Transforming Obedience

In a large room filled with people, someone stands at the front of the room and ask the question, "Who in this room believes in Jesus?".  A number of hands go up.  Countless people say they believe in Jesus, some pray, and some attend church.  All of these things are wonderful, however our greatest transformation is through obedience to God's word.  His word tells us of our sin, our need for a Savior and the story of His plan to redeem us from sin.  It is also His word which the Spirit uses to change us.  The more we ingest the word, the more it overflows from our heart.  As David said in Psalm, "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee."  Psalm 119:11  We should strive for the word of God to dwell in us.  There is only one formula for obedience.  Obedience equals practicing God's truths.  Some might suggest they are doing the will of God; however how do we discern His will.  If we don't know what God wants us to do or who He wants us to become, how can we claim we are obedient?  The only way to know God's will and His purpose for us is to read His word.  God calls us to trust and obey.  It isn't about doing what we think is the will of God in our minds. Our minds can get in the way of what God may have planned for us.  Sometimes our minds can't grasp the thoughts of such a  Big God.  It isn't about doing what we feel is the will of God in our hearts.  Our hearts can be deceptive.  "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"  Jeremiah 17:9  The will of God isn't found in our conscience.  Hebrews 10:22  "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."  The only way we can have true obedience is to focus on the Holy scriptures. 

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."  When we trust in our own understanding, we face disappointment.  If we say we believe, yet we don't take action because of our beliefs; it's like thinking we are going to win a game, yet not practice or participate to try and win the game.  We have to invest if it is something we believe in.  Participating as a believer means knowing Jesus personally and investing our time and our hearts in Him.  Are you obedient to the scriptures?  Does Christ smile when He looks down on  you?  Don't just talk the talk - walk the walk.  Focus on Christ = obedience to His word. Focus on flesh = believing the mind, heart or conscious.  "Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:8 

"If we sow to the Spirit by studying to live unto God, seeking to obey the will of God, and laying ourselves out to promote His honor, we shall not sow in vain.  Life shall be our reward, even everlasting life.  This we enjoy here as we enter into the knowledge of God, communion with God and enjoyment of God.  This life flows on like an ever-deepening, ever-widening river till it bears us to the ocean of felicity (great happiness), where the life of God is ours forever and ever.  Let us not this day sow to our flesh, for the harvest will be corruption, since flesh always tends that way; but with holy self-conquest let us live for the highest, purest and most spiritual ends, seeking to honor our most holy Lord by obeying His most gracious Spirit.   What a harvest will that be when we reap life everlasting! "  ~Charles Spurgeon