Obedience

So Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said. “Go and visit the prophet,” the king of Aram told him. “I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing.

But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes in dismay, he sent this message to him: “Why are you so upset? Send Naaman to me, and he will learn that there is a true prophet here in Israel.”

But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the LORD his God and heal me! Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage.
So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed! (‭2 Kings‬ ‭5‬:‭4-5, 8, 10-12, 14‬ NLT)

A reminder that obedience is not based on preference. 

Obedience is not based on desire. 

Obedience is based on obedience. 

When we come to the Lord with our need or request. We don’t have the luxury of being in the driver seat. When He answers or directs us to His Word we should be quick to fully obey. 

It is time we remove our preconceived ideas about when and how things should be done. Obedience is better then sacrifice. Obedience is where the blessing is fully engaged. He is the King, we are the servants. Don’t be a Naaman. Be a person of faith and quick obedience.  

Why We Do It

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. (‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭17, 23-24‬ NLT)

I am reminded, and wanted to remind you why we do everything that we do. If we are faithful in this our reward awaits us!

Against All Odds!

9Once an Ethiopian named Zerah attacked Judah with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots. They advanced to the town of Mareshah, 10so Asa deployed his armies for battle in the valley north of Mareshah.11Then Asa cried out to the lord his God, “O  lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O  lord our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O  lord, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!”

12So the lord defeated the Ethiopians in the presence of Asa and the army of Judah, and the enemy fled.

(2 Chronicles 14:9-12 NLT)

The odds are always in your favor if you serve the Lord.

I have no idea what you are facing today. I have no idea the trials you are in middle of.  What I do know is Asa didn’t stand a chance.  Zerah had a million soldiers!  Asa cried out to the Lord, and the Lord rescued Him.

My only thought today is, have you asked the Lord for help?  He is the only God who can deliver you from what seems impossible.  He makes all things possible!

I’m Blessed

Your love delights me, my treasure, my bride. Your love is better than wine, your perfume more fragrant than spices. (‭Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ NLT)

In ministry you often see, hear, and generally observe what is going on other people’s lives.  I have the opportunity and blessing to point people to the Word of God when they are in times of trial and struggle.  I also have the opportunity to recognize that I am blessed.  I can with a straight face, and no hint of lying say this verse is true of my wife.  We have been dating since Oct of 1994.  For some who read this you will think it is not a long time.  For some who read this you will say it is a long time.  I would caution you to not compare your relationship to mine.  It is unfair to you, and it is unfair to me.  We don’t have the same relationship.  What I would say is, love your wife as this verse describes.  If you can’t right now because there is conflict of some sort, pray this verse to be true of your marriage.  God IS able!  Scripture says, “NOTHING is impossible with God!”  I believe this to be true, and regardless of how may it may look, scripture also says, “His ways are higher then our ways, and His thoughts are higher then our thoughts.”  It is frustrating at times, but it is also a blessing.  He knows things we don’t know yet.  What I do know is, He is for you!  He is for your marriage!  Yes, I know I don’t know what he/she did to you.  He is still for your marriage! I will be married for 19 years in August.  I am more in love with my wife today, then I was 18 1/2 years ago.  I have a better understanding of love.  I know my wife better.  I know God better, which allows me to love my wife in a different way.

My prayer today is not that your marriage would be like mine, but rather that you could say this verse would be true of your marriage.  If you honestly can’t at this moment, I am praying for you today.  If you honestly can’t, I would encourage you to pray for your marriage today.  God wants it to work, and so do I!

One last thing-Tell your spouse you love them.  Show them you love them.  Pray for them today regardless of the current status of your marriage.  It will only go well for you!  Plant seeds of blessing, reap a harvest of blessing.  Remember harvest is not immediate, so don’t get mad if they don’t respond as fast as you expect them to respond.  Think about how long it takes a farmer to get their crop.  Love, water the seed, and have faith for the harvest.  He is faithful-what you sow you reap!

He IS Talking About You!

May the glory of the LORD continue forever! The LORD takes pleasure in all he has made! (‭Psalms‬ ‭104‬:‭31‬ NLT)

He is talking about you and me!

Maybe you are struggling today.  Maybe your self confidence is not as high as it could be.  Maybe you are battling depression today.  Here is truth that is the ultimate cure for all of these struggles.

The Lord takes pleasure in you!

Change The Front End!

“O LORD, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help! Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering. (Psalm 141:1-2 NLT)”

We have all prayed this prayer before!
Lord I am desperate.  Lord, I am calling out.  Do you hear me?  Please listen to my cry for help.  Please answer my prayers.  I will do whatever you want.  I will never do these horrible things.  I will never make these mistakes again. If you will just rescue me.  If you will just deliver me.  If you will just remove the consequences of this current bad choice.

“Take control of what I say, O LORD, and guard my lips. Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong. (‭Psalms‬ ‭141‬:3‭-4‬ NLT)”

We don’t often pray the next couple verses!

Take control of my words.  WHAT

Guard my lips. WHAT

Don’t let me drift towards evil, or continue to do those things we know we shouldn’t be doing.  WHAT

We are really great at asking the Lord to rescue.  We are not really great asking Him to help us stay out of the place where we need to be rescued.

My prayer today is to change the front end, knowing the back end will resolve itself.

“Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. (‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭9-13‬ NLT)”

Two Quick Things!

But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? (‭Psalms‬ ‭56‬:‭3-4, 8, 11‬ NLT)

These verses are written by David when he was in captivity by the Philistines at Gath.

Maybe That is Why?

But if his descendants forsake my instructions and fail to obey my regulations, if they do not obey my decrees and fail to keep my commands, then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their disobedience with beating. But I will never stop loving him nor fail to keep my promise to him. No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said. (‭Psalms‬ ‭89‬:‭30-34‬ NLT)

And God still hasn’t changed!

Harvest

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (‭Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭26-29‬ NIV) Harvest is the “word” for this year and Grace Community Church.

You Are Not Kinda Pregnant!

In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. (‭Psalm‬ ‭25‬:‭1-3‬ NIV)

Where do I go in times of trial?