Obedience In Every Way Possible

Obedience is a very broad topic which discusses how we walk daily, whether we will live our lives independent, or dependent with God.

As christians, we ought to obey at all times. Not just in the law God provides but also in the law that our world provides. Some say that what matters most is the law of God and not of the world. The truth is, obedience is about having a good life discipline, if we can't obey simple laws that our world govern, its possible that we will have much harder time to obey God.

In fact, we need to abide in every laws in our world because it will dictate our life's testimony in front of other people, right? How can we say we love God if other people don't even feel blessed about what we do.

Obedience in every way possible is simple about abiding in those simple rules we need to obey in our daily lives. Like no litering, no jay walking etc.


Always Remember:
Most of the time, we fail to do the very simple rules. But don't forget that most of us to sin on those simple rules.

We ought not just to obey but to teach every people to obey the law. According to Matthew 5:19,Mat 5:19 "Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

You have that decision to choose whether what live to pursue. Make sure that we do not forget the fact that all of us are called by God to obey.

Busy without God?

As [the two followers of Jesus] talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them; they saw him, but somehow did not recognize him.
-Luke 24:15-16 (TEV)

THE two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus were so busy in their thoughts and in their discussion that they did not recognize Jesus when he began to walk with them. How this story reminds me of my walk with Jesus!

As a Christian leader and trainer, I often find myself extremely busy in ministry, training ministers in spiritual formation and Christian leadership. Recently, though, I have realized that in doing so much work "in the name of God," I have neglected a basic element in my own life of faith: intimacy with God and growth in my personal spiritual formation.

When we become busy in our "doing" for God and forget to spend time in God's presence with scripture and prayer, we will find ourselves becoming tired and frustrated with our work. In our ministry for Christ, we miss Christ's ministry to us.

I have learned that I need to have intimate times with God constantly, even as I go about doing things for God. My Christian service has changed for the better as I have prayed, "Lord, help me and lead me as I daily serve you."


Prayer
Faithful God, help us to be constantly aware of your presence. We seek your love and your wisdom as we spend our days serving you and those you call us to love. In Jesus' name. Amen.



From: UpperRoom Devotionals - Sammy N. Gumbe

Work Can Be Worship

“Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord.”
Colossians 3:17

Have you seen the painting The Angelus by Jean-Francois Millet? It portrays two peasants praying in their field. A church steeple sits on the horizon, and a light falls down from heaven. The rays do not fall on the church, however. They don’t fall on the bowed heads of the man and woman. The rays of sun fall on the wheelbarrow and the pitchfork at the couple’s feet.

God’s eyes fall on the work of our hands. Our Wednesdays matter to him as much as our Sundays. He blurs the secular and sacred. One stay-at-home mom keeps this sign over her kitchen sink: “Divine tasks performed here, daily.” An executive hung this plaque in her office: “My desk is my altar.” Both are correct. With God, our work matters as much as our worship. Indeed, work can be worship.



From: Max Lucado

God’s Blessing of Brokenness

READ | Exodus 2:11-15

The Lord had a great calling in mind for Moses—to free more than 2,000,000 Hebrew slaves from Egyptian bondage. And the future liberator appeared more qualified for the task than anyone else. As Pharaoh’s adopted grandson, he had all the benefits of royal privilege, power, and education.

But God knew this wasn’t enough. Moses still had a strong spirit of independence that would get in the way of carrying out the assignment through divine power. The Lord had to break this tendency before He could work through His chosen servant.

The opportunity arose when Moses killed an Egyptian for beating a slave (Ex. 2:11-12). Realizing the crime had been witnessed, he fled to the desert to escape Pharaoh’s wrath. It was there that he came to the end of himself.

Like Moses, we’re all born with a tendency toward selfishness and stubbornness and want things done our way. Therefore, God must bring every area of our lives into submission.

Few will be given a task on the scale of Moses’, but the Father has a calling for each believer. Whether His plan is that we raise a godly family, reach out to a neighbor, or run a business with integrity and consideration, He wants us to do so in His power. To prepare us for this work, He sometimes uses brokenness. This wouldn’t be our chosen method, but God knows that hardship is sometimes necessary to strip us of our selfish ways.

Do you want to achieve what the Lord has planned for you to do? In humility, ask Him to break any aspect of your life that would prevent it from happening.



From: InTouch - Early Light Devotionals

GARRISONED BY GOD

"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." Psalm 34:7

We often think in military terms when we use the word "garrison." It refers to a group of solders guarding an encampment or military post. Spiritually, it relates to the protection God gives to each believer...to the mighty power of God that "encamps around those who fear him" (Psalm 91).

We cannot imagine the care, concern, and compassion which God has for His own. Psalm 91 beautifully describes God's faithful protection for His own. I read this psalm many times when engaged in the horrors of war during WW II. The consciousness of His presence was so real, even when the battle raged and the enemy was directly in front of us.

Did you notice to whom this promise is made? It is to them that "fear Him." This is not to everyone. It is a direct blessing to all who walk in holy reverence of our Almighty God...whose hearts are "fixed" on Him...who trust Him in all of their encounters. What a comfort and encouragement to every believer whose "refuge is God"...who finds the anchor to their hope in Him.

There is no enemy who can overpower or defeat the believer whose life is resting in His almighty hand. Nothing comes into the believer's life except by the permissive will of God. We suffer the consequence of actions prompted by foolish and self-willed decisions. But when we seek to follow as God so clearly instructs us in Proverbs 3:5-6, we will be triumphant through HIM. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

When we meet the conditions given in these verses, God WILL make our paths straight. Look at Psalm 91:1..."He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." To abide in obedience in the "shelter of the Most High," we will be "garrisoned by God" in all our ways. How great are the blessings of God upon those who will dare to trust in Him. Look how the closing verses read..."I will rescue him...I will protect him...I will answer him...I will be with him in trouble...I will deliver him and honor him...with long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

We rejoice in these promises, BUT how often do we APPROPRIATE them, make them our own by "experiential faith" and make them a reality in our life by putting into practice the faith we claim. That's where we fall so far short of all God wants to do for us. Live the blessing by daring to trust Him implicitly!"

"The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." David found this blessed refuge in God many times. This can be our experience each day, in whatever encounters we face.

God has promised to "garrison" us with His might and power, that we with Paul can say "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:37).

Garrisoned, protected, abundantly blessed!...all ours in Christ!



From: Literature International Ministry - Ed Powell

PLANTER

They will be called oaks of righteousness,a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

Isaiah 61:3


FROM THE FATHER'S HEART
My child, do you sometimes feel like a tiny acorn surrounded by huge oak trees? I hear your sighs. I know how badly you want to grow, yet there are times you may see no progress at all. Trust Me. I am the planter. It takes years to grow a sturdy oak. Don’t be impatient. Just because you can’t see the branches doesn’t mean My power is not at work in you. Your labor is not in vain. In time, you, too, will become an oak that offers shade and blessing to many.

A GRATEFUL RESPONSE
At times I’ve wished to be a strong, sturdy oak, or maybe a pine whose green branches grace the forest all year. Yet sometimes I feel like I’ll always be a twig. You decide what I’ll be, according to Your divine plan. I’ll bloom, Lord, wherever I’m planted.


SIMPLE TRUTH
He is the planter; we are the seed.



From: CrossWalk Devotionals