Tag: obedience

3 How-To’s for the Family

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Galatians 5:16

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Today, I thought of three instructions that might be helpful to my brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as to myself. These are things I’ve pondered recently that I thought would help us in our Christian walk. These things relate to behavioral and spiritual enhancements and how we might walk them out with the help of the Holy Spirit.

1. How to Be Different Without Being Rebellious

Some of us, or maybe even most of us, feel very unique from other people. With this thinking, we may, in certain areas, reject any suggestions to change, for fear of becoming something we are not. However, it is not a bad thing to change, as this happens to all of us as we grow older, whether we like it or not, for better or for worse. Yet, thankfully, we are encouraged to grow to become more like Christ. Hence, we want to move further away from being rebellious and closer to improving and being humble.

In 1 Samuel 15:23, the Bible relates being rebellious to witchcraft. It represents an attempt to usurp God’s supreme authority in favor of self-will or other spiritual powers. Rebellion also involves having a rigid attitude that resists rules.

God has given us all a spirit and soul that live in a body, where all three are different from those of other people. Yet He has given us His Bible to teach us how to live and communicate with Him and others in love. Hence, while our personalities are and should be different, our ways of relating to others should align with God’s teachings.

We’ve been reared in various ways, enjoy different things, and dislike other things, which involve our family history, personal desires, learning, and environment. But rejecting rebellion in our lives entails replacing pride with humility, cultivating a teachable spirit, and actively submitting to authority. We are to avoid self-reliance alone and disobedience to God’s will, as a defiant and stubborn spirit leads to judgment and spiritual destruction. 

Thankfully, God has made His will for us known through His Bible and by communicating with Him in prayer. So, if we lack wisdom, we are told in His Word to ask, and He will grant it to us liberally. Moreover, He’s given leaders in the Church to give us His instructions, as well as His Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth.

2. How Not to Conform, While Being Transformed

The Bible tells us we are being transformed into the image of Christ. Specifically, Romans 8:29 says, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” We are also told in Romans 12:2-3, not to “conform to the patterns of this world, but to be transformed” by the renewing of our minds. Then we will be “able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Meditating on the Lord’s teachings daily strengthens our faith. It allows us to remember what the Lord’s will actually is, instead of what the world imparts to us. As we train ourselves and practice what He has instructed, we become more accustomed to His will and ways and less desiring of worldly ways and attitudes. Not to mention, His Holy Spirit’s sanctification process, which is a lifelong work in our lives to make us more like Christ.

3. How to Love without Compromise or Carnality

The Bible teaches us in 1 Corinthians 16:14 to “do everything in love.” Also, in 1 Corinthians 13:6, “love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” So, truth is important in showing love. True love rejects wrongdoing and celebrates truth. Moreover, “love does no harm to a neighbor…” (Romans 13:10).

When we are carnal, we appeal to our flesh, and as Romans 8:7-8 teaches, “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.” Therefore, we must seek to live according to God’s Spirit and not our own carnal desires.

Living in this world, over time, we have developed worldly habits that need to be replaced by godly habits. We’ve grown accustomed to living and doing in ways that are opposed to God’s desires for us. We won’t know what that is until we hear and study the truth of the Bible’s teachings. Compromising involves settling for an altered version of the truth. And there are many altered versions of truth one can embrace. So, we must know and understand the truth God has made available to us in the Bible.

Consistently, learning and practicing God’s standards for living keeps us in the knowledge and way of truth. Needless to say, encouraging one another in God’s principles for living His life of love is a blessing to our growth.

The chief way to learn how to love is to know God and live close to Him. He will show us how to love others as well as ourselves. The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:8, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” So, knowing God is the first step to success in love.

It’s quite apparent that these things can’t be accomplished in our own strength alone, but we need the wisdom and guidance of God to help us. One fruit of the Holy Spirit we can exercise to help us walk by the Spirit and not our flesh is self-control. It empowers believers to govern their desires, speech, and actions rather than being ruled by them.

Who’s Blessed?

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Psalm 128:1-2 (NIV)

“Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.”

I love this passage. It shows us who the blessed are and their reward. We may have many personal definitions of blessed, but the Hebrew word, in this context, is ašrê and indicates happiness, joy, and favor.

This is promised to all, not just some, but all who fear the Lord. Fear, as written here, is a reverential awe and respect for God, rather than a feeling of terror, leading to obedience. The blessings of obedience come from aligning one’s life with God’s will and promises.

In these blessings of obedience, we eat the fruit of our labor and receive from the work or effort of our hands. With this comes prosperity: “You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you” (Psalm 128:2 KJV). The Hebrew word for prosperity here is tov, which signifies a state of flourishing and positive outcomes resulting from one’s work.

Thankfully, we have the Bible to aid us in knowing what God’s will and ways are as we move in reverential fear of him. However, sometimes God’s will for us personally, in various practical parts of our lives, may not look like what we, or others, think it should.

That’s why it’s not wise to be hasty, but seek the Lord in prayer as to His desires for us in our decision-making. He’ll be faithful to give us the signposts to follow, so that we’ll stay on his blessed pathway. All we need to do is sincerely ask and wait for His answer, remembering the Lord sees our honor and respect for Him.

Obedience: After God’s Heart

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Acts 13:22

“… 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.’”

Often, we may have heard the Bible verse of God seeing David as a man after His own heart. We may ponder the reasons as to what would inspire such favor from the Lord. Many may attribute it to David’s worship, prayers, or boldness, among other things. Yet this verse gives us the answer so simply and clearly: David would do everything God wanted him to do.

This, as was proven later, didn’t mean that David was always perfect in his behavior before the Lord. However, God was well acquainted with his heart and knew he could count on him to do those specific things He desired of him.

What we may learn from Acts 13:22 is that obedience, even with other traits, good and not so good, gets God’s attention. Obedience can be more difficult to do in some instances than others, yet in any event, it remains a valuable discipline.

Though we find some instructions challenging, we are not alone in our endeavors to obey as Hebrews 13:21 speaks to God equipping us with everything good for doing his will, and that he may work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ.

We should hold dear that the Lord cares about us and helps us fulfill His will as “… the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love” (Psalm 33:18). “The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever” (Psalm 37:18).

The Holy Spirit guides, strengthens and empowers us to live according to His will. Per John 14:26, “The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

In Acts 4:8, 31; 6:10; and 1 Thess. 1:5, the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to be effective witnesses of the Gospel. At Pentecost, He empowered them to boldly preach the Gospel to all nations.

Ephesians 3:20 tells us God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” This should inspire confidence in us to exercise the discipline necessary to carry out the Lord’s will for our lives. The fact that his ability and strength reside on the inside of us is remarkable.

In 2 Samuel 6:12-15, we find David using wisdom when he recognizes the error in the transportation of the Ark of the Covenant, and follows God’s commands, properly bringing the Ark to Jerusalem. God’s instructions specified that the Ark should be carried on poles by Levites and not touched. We, too, can humbly correct our mistakes and do what’s right as God has instructed.

David prayed for God’s leading and encouraged himself with the facts of God’s word in Psalm 27:11-14. It is to our advantage to speak God’s faith-building words over our lives for success in being obedient. Our words can also be testimonies to others experiencing the same challenges, as David’s words are to us today.

Psalm 40 shows David’s example of obedience during difficult times. We see David’s experience with danger and rescue. David recounted how God delivered him from his enemies, and we see his gratefulness and commitment to doing God’s will and telling others about his deliverance.

While expressing his desire to do God’s will, David trusted in the Lord’s plan and strength. Knowing and keeping God’s word in our hearts, along with trusting Him, and having a desire to carry out what He wants us to do, is a great start in accomplishing His will and representing the family of God after His heart.

How to Represent Christ

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Ever think about who or what we as individuals represent? Thankfully, the Bible tells us that believers are ambassadors for Christ, beloved children, a chosen race and royal priesthood, and God’s workmanship among other things. (2 Corinthians 5:20, Ephesians 5:1, 1 Peter 2:9, Ephesians 2:10).

However, sometimes, in our attempts to live as faithful Christians, we struggle with the battle between flesh and spirit, desiring to do what is good, but not carrying it out. Yet God is faithful to walk with us and counsel us as we represent Him effectively on the earth.

It’s important to note that the Bible tells us that 1 John 2 was written so that we will not sin, “but if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father–Jesus Christ, the Righteous one. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.“

So, as Christ’s representatives, loving is important, and understanding what it means to love is critical. The truth is seen in Christ and us: loving one another and living in the light, versus hating one another and living in darkness. Further, His Bible tells us the word of God lives in us and we have overcome the evil one! Now, our message as ambassadors or representatives of Christ is “Be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20/NIV).

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19/NIV)

In addition, where there’s no place like home, as representatives of Christ:

“Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:18/NLT)

“Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.” (Colossians 3:19/NLT)

“Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord.” (Colossians 3:20/NLT)

“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:17/NLT)