighty God.
Amen!
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24
