November 21, 2005
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You know something. I am so blessed by Xanga. It takes time to visit your sites, but always I learn many new things. Sometimes I think that it is not necessary to write one’s own Xanga, for the richness of what is in other’s sites.
Well, Discipleship continues. There is so much.
Today I think I will share from last week’s lesson. Here is the chapter on obedience from our discipleship text written by Pastor Don Moore, Living Word Chapel.
Obedience that God honors is obedience that is an act of love from Faith. We obey God because we love and trust Him. Works are the same-we do good works and obey God because we love the brethren and God’s creatures.
No one was more obedient than the Pharisees and the Scribes and they missed it completely. The Pharisees were obedient. They kept the Law, but were not obedient to the Spirit of the Law, Mercy, Love, and Faith. Remember the Holy Spirit was not yet given, so they followed the Law obediently. They “knew” they were righteous and obedient. That’s the error. That’s the trap. Self assured, not trusting in God but in the letter of the Law. “I think I’m obedient” is better than “I know I’m obedient”. You should remain teachable and open to the Holy Spirit. Be as obedient as you can and thank God, and give Him the credit as a merciful gracious God.
The Pharisees and the Scribes “knew” for sure that they were so obedient that they could crucify Christ because He didn’t keep the Sabbath. Were they obedient to the Sabbath? You bet they were. They wouldn’t work on the Sabbath. They wouldn’t cook. They wouldn’t pick up a mat. But they’ll crucify Jesus for telling a guy to pick up a mat. He was disobedient because He did break the Sabbath. No “ifs”…He told that man to pick up his mat and go walk (John 5:8). The man was working. He was carrying a mat. He broke the Sabbath, not the spirit of the Sabbath, but a Sabbath ‘law’…”Do no work.”
The purpose of the Sabbath was to rest in, trust in, rely on, believe on, glorify, and draw to our God. The limit of the Sabbath was on work to the flesh, body, business, but surely not limiting the work of mercy or Faith. For a cripple to carry his mat was work, but more importantly a demonstration of victory and glory to God. It did not separate him from God, but bound him closer to God, the testimony of his deliverance and a real ‘Sabbath” -rest in the Lord – Who did the work! To not carry the mat would have broken the Sabbath – the Day for him to rest in the Lord by showing all God’s goodness, and holiness. Keep the Sabbath Holy – what’s more holy than God’s holy power manifesting and then giving Him glory – WOW!!!! Obedience to mercy, love and Faith is freeing, not binding. When we obey God we are free-nothing to worry about, all is well in the universe, let’s have a party! Amen!
If we are obedient it is God who has given us the juice and the strength to stay obedient. Therefore, why should we boast if we are obedient? In our own strength, we have all failed many times. When we do right we are wrong to get puffed up. God is the Enabler and should get the credit. Our obeying is a good work and we can apply Eph 2:10 to this ‘good work’, “which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” God rewards obedience, but He is good and kind because that is His nature. We should not see our obedience as the central cause of God’s blessing.
The minute you put credit from God’s blessing toward your obedience, your flesh can start to glory. Your flesh is going to light up like a Christmas tree and say, “I’m doing it. I’m obedient. God is blessing because I’m obedient.” We say our God is gracious; our God is good. Psalm 145:8, 9 “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.”
Aren’t we obedient because we know and love Jesus? We just want to be obedient because we feel His presence and we love Him. We are in the presence of the King, who is also our Brother. It just hurts us not to be obedient. What Scripture in the New Testament says we are saved by obedience? It’s not in there, though it is an important key. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). The minute you forget it, you are in the flesh.
We are obedient because of the work the Holy Spirit does in us – He convicts, teaches, guides, and corrects, therefore our obedience is His completed work in us-our work is yielding to His work (our obedience). Our yielding is still His work, as He has given us His Spirit and a renewed mind in which we can yield our flesh. Praise God it’s all Him anyway!
***Obedience is a by-product of relationship. Love compels us to honor our Abba-Father with our whole being.
After writing the above, I received the following devotional and oh how true it is. So hard to say “Yes, Lord” when you are standing alone saying it.
YES, LORD
By Marilyn Ehle
“If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15).
Five thousand committed, earnest, honest Christians stand to their feet and fervently sing with one voice, “Yes, Lord! Yes, Lord. Yes, yes, Lord!” It seems impossible that the rafters will not break free from their moorings, the wood itself joining in a song of praise and commitment. This is an AMEN to end all amens!
Amen. So be it. My most profound amens are not usually said in such a setting. More often I am bowed — sometimes with tears running down my cheeks — in an obedience long sought by God and long resisted by my halting heart.
“The Lord said to Abram, ?Leave’”…and he went. Mary’s response to the angel? “May it be to me as you have said.”
It’s far easier to sing with the crowd than say “yes, Lord” in solitude with God.
Will you commit to seek solitude with the Lord this week, and say “so be it” to the work of His Word and of the Holy Spirit in your life? Amen!
Related Links
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Join us today, November 21, at 12 pm Pacific in the Christian Women Today chat room for a time of prayer for the concerns on your heart. Praying online is an amazing experience; give it a try!
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About the Author
Originally from Michigan, Marilyn Ehle has served with Campus Crusade for Christ in the US, Canada and Germany for nearly 40 years. She’s taught both time management seminars and Bible studies. She’s passionate about reading… but doesn’t feel quite the same about exercise.
Click to comment on this devotional: mailto:editor@christianwomentoday.com?subject=Attn.Marilyn_Ehle
Comments (20)
Great message! Thanks for being a blessing to me and to some many!
GBU
“Obedience is a by-product of relationship.”
Good call! Thank you, this post is both a blessing and confirmation for me.
I was leading a Bible Study for our youth group on the book of 2nd John last week. It’s so interesting that over and over through scripture we see this cycle: How do you show your love for God? Follow his commands. How do you follow his commands? Love God with your whole being and love everyone around you. Christ was definitely right that almost the whole of God’s explicit commands in scripture boil down to these two things. And I agree with you - mere rote observance of commands without the spirit of love, gratitude, humility, and joy behind them – that is not truly obedience!
Great insights. Thanks for sharing.
That is very good, Heather. Sometimes it seems it is easier to do the works than walk by faith.
[Obedience that God honors is obedience that is an act of love from Faith. We obey God because we love and trust Him.]
Amen. Good word Heather.
larry
“The minute you put credit from God’s blessing toward your obedience, your flesh can start to glory. Your flesh is going to light up like a Christmas tree and say, “I’m doing it. I’m obedient. God is blessing because I’m obedient.”
How very true!! This is actually something that is a pet topic of mine. Another good post! Thanks, Heather.
ryc: regarding understanding “access problems”…you’re closer to the real issue than you may have realized.
Blessings, Jim
It is interesting to me how on that particular topic (Sabbath keeping) Jesus tried to get through to the Jewish leaders. It seems it should have been easy for Him to reach them that way. But when we are trusting in self and not God we just can’t see it! Good study. A couple of thoughts from older posts. On Revelation, I don’t know if you mentioned it or not but it struck me that when looking at the beasts/powers in Daniel and Revelation that often I hear the little horn or anti-christ refered to as a person when all the others are actual kingdoms or powers. Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome etc. Makes me wonder if perhaps all the “powers” are representative of “kingdoms” rather than one being just a person. Also regarding books for your daughter, has she tried the “my america” series? Or check out abeka.com, mainly a home-school resource but they have a number of good books.
Tim
Very Good Heather~ Sorry havent come around awhile
busy moving…packing…etc.
Next week off to San ANtonio to buy my house then the first two weeks of DEC I will be leaving………………….
So will be offline alot.
Take care God Bless and Happy Holidays to your family! love andhugs
I think obedience is not something I’m too good at I’m afraid. Sometimes I think it’s just “too hard.” I remind myself of the Israelites.
Hi Heather,
Thanks for coming by! Great post!
I like ur post, if u wouldnt mind stoping by my xanga and telling me what u think, thanxs, well if I dont hear from ya god bless,
~Sarah~
Just wanted to stop by and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! Blessings on you and your family!
Hey! I’m learning your very thought you had at the beginning of this, that there’s so much on xanga that you don’t necessarily have to write your own to be blessed by others… Woo hoo! Someone from Michigan!!! I’m familiar with Campus Crusade for Christ…
“Sometimes I think that it is not necessary to write one’s own Xanga, for the richness of what is in other’s sites.”
I agree totally. I get much encouragement and knowledge fom xangaland.
Just 2 days before Thanksgiving, and I have so much to do! But I wanted to stop by today just to say ‘hello’ to you. To wish you and your family a very blessed day, and very happy memories of the blessings come your way. May your holiday gathering be peaceful and complete, and may the joy of knowing Jesus, be shared with all you meet!” Happy Thanksgiving! Love, Bette
i agree with being blessed by xanga. i got the opportunity to meet someone like you and others who write and share their lives experiences by challenging the reader. thank you Heather. God bless you and have a great Thanksgiving with family and friends. love always, e
i agree. sometimes we become so self-assertive, you know we want to talk, to share, to have other people hear us and understand what we’re trying to convey, that sometimes, that message were trying to get across never makes it. even though we’re yelling loudly. in listening, i think in some way we become a part of another. when we take the time to put our desire to the side, and simply listen, we absorb. but in this same absorbing, we send-and often times, it’s more loudly then if we were the ones doing all the talking.
peace to you, and have a great weekend! stoker
Heather, Happy Thanksgiving!
1Th 5:18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Tim
“Sometimes I think that it is not necessary to write one’s own Xanga, for the richness of what is in other’s sites.”
I know what you mean. ((hugs))
How’re you doing? Happy Thanksgiving.
xo
I believe that if anything Good comes out of me then ,,,,it is God working in and through and out of me, Jesus Christ even said it is the Father that is doing the works in me,,,,,,,,,But God Bless and Happy Holidaze……………Your Sister…….Marie