Time to Feel Good About How Well We Obey

Okay! None of us enjoy someone telling us what to do all the time. I’ve heard plenty of jokes about the hen-pecked man who cowers at his towering, overbearing wife. Seems he would rather “obey” her than deal with the consequences. But, really, most people don’t like being told what to do.

Especially as we grow up, rules seem less necessary and even a little stuffy. There’s just this part of us that wants to keep the rules, but maybe find ways to bend them without breaking them. I was really inspired a few weeks ago when I heard a message on the Sabbath Day commandment: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God." It is a commandment like the others -- so when I'm working and not resting and keeping it holy, then I'm disobeying. I know that God gave us the commandments as a set of life-giving guidelines that when we keep them, we'll find the greatest pathways to living a blessed life. He gave them to us in the context of love.

The Ten Commandments (get that -- commandments – not suggestions) were given to God’s children – not as an overbearing tyrant Who gives unreasonable demands on His subjects, but as a loving, caring, giving father or mother or husband or wife to the ones they love so much.

When I think of the Ten Commandments, I think about the Psalmist's words in Psalm 19:7-14: “The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is GREAT REWARD.”

I love that! So many promises from God Who wants us to succeed and be blessed in every area of our lives. So, of course, the Psalmist’s words here are filled with excitement about RULES! WHAT? Who gets excited about rules? We should. When it comes to God’s decrees, says the Psalmist, nothing could be better. They are more precious than gold and silver, sweeter than honey. He goes so far as to yearn for God’s commands, as if to say, “More! Give me more!”

Notice the Psalmist has a lot of different words for the Law: statutes, precepts, decrees, commands. It’s not just a matter of commandments that we have to follow. It’s a way of life that brings fulfillment and peace. That's cause for rejoicing. I mean -- just pick any commandment. What would be the long-term results of disregarding it? Pain, brokenness, separation from others and from God. Now, contrast this with the benefits of following that commandment. A healthy relationship with God, a stable family life, relationships of trust with others, a balanced life. God’s decrees really are sweeter than honey!

Maybe we should take some time today to think about how well we keep those commandment and are seeing the good fruit that is borne in our lives because of our obedience. And if we’re slacking – then it’s time to express our need for forgiveness and becoming a loving follower of God so that He can bless us with so many good and tasty things – like that sweet honey from the honeycomb.

“Father, thank you for loving us so much that you gave us the ways of experiencing your blessings here and forever.”

Time to Register for Cross Training

On New Year's Day, I heard this said:: "This is going to be your best year ever, but keep in mind, though you may be going in with a clean slate, you're still taking some of the "old" in with you. You still take YOU!"

That's a wake-up call, isn't it? It's awe-inspiring to think that the old stuff -- the negative circumstances, the mistakes and failures, the overwhelming and the underwhelming situations are over with, because we think "2017 is going to be different. Good things are coming my way this year! 2017 is going to be MY greatest year EVER!" But, once again, what has changed in you AND me, that guarantees a better year?

Bottom line...we probably need to undergo some tweaking with our attitudes, our outlooks, our overspending, our carelessness, our tempers, our giving (or the lack thereof), and our heartfelt appreciation for how blessed we really are.

The way for the most guaranteed-for-success-outcome, is to lean into the ONE who will make the most significant difference in our 2017. Rather than God being simply a casual acquaintance to us and only when we need Him that we call on Him, we should make Him the CENTER of everything...our finances, our relationships, our health, our character, and our devotion. To be fully devoted followers of Christ, makes the difference. How often do we just "sprinkle" a little Jesus into our day by a mere glance at Him. But when we understand that He is the difference maker in everything about our lives. When it really dawns on us that He lives inside us and, when we rely on Him for the best decisions to make, the kindest attitude to others, the character that does the right thing when no one is looking, and seriously consider our actions by submitting our emotions to Him, saying "I'm not responding that way any more.

Luke 2:52 says that the young Jesus "grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." Now that's what I'm talking about. Though we leave the past mistakes and all the negatives in the past, because we bring ME, MYSELF and I into the new year, wouldn't it be a great idea to determine that "THIS YEAR, I will do some CROSS TRAINING and grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man." We do that -- not just by sprinkling a little Jesus on our lives....but all out making Him the Lord of our lives and purposing to surrender our "old" selves to Him, obey Him and His Word, and live with all out gusto of being, not sprinkled, but FLOODED with the Great I AM!!!