Are you prepared to obey the Lord in everything? Faith in God's word and obedience to His commands go hand in hand. We accept the Lord Jesus by faith who is the Son of God, and He teaches us obedience, and creates it in us. The more of faith in Him you have, the more of obedience to Him will you manifest. We must have absolute obedience to the Lord God but it is like the obedience of a child and not the obedience of a slave. God is perfect and all wise, He never commands of us that which is wrong. The Christian faith works through love, and the measure of one's love is the extent to which one keeps Christ's commandments. Love and obedience must be yoked together for obedience confirms love and love validates obedience. Christian love is manifested as a believer obeys the Lord's words.
John 14:21, whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.
1 John 2:5, but if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them.
Once you learn the truth of the Word of God, the time comes when you have to actually put it into practice and change yourself. Listening is easy, but change is difficult.
James 1:22, do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Isaiah 1:19, if you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land.
Hebrews 11:8-10, By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
Through obedience, Abraham proved his trust in the Lord by his willingness to follow the Lord's commands, no matter how difficult they were. By faith Abraham obeyed, and by faith only can you and I obey and keep obeying.
Matthew 1:18-25, Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’
All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Obedience to God was Joseph’s response to a deeply difficult situation. It was not an easy or painless obedience, and it did not come without cost. God entrusted a very precious gift to Joseph when He called him to be the guardian of Jesus. Joseph made the right choice. He married Mary and by this choice, Joseph will be honoured for that decision for eternity.
Deuteronomy 28:1-2, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.
Twelve test by God to Abraham
Test 1: Genesis 12:1-7
For Abraham: Abraham left Ur and Haran for an unknown destination at God’s direction.
For us: Do I trust God with my future? Is his will part of my decision making.
Test 2: Genesis 13:8-13
For Abraham: Abraham directed a peaceful separation from Lot and settled at the oaks of Mamre.
For us: Do I trust God with my interests even when I seem to be receiving an unfair settlement.
Test 3: Genesis 14:13-18
For Abraham: Abraham rescued Lot from the five kings.
For us: Does my faithfulness to others bear witness to my trust in God’s faithfulness'
Test 4: Genesis 14:17-24
For Abraham: Abraham gave a tithe of loot to the godly king of Salem, Melchizedek, and refused the gift of the king of Sodom.
For us: Am I watchful in my dealings with people that I give proper honour to God and refuse to receive honour that belongs to him.
Test 5: Genesis 15:1-6
For Abraham: Abraham trusted God’s promise that he would have a son.
For us: How often do I consciously reaffirm my trust in God’s promises.
Test 6: Genesis 15:7-11
For Abraham: Abraham received the promised land by faith, though the fulfilment would not come for many generations.
For us: How have I demonstrated my continued trust in God during those times when I have been required to wait.
Test 7: Genesis 17:9-27
For Abraham: At God’s command, Abraham circumcised every male in his family.
For us: In what occasions in my life have I acted simply in obedience to God, and not because I understood the significance of what I was doing.
Test 8: Genesis 18:1-8
For Abraham: Abraham welcomed strangers, who turned out to be angels.
For us: When was the last time I practised hospitality.
Test 9: Genesis 18:22-33
For Abraham: Abraham prayed for Sodom.
For us: Am I eager to see people punished, or do I care for people in spite of their sinfulness.
Test 10: Genesis 20:1-17
For Abraham: Abraham admitted to wrongdoing and took the actions needed to set things right.
For us: When I sin, is my tendency to cover up, or confess? Do I practice the truth that an apology must sometimes be accompanied by restitution.
Test 11: Genesis 21:22-34
For Abraham: Abraham negotiated a treaty with Abimelech concerning a well.
For us: Can people depend on my words and promises.
Test 12: Genesis 22:1-12
For Abraham: Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac.
For us: In what ways has my life demonstrated that I will not allow anything to come before God.
Genesis 22:12, Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.
God expects no less obedience of us today. Trusting God at times requires us to follow Him when His commands defy human logic but the good news is that if we pass the test of faith, we will reap the benefits God has promised us. Obedience has it's rewards. When we miss God commands and disobey Him, we must be quick to repent and get back on the path of obedience, like King David.
Psalm 51: 1-7
A psalm of David.
When the prophet Nathan came to him
after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Hebrews 5:7-9, during the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
