What does true obedience look like in Scripture, and what does it not?
How does my purpose best keep me in line with God’s will?
Why do I feel stagnant when I have been praying and making sacrifices to please God that seem right?
Many of these questions have been floating in my mind lately, especially as I have been reading The Purpose-Driven Life by Pastor Rick Warren. As I grow as a disciple, I am constantly seeking ways for God to show me how to better abide in Him, which led me to start his 40-day journey. When it comes to understanding God’s purpose for my life, Warren writes that it “becomes the standard you use to evaluate which activities are essential and which aren’t. You simply ask, “Does this activity help me fulfill one of God’s purposes for my life?””
Without purpose, we cannot break ground on what life has. We wander aimlessly until we reach rock bottom, and hopefully, in that despair, we turn to the One who designed our life’s blueprint.
We as believers of Christ know through the Bible we will all give an account for our lives. In the end God asks us two critical questions: How did you respond to My Son Jesus Christ? He is concerned with whether we accept the Gift of Life, learn to love Him, and fully trust Him as our Lord and Savior.
Second, what did you do with what was given? Everything is from Him; we must love and trust His leadership in applying and stewarding the resources allotted to us, because we take none of it but instead help lead others to His love found in Christ.
Jesus echoes this by saying ““If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
John 14:15 LSB
The outcome is God’s job, obedience is ours.
Remember, true breakthrough and true obedience are found in the work you are avoiding.
How can God trust you with more if you can’t manage what He has given you now?
Be like Christ, Who in full humility, was willing to do all that God the Father required of Him. Christ did not obey for a reward but rather because God knows best and knew that Christ had a purpose to fulfill. We have to be continually praying and living out “Thy will be done”. The more we ask God to show us where our time and attention should be, we are brought back into alignment if we obey His purpose for us.
Be a good steward of the resources and time to fullfill His plan, it all belongs to Him anyway.
May love and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints, keep you. Amen.
Scripture Refrenced:
1 Thessolonians 5:11 – “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
Psalm 139:23-24 – “”Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.””
Luke 12:47-48 – 47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
1 Samuel 15 – Saul’s Rejection chapter overview; key verses 19-24
“But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.””
1 Samuel 15:22-23
1 Samuel 16 – David’s Anointing; key verses 7, 11-13
7“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” 12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” 13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.”
Acts 13:22 – “After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’”
2 Samuel 11 & 12; Psalm 51 – David’s Disobedience
““ 4 Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And pure when You judge
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”” – Psalm 51: 4,10
Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”
2 Corinthians 5:20 -“So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us; we [as Christ’s representatives] plead with you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God.”
The Boy Jesus in the Temple – Luke 2:41-52
“48When His parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to Him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.” 49 “Why were you searching for Me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 51Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”
The Result of Christ’s Humilty – Philippians 2:1-11
“[Christ Jesus] 6 who, although existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
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