Obedience
We have begun climbing the ladder of "Steps to Security" with An Open Heart and Faith. We have climbed 2 steps. There are a few more steps to go.
As I think of the steps that go down to my basement, I am reminded that each step is not the same height. One especially is a little deeper than the others. Sometimes this makes using the steps a little difficult, and that one step causes me to stumble or slow up. I believe this true as we climb the "STEPS to SECURITY". The step we are going to climb now are just like that one basement step. It is difficult and will take much strength to scale it, but it can be done.
The step we want to build now is, "OBEDIENCE". As we have allowed Jesus to gain entrance into our heart, we have been given "FAITH" to accept all He has for us. Now we are cleansed and purified, and He is going to work in and through us to spread the gospel to others and we are going to be an encouragement to them also. He will be asking us to work for Him and when that happens our responsibility is to be obedient.
Now to understand obedience, let me give you a simple illustration. I have a little puppy, whose name is Teddy. He has learned to have devotions with me. When I am ready, I will say to him, "Teddy, let's have devotions," or I might add, "I am going to read to you". The other day, I was ready but Teddy was not. He was playing with his ball that he dearly loves. He was intent on having fun. As I called and said we would have devotions, he was rolling his ball across the floor. When he heard me speak, he hesitated for a moment as if he were deciding whether he would do as I asked, or go ahead and play ball. It was so cute. He chose to turn around and head for the couch where I would be sitting to read to him and left his ball lying there on the floor.
Teddy obeyed my request and he came over to the couch, jumped upon it and laid there to have devotions. This is "OBEDIENCE." This is difficult because it causes us to leave something we care for and thus we have made a difficult choice, but the rewards are overwhelming. In our walk with the Lord Jesus, we must make difficult choices so that we will please Him. As we obey His requests we will please Him, but we also have been abundantly blessed. In Matthew 19: 21 these words are written: "Jesus saith unto him, 'If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." Matthew 19 verse 29: "And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life."
Yes, it may be difficult, just like the basement step, but once the act is completed, we reap a bundle of blessings. The song writer gave us some encouragement when he wrote, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!"
May you take the step of obedience now and find an abundant blessing.
As I think of the steps that go down to my basement, I am reminded that each step is not the same height. One especially is a little deeper than the others. Sometimes this makes using the steps a little difficult, and that one step causes me to stumble or slow up. I believe this true as we climb the "STEPS to SECURITY". The step we are going to climb now are just like that one basement step. It is difficult and will take much strength to scale it, but it can be done.
The step we want to build now is, "OBEDIENCE". As we have allowed Jesus to gain entrance into our heart, we have been given "FAITH" to accept all He has for us. Now we are cleansed and purified, and He is going to work in and through us to spread the gospel to others and we are going to be an encouragement to them also. He will be asking us to work for Him and when that happens our responsibility is to be obedient.
Now to understand obedience, let me give you a simple illustration. I have a little puppy, whose name is Teddy. He has learned to have devotions with me. When I am ready, I will say to him, "Teddy, let's have devotions," or I might add, "I am going to read to you". The other day, I was ready but Teddy was not. He was playing with his ball that he dearly loves. He was intent on having fun. As I called and said we would have devotions, he was rolling his ball across the floor. When he heard me speak, he hesitated for a moment as if he were deciding whether he would do as I asked, or go ahead and play ball. It was so cute. He chose to turn around and head for the couch where I would be sitting to read to him and left his ball lying there on the floor.
Teddy obeyed my request and he came over to the couch, jumped upon it and laid there to have devotions. This is "OBEDIENCE." This is difficult because it causes us to leave something we care for and thus we have made a difficult choice, but the rewards are overwhelming. In our walk with the Lord Jesus, we must make difficult choices so that we will please Him. As we obey His requests we will please Him, but we also have been abundantly blessed. In Matthew 19: 21 these words are written: "Jesus saith unto him, 'If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." Matthew 19 verse 29: "And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life."
Yes, it may be difficult, just like the basement step, but once the act is completed, we reap a bundle of blessings. The song writer gave us some encouragement when he wrote, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!"
May you take the step of obedience now and find an abundant blessing.
posted by Evon Becker | 2:55 PM
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