|
 |
|
KIM SMITHART GALLERY
LETTERS
JOURNALSUnderwear Gift PackUnited Caribbean |
home >>letters of encouragement
Dear Friends, Obedience is the key to a successful Christian life. Our obedience to God pleases Him, and is our LOVE response to Him. Because we love Him, we will obey Him with all our hearts. God expects us to obey Him in two ways:- To obey His personal instructions as led by the Holy Spirit. Everyone will have specific instructions from God that will not be found in the Bible. For example, I bought a gift for someone when I was in a store. I did not plan it, but the Holy Spirit “spoke” to me when I was looking at the various items on display. God gives each of us specific instructions, whether it is big or small. For example, God may instruct you to become a Teacher in the Church. This would be considered a “big” thing, as it is a life-directing instruction which would require preparation. Or another example, God may instruct you to bake a coconut bread for your neighbour. This would be a “small” thing, and all we need to know is that God knows why He has asked to do this. God expects us to obey Him at all times. Disobedience to God is sin. There are three different ways in which we can be disobedient to God that we may not normally think about as disobedience. The sin of omission is disobedience. This is when there are things we should do, and do not do. We need to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, so that we may not miss the things that God has for us. Sometimes our omission is unintentional. We may have become so “busy” in our lives, that we have not taken the time to listen to the Holy Spirit. |
|
Delayed obedience is disobedience. Usually when God indicates for something to be done we must do it within the given time. For example, if the offering is being collected and God instructs you to give $10.00, and you have that in your pocket, you must give it right away. God may ask you to make a financial contribution towards the purchase of new chairs for the sanctuary, and He would expect that contribution to be given in a short period of time. He may ask you to clean the windows at the Church, and He would expect it to be done in a reasonable time frame. He does not expect us to dilly-dally unnecessarily on His instructions. God may ask you to write a book, or make a CD of worship music, and common sense would tell you that it would take a bit longer to complete these projects. We must remember that timing is important. Noah did all that God commanded him when he built the ark. God gave Noah specific instructions to follow. He was told the size of the ark, how many decks it would have, to coat it in pitch inside and out and so forth. (Gen. 6:13-22) Because of Noah’s obedience to God, the lives of his family were saved, and he had all the animals needed to replenish the earth. If Noah had decided only to build two decks instead of three, the ark would not have been able to hold all the different species of animals inside. If he had been lazy, and took his cool time to build the ark, then he and his family may have perished in the flood. However, Noah did all that God “commanded” him (Gen. 6:22 NIV). Through Noah’s obedience, all that God wanted to accomplish was accomplished. God also expects us to be obedient to Him with a good attitude. Your attitude is important. We are to obey Him cheerfully… not grumbling and complaining. God does not expect a half-hearted response from us. In Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV, we are commanded to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” God expects whole-hearted service from us. He expects COMPLETE OBEDIENCE. There is no room for compromise. If we expect to receive God’s very best in our lives, we must give to Him our very best too. This is how we love God with all that is within us, by offering Him complete obedience and whole-hearted service. |
| Copyright © 2022 www.UnitedCaribbean.com. All rights reserved. Disclaimer Click to Contact us |