TUESDAY OCTOBER 15, 2019.
SUBJECT: OUR DUTY OF OBEDIENCE!
Memory verse: "For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me, if I do not preach the gospel!” (First Corinthians 9 vs 16.)
READ: Luke 17 vs 7 vs 10:
17:7: And which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding sheep, will say to him when he is come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat?
17:9: Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.
7:10: So likewise you, when ye shall have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done that what was our duty to do.
INTIMATION:
Being obedient is submitting to authority; to comply with orders—the practice of doing what one is told; willingness to obey commands; dutifulness. Obedience to God is not something extra we do; it is our duty. Some people feel sometimes that they deserve praise or extra credit for serving God. If we have obeyed God, we have only done our duty and we should regard it as a privilege.
Not being obedient is rebellion and stubbornness to God. And these are serious sins. They involve far more than being independent and strong-minded. Scriptures equates them with divination (witchcraft) and idolatry (First Samuel 15 vs 23). Rebellion against God is perhaps the most serious sin of all because as long as a person rebels, he or she closes the door of forgiveness and restoration with God.
Obedience comes from true love of God. Jesus said that His followers show their love for Him by obeying Him. Love is more than lovely words; It is commitment and conduct. If you love God, then prove it by obeying what He says in His Word (John 14 vs 21). Our willingness to serve and obey God enables us to be useful and usable servants to work for Him. Our strength to obey comes from our relationship with God who is the source of strength. Jesus found strength to travail in all because of His relationship with God the Father; Son and Father are one (John 10 vs 30).
Our strength to do all things come from God (Philippians 4 vs 13). Jesus made it very clear in John 15 vs 5 that without Him there is no strength in us to do anything: "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." God knows our weaknesses hence we find freedom to obey from the grace (unmerited favor) bestowed on us through our faith in Christ, and not by our works (Ephesians 2 vs 8 - 9).
As a sinner, separated from God, you see his law from below, as a ladder to be claimed to get to God. This becomes more obvious when you have tried repeatedly to climb it, only to fall to the ground every time you have advanced some rungs of the ladder. Or perhaps the sheer height of the ladder seems so overwhelming that you have never even started up. In either case, you are relieved seeing Jesus offering with open arms to lift you above the ladder of the law, to take you directly to God!
God knows our human weakness, and expects us to turn to Him to seek pathways for effectiveness. Though we recognize our limitations, we will not congratulate ourselves and rest at that. Instead we must rely on God for our effectiveness other than simply on our own energy, effort, or talent. Our weakness not only helps develop Christian character; it also deepens our worship, because in admitting our weakness, we affirm God's strength because His 'strength is made perfect in weakness' (Second Corinthians 12 vs 9).
As a child of God, if you stumble, you will not fall back to the ground. Instead, you will be caught and held in Christ's loving arms. The assurance comes from Christ Himself. In John 6 vs 37, Jesus clearly states; "All that the Father gives Me will come to me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." And in verse 39, He further confirmed that as the Father’s will. Remember Jesus did not work independently of God the Father, but in union with Him. This will give us even more assurance of being welcomed into God's presence and being protected by Him, and not even your failures will stop His helping hands.
Thus anyone who makes a sincere commitment to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior is secure in God's promise of everlasting life. Christ will not let His people be overcome by Satan and lose their salvation. No matter your sin or offensive past life, faith in Christ gives you the required grace to obey, because where sin abounded, grace abounded much more (Romans 5 vs 20).
The Christian life takes discipline, hard work, self-denial, and grueling preparation. As Christians, we are running toward our heavenly reward. The essential disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and worship equip us to run with vigor and stamina. Train diligently—your spiritual progress depends upon it. The apostle Paul, in our memory verse, says that preaching the gospel was his gift and calling, and he couldn’t stop preaching even if he wanted to. Paul was driven by the desire to do what God wanted, using his gifts for God’s glory. The goals of the life of a child of God should be to glorify God and bring people to Christ.
Our duty of obedience extends to our parents, constituted authorities, and the commands given to us by those at the helm of affairs in our environment (Romans 13 vs 1; Hebrews 3 vs 17; Ephesians 6 vs 1, 6 - 8; Colossians 3 vs 20 & 22). This will make us be at peace with everyone (Romans 12 vs 18). However, conflict with the world and its authorities is sometimes inevitable for a Christian (John 15 vs 18). There will be situations where you cannot obey both God and man. Then you must obey God rather than man.
Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of obedience, and strengthen me to do all things. I am persuaded that in my weakness You will perfect Your strength in Me, in Jesus’ mighty Name I have prayed. Amen.
PRAISE THE LORD!
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