Tag Archives: obedience

October 19

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Luke 10:21-24, 38-11:13, 27-12:21; Matthew 11:25-30

Something Luke wrote made me laugh out loud this morning. He tells us Jesus was invited to dinner at the home of a Pharisee. It must have been quite a home because it seems there were many people attending this dinner. Jesus began eating without washing his hands first (a huge no-no according to the Law of Moses). Seeing that the Pharisee was appalled at his actions, Jesus began to point out the hypocrisy in the Pharisees. He called them foolish, and told them their good deeds were worthless because of their hearts’ condition. Not exactly the dinner conversation I am sure the Pharisee expected when he invited his friends to dine with Jesus that day.

While Jesus was saying, “Woe to you, Pharisees” for one thing and another, a teacher of the law leaned over and whispered to him. Probably with a wink he said something like, “Um, Jesus? When you say those things about the Pharisees, you’re kinda insulting us, too.”

So Jesus turned from the Pharisees and said to the faculty sitting there, “And you experts of the law, (now here’s where I laughed because the professor is no doubt expecting an apology and absolution) WOE TO YOU!!!” And Jesus goes on to list the grievances against the intellectuals at the dinner. Jesus is NOT making friends here!

Why do you serve God? Why do I? Is it so that people will pat us on the back? Are we active in the church, do we go the extra mile thinking it will cover up a sin we are holding on to? Do we pray those flowery prayers, sit on those boards or teach those Sunday School lessons while we harbor hate toward someone?

Jesus doesn’t want us to neglect the work of the church. He wants us to tithe, to teach those classes, to sit with a grieving friend or take soup to a struggling family. But he wants us doing those things for the right reasons.

It can’t be about us. It has to be about being God’s voice, his arms and feet. It has to be about allowing God to reveal himself through us to someone who needs him. If we do it hoping someone will notice and give us an atta-boy, we are just like the Pharisees and teachers of the law Jesus talked to that day.

And Jesus says, Woe to you! 

I’d much rather hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” from the only one who really matters.

Father God, I pray that you will convict each of us when our motives begin to shift away from serving you to drawing attention to ourselves. May you find us willing to work hard quietly, unnoticeably, even anonymously so that you get all the glory. May we be your voice to encourage someone today, your arms to hold a hurting friend, your feet to go where someone needs you. And may we be obedient for Jesus sake.

October 14

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Mark 6:45-56; Matthew 14:22-36; John 6:16-24, 25-59

Do you remember the crazy man we read about a few days ago? He had been living for years in a cave, out of his mind. But when Jesus healed him the neighbors found him clothed and sane. If you remember, the man begged Jesus to take him with him. Jesus asked the man to stay and tell everyone what Jesus had done for him.

If I am right, I believe we are reading the rest of the story today.

I don’t know how long it was between visits, but when the people of Gennesaret saw Jesus get out of the boat, they recognized him. And they welcomed him. The last time Jesus was in the area they had asked him to leave.

What changed?

I believe it was the crazy man, living among them, talking to them about Jesus. Had Jesus allowed the man to leave with him instead of staying home to face the neighbors, I imagine we would be reading a different account here. 

Jesus asks us to be that kind of witness in the place he has brought us. He wants us to tell everyone what he has done for us. He wants us to be the vessel through which people can come to him.

May he find us as faithful as the man in this story.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the privilege we have of sharing you with our neighbors and friends. I pray that our lives, our testimonies, our demonstration of your love, will draw many to you. Thank you for the example of obedience we read today. May your children, may I, make the same kind of impact on our communities as we tell people what Jesus has done for each of us.

 

October 12

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John 5:16-47; Mark 6:6b-11; Matthew 9:35-10:42; Luke 9:1-5

Judas was a believer, a follower of Christ. He was one of the twelve who was given power to heal the sick, drive out demons, and raise the dead. He, along with Peter, James and John, went into cities and shared the good news of Jesus.

I wonder what that trip was like for Judas. Is this where his heart began to change from wanting to follow Christ to wanting something else?

God is asking me today what it is that I want? Matthew 5:34-39 says following Jesus is serious business. His is not an easy road to travel. It certainly is not always peaceful.

And Jesus is very demanding. On one hand the Bible tells husbands to love their wives. But in 5:37 Jesus warns that if you love her more than you love God you aren’t worthy of him. If I put anything or anyone above my love for Jesus I am not worthy of him.

What does that even mean?

Jesus demands that he be our life’s focus. That all the things we do, the jobs we have, the people we love, are to come second to our relationship with The Lord. None of these things are wrong and we are to be busy doing what God intends for us to do, loving each other, serving each other.

But somewhere along the way Judas lost his focus. And we know how that story ends.

May we keep our eyes on Jesus. May we love him more today than we did yesterday. And may we serve him with joy.

October 6

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Matthew 5:21-7:29

You know, before Jesus came to earth, following the law was pretty black and white. In a very real sense, Jesus made following the law even more difficult than before.

In Old Testament times you sinned if you plowed on the Sabbath, if you had a wooden idol in your home, if you had an affair, killed someone, or stole something. Sins were concrete, visible. 

But Jesus took it a step further. He tells us if we hate someone we’re guilty of murder. If we lust after someone we’re guilty of adultery. What we think and feel became as important as what we do.

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is about our heart’s condition. He talked about fruit trees and the fact that good trees bear good fruit and bad trees bear bad. If our hearts are right with the Lord, what we do and say will reflect that. The outward signs of a heart that belongs to God is love toward enemies, going the extra mile, honesty and trustworthiness.

Jesus tells us to be perfect as God is perfect. That’s a command, not a suggestion. 

Have you given your heart to Jesus? If you have, you have no excuse but to bear good fruit. Let him pour himself into you and out of you as you yield to him. May you bear the fruit of having him in your heart.

Gracious Father, thank you for challenging me today to check my heart’s condition. May I recognize the areas I haven’t turned over to you and may I give it all to you. I pray that the fruit I yield today in the things I do, the things I say, and the thoughts I think show the world that my heart belongs to you.

September 23

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Psalms 146, 147; Nehemiah 7:73-9:37

Are we so different from the ancient Jews? Isn’t it true that when things are going well for us, our families are well, our jobs are good, when we are healthy and able to pay the bills, we tend to drift away from God? But at the first sign of trouble we hit our knees and go to him for help. It’s not that we don’t love him. It’s that we must think we need him less in good times.

Did you read Nehemiah 9:27&28 today and feel a twinge of guilt as you recognized yourself in Israel’s experience? Remembering the disobedience of their forefathers they prayed:

So you handed them over to their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies. But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.

Time after time.

And that’s been my experience. No matter how many times I return to the Lord after drifting away or after blatantly disobeying him, he delivers me. When I confess my sin, he is faithful and just to forgive my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness… time after time.

Oh that I would learn to choose obedience every day, no matter how comfortable my life becomes. Oh that I would love him like he deserves to be loved every day, in good times and in bad.

Father, I thank you for grace. I thank you for your faithfulness, your forgiveness, your great love. Forgive me when I drift, when I disobey, when I become so comfortable I neglect my relationship with you. May I cherish my relationship with you and nourish it every day by reading your Word and praying. May you find me faithfully serving you today regardless of life’s circumstances. And once again I want to thank you for forgiving me when I ask you to… time after time.

September 22

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Psalms 121, 122, 123, 128, 130, 134, 135, 136

These psalms remind us how good God is. They are psalms of praise to the One True God, maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 136 reminds us “His love endures forever”. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. 

But his love doesn’t cancel out his holiness.

Sometimes I think we in 2013 mistake God’s love for his forgiveness, his acceptance. Psalm 130:4 says:

But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.

It doesn’t say with you there is forgiveness, therefore I can live like I want to and you are ok with it because you love me so much. Not only do these psalms speak of God’s blessings, they also remind us God is to be feared.

123:2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hands of their masters…

128:1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways.

1135:20 You who fear him, praise the Lord.

Do you fear the Lord? If you really did you might not have said what you said yesterday. You might not have gone where you did or laughed at what you laughed at. You might not think those impure thoughts or harbor hatred toward someone.

Do you fear the Lord? What does that look like in your life? God loved you so much he died for you to pay the penalty for the sins you commit. It’s because of him you can stand before him, wearing his righteousness, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. 

Are you afraid to dishonor him, to disappoint him? Do you recognize his holiness and fall on your knees before him? God loves you. God so loved the world. But don’t mistake his love for permission. Blessed are those who fear him, who obey him, who serve him.

Holy God, may we view sin as seriously as you do. May we recognize your holiness and tremble at the thought of disobeying you. Thank you for your great love that sent Jesus to Calvary. I want to live my life out of gratitude for your grace. Help me to never take your love for granted but to serve you, to fear you, to love you as you deserve to be loved.

September 18

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Nehemiah 1-4

I love the book of Nehemiah. I love it that the names of the Jews and the section of the wall they repaired are recorded. I love it that Shallum’s daughters helped him rebuild his appointed section. I love that the Jews worked hard to complete the task at the same time they were aware of the enemy and were ready to defend the city. One hand pounded nails while the other held a sword. They were workmen by day and watchmen by night.

No one person was responsible for repairing the entire wall. Everyone did his part. I can’t imagine what that wall looked like. Different people with different levels of ability worked on different sections, often right in front of their own homes. 

Did they each put their personal touch on their section? Did Shallum’s daughters decorate their portion with flowers and rainbows? Uzziel was a goldsmith. Did he put a little sparkle in his section? And did the perfume-maker Hananiah douse his stones in fragrance? Were there little handprints pressed into the mortar or initials dug into the stone?

I love reading Nehemiah because it reminds me of what the Church should look like today. Each of us doing our part, planting seed as we take soup to a sick neighbor, teach Sunday School or sing in the choir, putting our personal touches on God’s work as part of a worshiping fellowship. All of us working individually toward one common goal.

It reminds me that there is an enemy we need to be aware of and we need to be ready to go to battle at any time. It also reminds me that, when God is in our efforts, when he is on our side because we are obedient, our enemy doesn’t stand a chance against us.

I hope you are involved in a Bible believing fellowship of believers. And I hope you are putting your own personal touch in the work there. May God be pleased with our efforts as we work together to further his kingdom, the winning of lost souls. One brick, one soul at a time.

September 16

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Psalm 106; Ezra 7:1-8:14

Just when it seemed the rebuilding of Jerusalem would never happen, that Satan had won, King Artaxerxes wrote Ezra a letter and sent him and the other Jews on their way to continue the work. In fact, he sent them away with silver and gold, livestock for sacrifices, and gave them permission to gather more if they needed. Do what the God of heaven tells you, he said.

The theme of obedience is such an important one in Scripture. Our holy God demands holiness of his people. He has lovingly put to pen and paper the rules he demands we live by so there would be no mistake. He even went to the cross himself to provide forgiveness, knowing we humans are incapable of holiness on our own. 

He demands obedience. The Bible says we should fear him, we should be very afraid to disobey him because the consequences for sin are severe.

Ezra was faithful to God and God used Ezra to complete his work. God is looking for faithful followers today because there is work to be done on a spiritual Jerusalem built in souls redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

Satan has no power over God. Let’s determine to be obedient servants to the One who is all powerful. Let’s stay in his Word, praying and working to expand his kingdom by the winning of lost souls. 

Dear God of heaven, may you find us faithful today. May we obey you, may we share you with someone, may we do our part to continue your work. And may you get the glory!

September 15

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Esther 9:18-10:3; Ezra 4:6-23; Psalm 105

Those little troublemakers finally got their way. The Jews working to rebuild Jerusalem were forced to stop because a few foreigners got to the king. They had tried before with Xerxes but that king liked the Jews. So they waited for Artaxerxes and he listened to their complaints and stopped the work.

Has that been your experience with Satan? We win one victory over temptation only to be faced with another. We get through one difficult situation only to be hit with another, more difficult one. If we are God’s children there is a target on our backs and Satan is taking aim to prevent us from serving the Lord.

Take heart, dear one. Hold on. Keep trusting God no matter what circumstance you face.

The psalm we read today reminds us of how God worked through the nation of Israel. They faced hard times. They were slaves in Egypt but God brought them out with rejoicing and shouts of joy, laden with silver and gold. Why did God deliver them and settle them in Canaan? Verse 45 says:

that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws.

Obey God in good times and in bad. Face our enemy with God at your side. Our Lord can bring you out of whatever it is Satan is throwing at you with rejoicing and shouts of joy.

Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for your word to us again today. Some of us are feeling the stings of Satan’s arrows. Our lives are difficult and we hurt. So thank you for reminding us that you are here and you are able to defeat our enemy, to bring good out of our trouble. May we be obedient children regardless of our situations. Keep us strong. Keep us focused. And may others see your hand in our lives. We want to keep your work going, Lord, so that lost souls can find you.

September 13

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Esther 1-4

Why is the book of Esther included in Scripture? God isn’t even mentioned in its chapters. Yet Esther’s life paints a beautiful picture of some important spiritual truths.

For instance, Vashti refused to obey the King so her position as  queen was snatched from her and given to someone else. Could this be a picture of the nation of Israel who refused to obey God or accept Jesus only to see their position given over to the New Testament Church?

Is Hamar a picture of Satan who would try to trick us into honoring him? And in the next few chapters will we be encouraged by his defeat?

Are we to learn to depend on God, to go to him boldly after spending time fasting and praying? At the end of chapter 4 Esther is ready to do whatever it takes, even if it results in her death. Can we learn the same determination to obey God?

Esther’s story is a good one and it has even inspired several movies, including one of my favorite movies. But while we read this story of love and bravery, let’s ask God what he wants each of us to learn. There are lessons here for us in 2013.

Dear God, I thank you for including Esther’s story among those you’ve preserved as Scripture. As we read this book I pray that you would speak to each of us and teach us what you would have us learn. May we love you, trust you, stand up against Satan, and be the Queen… the people… who make a difference in our world. And may you get the glory!