Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

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Tag: Obedience

Christian Verbs :: O is for Obeying

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On July 30, 2010

In Christian, Christian Verbs

Merriam-Webster’s defines the word ‘obey’ in two ways. One has to do with following commands or guidance and the second has to do with conformance. To obey is to follow the commands or guidance; and to obey is also to conform to or comply with.

To obey is to follow commands or guidance. While I was a child, I remember learning the song, “Trust and Obey” whose lyrics went as follows: “Trust and obey for there is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” For many of us, trusting in the Lord is not a big deal, but when it comes to obedience, it is altogether a different story. Not only do we not casually heed to God’s Spirit but we sometimes willfully choose to disobey Him. Thankfully, we have a High Priest, Jesus Christ, who empathizes and mediates for us, whose mercy endures for ever. But why should we even give Jesus a chance to have to mediate for us? How much greater it would be for Jesus, to present (not plead for) us as ones who truly fear God (loving and obeying Him), eschewing evil, as He did of Job, and not have to meditate our case. For those who love Him, will keep (obey) His commands or follow His guidance as a sheep does a true Shepherd.

To obey is to conform to or comply with. The Bible counsels us that we ought not to be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. In other words, we are not to obey the patterns of this world, which is in enmity with God (James 4:4), but be transformed by our minds complying with that of God’s and a pure heart that is after His very own. We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29), for unto all who obey, Jesus is the author of eternal (not temporary) salvation unto them (Hebrews 5:9). In fact, by obeying the truth through the Spirit, one purifies their souls (1 Peter 1:22).

Point(s) to ponder:
So if someone was to ask you now, if you/I obey Jesus?, our answer really should not be yes or no but ” I follow His commands or guidance and I conform to His likeness”. Can we truly answer this way?

1 Peter 1:22 (KJV)
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

No matter what – I will obey

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On October 5, 2009

In Christian, No matter what

Many decisions that ought to be taken are not taken due to one of the following reasons:
1. we try to rationalize the situation assuming that our finite and limited human minds has infinite comprehension and abilities or
2. we think of the consequences of the decision and are paralyzed for fear of life or fear of being ridiculed.

In today’s text, taken from Genesis 6-9, we will look at Noah, who chose to obey NO MATTER WHAT.

As a backdrop to this character, Noah was commanded by God to build an ark that would become the means for Salvation of his family and all living things that God had created, from a flood that God said he would destroy the world with, as a punishment for its wickedness and violence. This command would seem absurd to say the least, since there was no account of rain before the flood. The closest thing to rain is the watering of the earth with a mist the came from the ground (Genesis 2:6), but this is not explicitly indicative of rain or flood. For a man to be building an ark when rain had never before been seen (Hebrews 11: 7) and the concept of  a flood not witnessed before then, would certainly give reasons for ridicule, especially if he was also claiming that he was doing so as in obedience to God. Noah nonetheless obeyed NO MATTER WHAT one would think of him.

If Noah had rationalized or thought of the consequences of being ridiculed, he and his family would have ended up like anyone else – unsaved and dead. His act of obedience, trusting in God’s faithfulness, not only saved all who were brought into the ark but also earned him an entry into the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11:7),  and his obedience in God gave him the title as ‘preacher of righteousness’. (2 Peter 2:5). Only in Jesus, the ark of our Salvation is life and all who place their trust in Jesus, as the savior of the world, are saved from God’s wrath and punishment of death.

Points to ponder:

  1. What is God asking of you and me today in the area of obeying Him at His word?
  2. Can we take the step to obey implicitly, without rationalizing or thinking of the consequences, even if we will be ridiculed; Can we obey NO MATTER WHAT?

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