"Immediate Obedience"

"And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him." Matthew 4:22 

I have always thought it was interesting that when Jesus called these disciples to follow Him they immediately did. They didn't delay in doing so. They didn't go and pray about it. They didn't take their time trying to decide if this was what they should or shouldn't do. They didn't procrastinate. They didn't wait until all the conditions seemed right. They didn't make excuses. They immediately followed Him.

 

How quick are we to obey when the Lord speaks to us? Do we wait? Do we debate? Do we obey when it is convenient for us? Do we try to reason it out and then make the decision? Or do we, as the old hymn saying... trust and obey... and do what He says?

 

There are two forms of disobedience. The first is just simply "don't do it"- which is rebellion. The other is "delayed obedience". Delayed obedience is the same as disobedience. Our obedience is a serious matter to the Lord. It was disobedience that cased mankind's fall in the garden. Jesus even spoke about it in a parable in Luke 14. 

 

How is your obedience? Are you quick to obey? Do you "drag your feet" in obeying? Are you immediate about it? Or do you do it in your own timing and when you get around to it?

 

Have a great day. Is your obedience to God immediate or do you take your time about it?

 

For further reading:

Luke 14:16-24

1 Samuel 15:22

"Seated"

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" Ephesians 2:4-6

One day those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord will literally for all eternity sit with Him in heaven. But for now, we are only spiritually seated with Him there. While this can have several different perspectives as to its meaning, one aspect I would like to focus on this morning is the heavenly places. 

In those heavenly places there is no sickness, no disease, no fear, no emotional problems, no lack, no anxiety, no depression, no anger, no bitterness, no jealousy, no condemnation, no addictions, no bondages, etc..  If we are seated with Him there, then why are we so bound and burdened down with all the things that I have named? Why aren't we walking in the abundant life He came to give us? Why aren't we living victoriously over these things?

Don't get me wrong, I understand that we live in a "fallen" world and there are trials, tribulations, problems, testing, temptations, suffering and affliction. But for the most part we live too attached to the natural world and forget that we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies. We suffer more than we should be. We have accepted the natural and forgotten about the spiritual. We have forgotten the promises of God, the power of God and the provision of God. He has provided all we need to live above (heavenly places) and not beneath (worldly places). He has provided the power, the grace, the faith, the help and His presence. 

Let's refocus and remember where we are seated. And start appropriating the heavenly blessings and victories that have been given to us through our Gracious Lord. 

Have a great day. Where are you seated? 

"Inventory Your Words"

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." Proverbs 18:21 

Because our tongues have the potential to speak words of life or words of death, we need to take inventory of our words often. What are you saying? What words are you speaking?

 

You can use your mouth to speak life. How? By speaking words of faith. By speaking words that are kind, encouraging and gracious. By speaking words of peace and contentment. By speaking clean, pure words. We speak life when we use our mouth to testify to the goodness of God, when we give Him praise, adoration and thanksgiving.

 

You can use your mouth to speak death. How? By speaking words of doubt, fear and unbelief. By complaining and criticizing. By speaking words that are rude, degrading, insulting and belittling. By yelling, cursing, scolding, lying, condemning and arguing. 

 

There is a saying that I am sure you have heard- "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me". It gives the impression that words are only words and have no power to harm. This is not true. Our words can do more damage than the sticks and stones. They wound on the inside. They can wound so deeply that the scars from them can be carried around for years. 

 

Do you want to use your words to bring life or death? Take inventory and see which they are doing. Are they the cause or the cure?

 

Have a great day. We need to take inventory regularly of our words to make sure that we have more words of life in us than of death. 

 

For further reading:

Proverbs 15:4; 16:24; 31:26

James 3:4-6

 

"God's Word Is Truth"

"Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way." Psalm 119:128 

How do you feel about the Word of God? That may seem like a strange question but if we don't think correctly about it we will always be lacking in the area of truth and an open target for deception. 

 

Do you accept it as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Do you doubt that it is inerrant? Do you believe certain parts of it but not others? Do you believe that it is the infallible Word of God given to us by Him? Do you believe that it is the only truth and everything else that is contrary is a lie? Do you believe that it is absolute truth? Do you believe you should be following it?

 

How do you feel about teachings, opinions and philosophies that are contrary to the Bible's teachings? Do you believe there is room for them both- the Word of God and the other? Do you believe that it is all right to compromise its teachings in certain situations? Do you believe the Word of God is just one of many books of truth? 

 

If you question the validity of the Word of God and do not put your trust in it as The Truth, you will always struggle and live your life in confusion. You will never have a firm foundation to stand upon. You will be tossed around with every wind of doctrine like an unanchored ship in a storm. You will be like a foolish man who builds his house upon the sand.

 

If you are confused, if you are struggling, if you are uncertain concerning the absolute fact that the Word of God is all truth and the only true source of truth, then it is time that you settle it in your own heart so that you can live your life like a wise man who built his house upon a rock.

 

Have a great day. How do you feel about the Word of God? 

 

For further reading:

Matthew 7:24-27

John 17:17

Ephesians 4:14,15

2 Timothy 4:3,4

"Consider What You Are Praying"

"When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed." Ecclesiastes 5:4 

Before we make our requests to God we should consider carefully what we say. Many people will make vows to Him in return for an answer in their favor. Perhaps at one time or other we all have. You know the vows I am talking about-- "Lord, if you just do this, I will serve you all the days of my life."; "If You will answer this way I will never drink again."; "Etc". 

 

Some vows are spoken in the heat of the moment, in the urgency of the need, in a time of desperation, but they are spoken nevertheless, and when they are, God hears them. And when He hears them, He expects you to keep your word.

 

Jephthah made a vow to God during a critical time in Israel's history. He vowed that if God would let them win the battle over Ammon, he would offer as a sacrifice to God what came out of his house to meet him when he returned home from the battle. His daughter was the first one to come out of the house to meet him. You have to wonder, "What was he thinking? What did he think would come out of his house?"

 

This is what I mean by giving careful consideration to what you are requesting and "bargaining" with God about. Don't be foolish in your conversation and request to Him. Think about what you are saying. Don't just "throw words" out there to Him. Let your prayers have substance to them. Consider fully what you are asking. Don't just say something because it sounds good or even "spiritual". Just simply think about your conversation with God.

 

Have a great day. Are you giving any thought to your prayer requests to God? Or are you just making bargains you can't keep?

 

For further reading:

Judges 11

Matthew 6:7