Tag: obedience

“Give up” is a Message from the Enemy

1 Kings 19:5
Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”

Elijah was on the run from his troubles. He was so depressed that he asked God to take his life. Then he fell asleep. God sent an angel to pull him out of his despair.

It is very common for all of us to want to go into a shell when troubles seem overwhelming. We do not always have the faith that we need when things are not going our way. At times, we may feel like we should just give up. This, however, is the messaging that we are receiving from our enemy.

God knows everything about us. He designed us. He knows our daily work and he knows our daily trials. He has promised that if we have faith in Him, His grace will be sufficient for us to overcome the attacks of the enemy.

It is amazing how simple acts of love or service can lift us out of the darkness of depression or despair that we may be experiencing. The angel instructed Elijah to get up and eat. Through his simple act of obedience, Elijah was quickly on his road to recovery. He was back to a place where he once again trusted in the care that God promises all of us.

When we are feeling down, a quick look around to find others who are in need may be our way out from the darkness to the light. A simple gesture of kindness to the person in need could be all that we need to get us going again.

Let us learn to listen to the Holy Spirit in our times of need. Let us be aware of His calls for our obedience even in very small matters. Let us consider being angels of mercy to those around us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You that Your Holy Spirit is always with us to lift us up in our times of struggle. We pray that Your Holy Spirit will urge us to inquire how we can serve You when we feel so needy. Inspire us, Lord, to do the simple acts of obedience that You set before us. May we learn to comfort the world around us with the comfort that You provide us in our times of trouble. We ask that You use us as your angels of mercy in our times of overwhelming trouble. We ask all these things in the name of the Angel of Mercy, Jesus Christ.

When We are Called to Carry Our Cross, it Will Cost Others

Luke 23:26
As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

Because Jesus was obedient to His Father’s calling on His life, it cost others around Him. It cost His disciples who suddenly were without the leading and teaching of their Master. It cost His mother who suddenly lost a Son. It cost His brothers and sisters who suddenly lost a sibling. In the case of today’s passage, it was Simon of Cyrene who bore a portion of the costs of Jesus’ obedience when he was suddenly called to carry the cross of Jesus.

Whenever we choose to be obedient to God’s calling on our lives, it is likely to cost other people. It certainly will be a dramatic shock and cost to those near us who are not Christians when we proclaim that we have received Jesus Christ as Our Lord and Savior. Our choice will completely shake up their world.

Then after receiving Jesus, suppose the Lord asks us to give up something we love doing because He wants more time with us. It is likely that we shared our beloved activity with others who will suffer from our withdrawal from the activity. Or it may be that our faithful service at church creates an internal challenge to those who are shunning a calling of their own. We must guard against the inclination to move away from our calling in order to avoid costing others. We simply must obey and leave the consequences with Our Lord. He completely understands the challenge of dealing with the cries of those who would try to discourage us from our calling.

Let us learn to accept the fullness of our calling, even when it bears some cost for those near us. Let us learn to lean on the strength and the guidance of the Holy Spirit when we are faced with the befuddlement of others. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will open the eyes of our detractors, so that they, too, may drawn to the Lord that we serve.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for creating us to fulfill unique plans and purposes in Your kingdom. We pray that you keep us steadfast in our obedience to Your calling on our lives. We ask, Lord, that You provide the strength we need to overcome the pressure that may come from others as they bear the costs of our obedience. Show us, Father, how to love and forgive those that persecute us for serving You. We pray these things in the name of the One who gave His life in obedience to the Father so that we may have eternal life, Jesus Christ.

Simple Steps of Faith Lead to a Harvest

Hebrews 11: 8
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

What an amazing example of living in faith is provided by the story of Abraham. It was a great step of faith for Abraham to leave his family and his homeland in response to God’s calling on his life. He did not even know where God was leading him. Yet he faithfully followed the path that the Lord laid out for him. And for his simple act of faith, he became the father of all nations.

Abraham was called out of his own country. He was called away from his family. He was called away from his father’s house. He was called from the only culture that he knew. It is not likely that God will ask us to follow a similar plan as Abraham. He is not likely to call us away from relatives, friends and acquaintances. He is not likely to call us away from the neighbors and neighborhoods where we find our comfort. In fact, it is quite likely that these are the places that He will call us to serve. But just like Abraham, we can be assured that we will be challenged in some major way by our calling.

In challenging each of us, God will ask us to take simple steps of faith. As we respond obediently, He will put before us the next step which usually will require a little more faith in Him and a little more of letting go of faith in ourselves. We may not become a father of a nation by yielding to our calling, but we will surely gain more than we ever imagined.

Let us step out in faith when we sense the urging of the Holy Spirit. Let us follow God’s calling even when we are not sure where we are going. Let us reap the harvest of our journey.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for having a unique plan for each of us. We rejoice in knowing that the reward that You have prepared for us if we respond to Your calling is beyond our imagination. We pray, Father, that you will give us the strength and guidance to follow the path that you have laid out for each of us. Even though we may not know our destination, Lord, may your Holy Spirit keep us steadfast in our journey to stand before you in the image of Your Son. We pray these things in the precious name of the author of our faith, Jesus Christ.

Serving God in Accordance with His Plans

1 Peter 4:11
If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

God’s glory should be the reason for all that we do. Jesus is our model. In every doctrine that Jesus taught, in every miracle that He performed, in every suffering that He endured and certainly in His death, Jesus Christ lived unto the glory of His Father in heaven. He came to earth to do the work that the Father gave Him to do and He did it faithfully so that the Father would be glorified.

So too, we have all been called to serve Our Father in heaven here on earth. Everything that we do is ordained by God. Every portion of our lives, even our eating, drinking, walking and talking are all for His glory. But beyond our daily utilities, God has created each of us to serve Him in accordance to the plan that He has for our lives.

Most of us were not called to be theologians or full time ministers. Most of us were called to be secular laborers or laborers in our homes. For some of us, aside from our daily labor, the Lord has placed a calling on our lives for some type of spiritual service such as teaching a Bible study, singing in the choir, visiting prisons or assisted living facilities, etc. For most of the rest of us, our service beyond our daily labors may be quite simple service at the church we attend – child care, parking attendant, usher, etc. Again, all of these things are ordained by God for His glory and all are held in high esteem by Him.

Let us strive to find ways to join Jesus in doing the work of the Father. Let us find pleasure in all works, no matter how big or small they may be. Let all our works be done for the glory of Our Heavenly Father.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You that You allow the least of us in the least of ways to bring glory to Your name. We rejoice in knowing that You have created us for this purpose. We bless the name of Jesus who accepted His calling as Our Savior and fulfilled it completely to the end of His days on earth. We pray, Lord, that the Holy Spirit will guide us and inspire us in finding all the ways that You have planned for us to serve You. May our every act be consecrated by our holy motives to glorify You. We ask all these things in the name of Our Glorious Lord, Jesus Christ.

Let Us Learn Service from the Son of God

Luke 16:10
One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

While it is generally understood that this passage is about the poor money management of the underperforming steward, it also places focus on every resource that we have been given. The message can be taken down to the very basic level of how obedient we are in carrying out even the smallest of tasks that the Lord has put on our hearts to do.

As a parent or employer, the assessment of how our children or employees carry out their tasks is the basis for our decisions concerning assigning them greater responsibilities in the future. As a good parent or good employer, we want the best for those under our care. We want to see them succeed. Because we view their position from a higher level, we know that we should only give them greater responsibility when they have shown that they are ready to handle it.

It is in this same way that Almighty God gives us more of anything, whether it be material things or greater responsibility. Everything that we have belongs to God. We only have the use of it. He will only bless us to the extent that we have proven through our obedience that we are ready to handle more than He has already provided.

Let us learn service from the Son of God. Let us go to the Father before acting on anything. Let us carry out His will for our lives through the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. Let us gain much by being good stewards of what we have been given and by being obedient in the smallest of things.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your loving patience with us as we struggle to properly manage all that You have given us. We ask forgiveness for the times that we have squandered the gifts that we have been provided. We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us in being good stewards of our blessings. We rejoice in knowing that with every act of obedience that You are ready to graciously release more to us. We pray, Father, that we will come to a place where we are obedient in every small thing that You place before us. May our eyes be opened that we may see Your ways, and not our own, in all that surrounds us. We ask all these things in the name of the source of all provision, Jesus Christ.

Our Infallible Resource

Deuteronomy 30:16
If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

Who does not wish to live and be blessed in the land where they dwell? Almighty God placed these desires in all of our hearts and provided simple instructions for us to attain them – obey My commandments.

All simple and easy enough, right? Well, our all knowing, sovereign God added an interesting wrinkle for us to deal with. He gave us free choice. He allows us to find the unique purpose and plan that He has for our lives through the choices that we make. Unfortunately, more times than we would like to admit to we make the wrong choices. In the flesh, we are ill equipped to make the right choices all the time.

Knowing the inherent weakness in our flesh, our all loving and merciful God included an infallible resource to help us overcome our frailties. He provided through our acceptance of His Son, Jesus, as Our Savior, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit provides us with supernatural assistance in making our choices. The Holy Spirit provides us with gentle urgings toward the path of obedience and clear stop signs when we are veering off the path.

As we learn to listen and respond to the Holy Spirit, our life choices come more into alignment with God’s commandments. The good and right way become more clearly defined in our minds and hearts. Ultimately, our choices will be the same as God’s choices for us. Ultimately through our obedience, we will experience the blessed life that God has set aside for us.

Let us rejoice in knowing that God has provided a Comforter to come along side of us to aid us in making our life choices. Let us heed the urgings of the Holy Spirit as we position ourselves through obedience to receive all the blessings that Our Heavenly Father promises us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the blessings that You promise us if we are obedient to You. We confess our sins that separate us from You and repent of them so that the blessings that have been set aside for us can be released. We rejoice in knowing that You have provided victory for us over our sins through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus. We bless His name. We thank You for providing supernatural assistance for us as we make our life choices. We pray that You will open our ears to hear the urgings of the Holy Spirit. We ask for the grace to respond in obedience. We ask all these things in the name of the Lamb without blemish, Jesus Christ.

When the Cost Seems So High

Matthew 26:42
Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”

Jesus Christ, the only perfect man to ever walk the this earth, fell on His face, cried out to His Father in heaven and asked to be freed of His upcoming duty. In the same overwhelming moment, Jesus fully surrendered everything to the will of His Father. In this same moment, we saw the two wills of Christ, the human and the Divine. Jesus could not turn from the supernatural plan that His Father had for Him, even though He knew how much it was going to cost Him in the flesh. Jesus knew He was submitting to God’s perfect plan for the salvation of all men.

It is certain that we will find times in our lives when we are nearly overwhelmed by the thought of what is ahead. Our flesh will be ready to give in to defeat. It is precisely at these times that we must fall on our faces before Our Heavenly Father and surrender to His will for our lives. At these times, there is no resource to us greater than our prayer for strength. It is in these times that we receive the supernatural blessing that we need to obey God’s calling on our lives.

Our Father in heaven has given us life. He sustains our lives everyday. God, Himself, made the ultimate sacrifice by sending His Son to die for our sins, so that He could grant us eternal life with Him. Our full surrender to the Father is the only appropriate response that we can offer to His calling on our lives.

Let us go to the Father in prayer for the strength that we need to surrender to His plan for our lives, especially when the cost to go on seems so high. Let us rejoice in knowing that we will receive all that we need to overcome anything that is blocking our way to our destinies in Christ.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us life in flesh, sustaining our every breath and granting us eternal supernatural life through the atoning sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus. We rejoice in knowing that the obedience of the Son to Your will paid the complete price for our salvation. We pray that we will find all the strength that we need to completely surrender to Your will. May we bear the fruit of Your will as we walk in obedience every day of our lives. We ask all these things in the name of the One without sin, Jesus Christ.

Obedience is the Foundation of Being Used by God

Esther 4:14
For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish.

God had a unique will and plan for Esther’s life. He wanted her to be the instrument that He used to deliver His people. He wanted her to know that He would bring favor for His people through her efforts. But God would not make the choice for Esther, she had to make her own choice to follow His instruction. If she did not follow His will, God made it known that He would find someone else who would be the instrument of delivering His people.

God was very clear in conveying the options to Esther. What He did not say to her was, “Thanks, I could not do this without you.” God can accomplish His plans without any help from us. If we are not obedient in doing the things that He asks us to do, the loss is not His. He will find a replacement to do His good work because He loves to use His children to accomplish His work. It brings Him great pleasure and glory.

But if we are not obedient to the things that He asks us to do, it is our loss. The work that we do for the Lord is more about our sanctification process than the results of our work. Who we are in Christ is defined by our obedience to His calling.

Let us ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us how we can fulfill God’s will and plan for our lives. Let us seek to join the Lord in His good work.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the privilege of serving You on this earth. We rejoice in knowing that we bring You great pleasure and glory when we do Your good work. We pray, Father, that You will open our eyes so that we may see the ways in which You are calling us to serve You. We pray, Lord, that You will prepare our hearts to surrender to Your will for our lives. May all that we do be for Your pleasure and Your glory. We ask all these things in the name of the Great King Over All the Earth, Jesus Christ.

The Mindset of a Child

Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.

Jesus was well aware that the mindset of the individuals around Him was a critical determinant in their ability and desire to accept His teaching. Jesus knew that many of the people that He was trying to reach set up blockades to learning because they granted authority only to their logic, tradition, culture and emotional feelings. They would not accept the truth and authority of the King of Kings. Thus they closed the door on the truth in His teaching. Ultimately, He closed the door on them.

As parents, teachers or caretakers, we understand the joy and the pleasure of an obedient and respectful child. The obedient child’s constant compliance to our instruction melts our hearts. Their demeanor invites instruction. It is easy and very natural for us to give compliant and respectful children greater responsibility because we are confident that they will handle the responsibility appropriately.

So it is when we become new born babes in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Almighty God rejoices when we are obedient and we demonstrate our faithful compliance to His laws, His commands, His Holy Word and His callings on our lives. When we come to Him humbly and in awe of who He is, He rewards us with more knowledge, more wisdom and more responsibility in His kingdom.

Let us seek to sit at the feet of Our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, with the same eagerness as children sitting around a story teller. Let us be childlike as we delightfully soak in all that we hear. Let us be even more childlike as we learn to accept all the teachings of Jesus Christ in complete faith.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for receiving us as innocent babes in Christ. We bless the name of Jesus who made it possible that we could stand before You in righteousness. We bless the name of the Holy Spirit who inspires us to come to You as expectant as young children who go to their fathers eager to learn about the world and anxious for their dreams to be fulfilled. We pray for the grace to please You in all that we do. We ask that You release to us the knowledge that we do not have and the wisdom we seek. May it all be for Your glory and the gain of Your kingdom. We ask all these things in the name of the Author of Our Faith, Jesus Christ.

So That We May Glorify the Father

John 17:4
I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

Jesus Himself declared that His principal work was to be obedient to the will of His Father in heaven. He did not seek His own glory. He sought only His Father’s glory. In the process, He did away with Satan, sin and death and He provided for the redemption and the salvation of all men.

Just as Jesus was faithful in completing His work on earth to glorify His Father, He will also be faithful in completing His work in us so that we may glorify Our Father. We will not experience the complete fullness of His work in us until we meet Our Savior in His eternal kingdom. But as we surrender to the will of the Father, we can expect to accomplish more here on earth than we can imagine that we are capable of. And we can be certain that our work will bring glory to Our Father in heaven.

Be mindful that Satan and our own flesh will come against us as we seek to glorify the Father on earth. But fear not for the Spirit of the Lord will insure that we overcome the work of the enemy. We do not need to be concerned about our circumstances, Our Savior will be sufficient. And it will all be for the glory of The Father.

Let us surrender everything to Our Father in heaven. Let our obedience to His call on our lives glorify His name. May those around us glorify the Father when they see our faithfulness.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the grace that You have given us through Your Son to overcome the world. We bless the name of Jesus for His faithfulness in completing the good work that You gave Him to do. We pray that the Holy Spirit will lead us and strengthen us so that we may fully surrender to Your will just as Your Son surrendered His all to You. May it all be for Your glory, for the glory of Your Son and the glory of the Holy Spirit. We ask all these things in the name of the obedient Son of the Most High God, Jesus Christ.