For those of you with a dog, have you ever looked at them and said, "How many times have I told you not to__________. You'd think you'd know by now!"
I sometimes think that's almost exactly what God says to us when we repeatedly ignore His commands. How many times does He have to tell us that certain actions, certain behaviors, certain attitudes will bring us no good...that they really do not work in our best interest or long-term well being. Just as with our pets, obedience shows an understanding of the person giving the commands and an overwhelming trust in that person. The more we understand God, by studying His Word and the history of His relationships with the people of this world, and the more we come to place our complete trust in Him, the less we will hesitate in living our lives in obedience to Him.
Robert J. Morgan includes Romans 12:1 at this point, but we included that verse as our last step in our journey down the Romans Road, "Therefore, dear brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship." So as our second verse in our set of ten verses dedicated to reminding us of the importance of obedience, I'm selecting Lamentations 3:40. It has much of the same intent as 2 Chronicles 7:14, but with a little different emphasis.
Again, from Georgia to Maine, where are we tonight? Well tonight we should just about be to the border between Virginia and West Virginia...just about right here -->
And I just have to include this picture as I'm about to put my head to my pillow in my comfortable bed...can you imagine being in this spot tonight? In some ways, I would love it...but then again, I'm sure appreciative of not having to sleep on the hard ground with a rock for my pillow! But viewing the stars in the sky as you watch the night sky grow deeply dark, that is a special night of viewing God's wonder!
So, let's do our review, then we'll add our verse from Lamentations. We will drop off our three verses of The Gift of Prayer to start allowing for our new verses.
I sometimes think that's almost exactly what God says to us when we repeatedly ignore His commands. How many times does He have to tell us that certain actions, certain behaviors, certain attitudes will bring us no good...that they really do not work in our best interest or long-term well being. Just as with our pets, obedience shows an understanding of the person giving the commands and an overwhelming trust in that person. The more we understand God, by studying His Word and the history of His relationships with the people of this world, and the more we come to place our complete trust in Him, the less we will hesitate in living our lives in obedience to Him.
Robert J. Morgan includes Romans 12:1 at this point, but we included that verse as our last step in our journey down the Romans Road, "Therefore, dear brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship." So as our second verse in our set of ten verses dedicated to reminding us of the importance of obedience, I'm selecting Lamentations 3:40. It has much of the same intent as 2 Chronicles 7:14, but with a little different emphasis.
Again, from Georgia to Maine, where are we tonight? Well tonight we should just about be to the border between Virginia and West Virginia...just about right here -->And I just have to include this picture as I'm about to put my head to my pillow in my comfortable bed...can you imagine being in this spot tonight? In some ways, I would love it...but then again, I'm sure appreciative of not having to sleep on the hard ground with a rock for my pillow! But viewing the stars in the sky as you watch the night sky grow deeply dark, that is a special night of viewing God's wonder!
So, let's do our review, then we'll add our verse from Lamentations. We will drop off our three verses of The Gift of Prayer to start allowing for our new verses.The Gift of Assurance (10)
1 John 5:11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life and that life is in His Son.
1 John 5:12-13 The one who has the Son has life. The one who doesn't have the Son of God, does not have life. I say these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know you have eternal life.
John 14:1 Your heart must not be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansion, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you unto Myself, so that where I am, you may be also.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or afraid.
Isaiah 26:3-4 You will keep in perfect peace the mind that is dependent on You, for it is trusting in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed . (KJV)
Isaiah 53:6 We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquities of us all.
Praise and Thanksgiving (4)
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Psalm 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Revelation 4:11 You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.
Promises of God (10)
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (ESV)
Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will provide a way of escape, so that you are able to bear it.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Proverbs 3:-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (NIV)
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will provide a way of escape, so that you are able to bear it.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will support you. He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon Him, because He cares for you.
Obedience (10)
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
and now
Lamentations 3:40 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.
Another call to return, but some different instructions prior to our return. Ponder it tonight and we'll start talking about tomorrow!!
Good night - and unless you're camping out by choice, I'm praying that you too are enjoying a warm, comfortable bed on a cold winter night! Thanking God for His blessings of comfort and protection tonight!
Obedience (10)
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
and now
Lamentations 3:40 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.
Another call to return, but some different instructions prior to our return. Ponder it tonight and we'll start talking about tomorrow!!
Good night - and unless you're camping out by choice, I'm praying that you too are enjoying a warm, comfortable bed on a cold winter night! Thanking God for His blessings of comfort and protection tonight!
2 comments:
As I think about obedience this morning I keep thinking also -reverence. If we love and respect God, believe in His Word, believe Christ Jesus died for our sins, -- obedience should come to us just like a second nature. But, when we are hurt, when we have fleshy desires for more, sin and evil temptations and desires creep into our lives. We have lost what is our true desires. Our desire to love God and abide by His Word, become obedient to Him. We must have self obedience and self control, self discipline. Pattern our lives around a schedule that includes time with God. Time studying God's Word. Time serving others.
I always feel reverence when I am with God, when I'm at church learning and sharing God's Word, -- and as I have driven, (rode in a car to my parent's
funeral) a feeling of remaining quiet and reverence consciousness in God' s existence, in His presence. To honor God is to be obedient to His Word.
We are on a long and tedious journey. Our journey with this blog and our journey
in life to our eternal life with Christ.
Prayer time is quiet time, meditation quietly - feeling God's presence. We must
remain faithful, obedient, and continue with Praise To God in the Highest, Glorify
His name.
I have had dogs. Constantly yelling at them to stay off the furniture. But, I currently have two 5 year old grandchildren. Constantly telling them to stop running, hold my hand we we walk across the street. It is for their own good. Inevitably, the running results in someone bumping their head and then crying begins. But, as soon as they stop hurting they begin to run and chase one another again. I sometimes run - then when I hurt I turn to God for comfort. Then, I begin running again. Obedience to God is for our own goodness. We will prosper as we follow God's Word. He is always there for me when I stumble and
fall. He comforts me. I try to remain obedient, but I always fail. God knows this.
He knows I am human and that existence in this world is affected by sin and it's
temptations. Eternity will be without sin. I will not fall again once I am beside
Christ Jesus. It is because of Him, that I can face tomorrow.
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