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In our Christian walk, we should be open to correction from those who have authority over us in the ministry, work and at home. But are we really being obedient or are we just acting like we are? If the truth were told, God knows and we should act like we know that He knows our actions and our thoughts. We fail at this most of the time because most of us like to give orders and do not like receiving them, especially when we are on the receiving end. Do not feel bad. It is our flesh that makes us this way.
Training yourself is helpful because people are always watching you. It is because you claim the name of Jesus that you need to be sure that we are representing Him well at all times. Sometimes you may be the only Jesus that someone sees. You would not want to be held accountable for someone going to hell because of your ungodly actions (Selah).
As we take this walk as men and women of God, our choice to obey the Word is what is going to make or break us. I say this because God will use those who listen to Him. God will not continue to try to talk to you if you are not listening to what He is telling you to do. He will simply find someone else.
Romans 2:13
For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
If you remember, I talked about being in and out of work for a year in the 1st chapter of this book. Around the time when I first lost my job, Bishop Robertson made a statement as he was ministering: “Those of you who do not have jobs need to get up every morning like you are going to work. Get out into the traffic with those who are working. You need to apply and push your resume to every employer for jobs that you are qualified for as well as jobs that you may be under qualified for. Just go out on faith and do it.”
Well, I did send my resume to every employer in the area that I was qualified for and even some that I was not qualified for. My mistake was that I was not going out of the house. I was sitting at home applying for jobs online. I did not completely obey the order that was given. When God gives your earthly shepherd detailed instructions, by all means follow them, please. Remember delayed or partial obedience is, in fact, disobedience.
Just like with King Saul. The orders from God that Samuel gave him to destroy the Amalekites were almost completely followed but Saul did not complete the order that was given to him by Samuel. God was not pleased with him almost completing the order. So Saul was rejected by God as King of Israel. As long as I remained at home, I was rejected by God but as soon as I physically went out to look for work, God honored my efforts. Within two weeks, I found a full time job with great pay and great hours.
1 Samuel 15:20-23
20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things, which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
For example, every morning we should get up and ask God what His will is for us today. We should carry it out to the fullest. We should have a mind set to please the Lord and not ourselves or other individuals. It will take some time to understand that God is a God of order. To obey Him is not always easy for us because our flesh gets in the way. But the more time you spend with Him your spirit will be stronger and it will become easier to do.
God continues to test us to see how much we can be trusted. God is a loving God. He wants us to pass these tests. That is why He gives us everything that we need to pass. It is up to us to make the decision as to whether or not we want to go to next level. Remember, someone else is waiting on you to pass your test. How long will you hold back someone else? The Word tells us, “If we are willing and obedient we shall eat the good of the land.”
John 13:17
If you know these things, blessed and happy and to be envied are you if you practice them [if you act accordingly and really do them]. (AMP)
If we would just have an open heart to the will of God then a lot of our problems would be solved. You are not exempt from sin just because you are saved, attend church, stay in the word and stay in God's face. You have to continually ask the Lord for forgiveness. It can be hard for us to admit that we have sometimes done wrong, but this is the only way we can grow in the Lord.
1 John 2:3-6
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk, even as he walked.
As men and women of God, we need to realize that it is not about us anymore. It is about doing the will of God and kicking ourselves out of the picture. When it comes to His business, just be a willing vessel for God. The Lord wants to bless us, but how far are we willing to go in order to get our blessings?
Are we willing to obey His commandments and His will even if we do not understand? Are you willing to submit to a man or woman of God appointed over you and those that they have placed in authority over you? I know it can be hard sometimes listening to someone tell you what to do.
I served my country for 10 years in the US Navy. Sometimes I did not agree with some of its regulations or orders that were given to me, but I had to carry them out anyway because there were lives at stake. An order is an order. I had to either obey or pay for disobeying an order.
It was crazy for me to see people go out of their way for the military and even for civilians. They feared the repercussion of disobeying an order even if the order went against their better judgment or character. However, they did not fear what God would and could do to them if they did not obey Him.
Sometimes I have found myself here. I did not always fear what could happen to me for disobeying God. I had to learn that you must be quick to destroy those bad seeds that have been cast before they take root. You do this by asking God for forgiveness and asking Him to uproot those bad seeds that you have cast in the past.
But I say to you again. It is not about you, it is about pleasing God. So when you obey those over you, God will reward you for being obedient. When you put yourself in the picture, it can mess up a blessing that was in store for you.
Abraham is one of the best examples of being obedient to God's will. God gave Abraham an order to circumcise every man-child in his house including his servants and servants purchased. Abraham not only circumcised himself, he had to obey God's order to cut the foreskin off every male in his house.
Genesis 17 9-14
9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. 12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. 13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
I can only imagine how hard it was for Abraham to do this to himself. But to go to every male in his house – from the infants to the adult men and tell them what he was about to do to them. Then, tell them that if they did not do this task God is going to cut them off. This is how God looks at us now when we do not obey His will. He cannot put His hand on those that disobey Him.
If you look at Romans 5:19
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
You can look at this verse and say it is about Adam and Christ. This is true. But take another look at what this verse represents. If you are a man or woman of God, you are representing God. People are not supposed to see you being disobedient. Obedience leaves a lasting impression on them. So be mindful of the people surrounding you. They are watching even when you are not aware of them.
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