What food gives me energy and keeps me going?
Jesus challenges us to focus on the main thing. God has a goal for us today. God wants us to …
Tag Archives: Obedience
Am I working for myself? Who am I working for?
My work is not for myself. My work is for our God. I am a slave to my Master Jesus. …
Are we ready to do God’s will?
Many of our struggles about faith have to do with timing. We believe, at least in theory that God will …
Am I cheating on God?
Am I cheating on God? There are times I just want my own way. That cheats God of the relationship …
“The Sovereign Master has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away. I offered my back to those who beat me” ~Isaiah about Jesus
I have a lot to learn about obedience. I have a great teacher in Jesus the Messiah. As a disciple, …
“Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Master.” ~Apostle Paul
I have a job. It is to be obedient to my parents. There was a point in time where that …
“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” ~Apostle Paul
Jesus calls on me to love. That requires that I do good deeds. We not only share God’s grace, but …
“Son though he was, Jesus learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” ~Author of Hebrews
Obedience to the will of God demonstrates the reality of a person’s faith in Jesus the Messiah. I must learn …
Was Jesus the Messiah’s obedience necessary for God’s salvation plan?
I have a lot to learn about obedience. I have a great teacher in Jesus the Messiah. As a disciple, …
“Whatever he tells you, do it.” ~Mary, mother of Jesus
Mary gives the servants at the wedding some good advise. I must listen as well. Notice that is is unqualified …
“Good morning! Did you catch anything for breakfast?” ~Jesus
I go about my work oblivious of Jesus. I don’t think He is around. I feel abandoned. Where is Jesus …
What is the relationship between obedience and faith in God?
Obedience to the will of God demonstrates the reality of a person’s faith in Jesus the Messiah. I must learn …
“I do exactly as the Father commanded Me.” ~Jesus
Jesus commands me to love. Jesus owns me. I am His slave. My job is to do what I am …
“Silence!” ~Jesus
One word. Jesus rebukes the storm. Jesus is in the power of the Holy Spirit, as the Son of God. …
Obedience – Did it mean the ultimate personal cost for Jesus?
Jesus was not wrestling with God’s will or resisting God’s will. Jesus is obedient. He was yielding Himself to God’s …
“When the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us.” ~Apostle Paul
God showed His infinite kindness to me. God sent His Son Jesus to die for me. Surely I can, by …
“I can do nothing on My own initiative.” ~Jesus
Jesus is completely obedient to the will of His Father. 24/7 it is all about what does God want right …
“Keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” ~Apostle Paul
They are smooth. They are slick. They flatter me. What’s the problem? I need to be discerning. There are those who …
“Frauds!” ~Jesus
Jesus has the number of the religious elites. They are constantly trying to trap him. They are constantly trying to …
“Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness.” ~Apostle Paul
Obedience is a willingness to submit myself to the will of God and to put it into effect. Scripture emphasizes the …
Discipleship – Joy is a Benefit and Results from Being a Disciple
Joy is closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state of being than an emotion; a …
New Covenant — Jesus the Messiah, the Mediator of the New Covenant Sealed in Jesus Blood
What is a covenant? A covenant (διαθήκη diathēkē) is an agreement or contract between two parties. In the scriptures, it …
Obedience — Jesus the Messiah is Totally Obedient to His Father’s Will
I have a lot to learn about obedience. I have a great teacher in Jesus the Messiah. Jesus “learned obedience” …
“It is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” ~Jesus
According to the Bible, though, hell is just as real as heaven. The Bible clearly and explicitly teaches that hell …
“When you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’ ”
I am a slave of Jesus. Jesus is my Master (aka Lord). Jesus owns me. I have to be clear about …
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” ~Jesus
Jesus is about to wrap His Manifesto. There is one final parable to lay it all out. There is a contrast …
Obedience — It is Demanded of God’s People
I know. Obeying runs against the grain of what I want to do. Jesus demands that I am an obedient …
“What you believed could happen has happened.” ~Jesus
Jesus challenges me. Jesus wants me to believe. When I do, Jesus is loving, kind and faithful. Jesus wants to …
Slave — Am I a Slave or a Servant? Does it Matter?
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave (dŏulŏs) above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become …
“Escape quickly from the company of fools; they’re a waste of your time, a waste of your words.” ~King Solomon
Scripture portrays fools as those who have rejected God and his ways and are unable or unwilling to appreciate the …
Hell — Temptations to Miss God’s Goal (aka sin) Must be Dealt with Drastically
Do you believe in hell? It is interesting that a much higher percentage of people believe in the existence of …
Jesus didn’t call me to be Christian. He called me to be a disciple.
Jesus didn’t call me to be a Christian. He called me to be a disciple. Jesus is my Master teacher. …
“Why do you call me, ‘Master, Master,’ and do not do what I say?” ~Jesus
Jesus asks very penetrating questions of me. Jesus is patient. Jesus is waiting for my answer. What will I say? …
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” ~Jesus
Jesus continues His Manifesto (aka The Sermon on the Mount). Jesus is getting close to wrapping it up. Jesus doesn’t …
“Come off by yourselves; let’s take a break and get a little rest.” ~Jesus
There have been way too many times I have ignored getting some rest. I worked too many days in a …
“At just the right time, when we were still powerless, the Messiah died for the ungodly. God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, the Messiah died for us” ~Apostle Paul
Good Friday, also known as “Holy Friday,” is the Friday immediately preceding Resurrection Sunday. It is celebrated traditionally as the day …
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” ~Jesus
Maundy Thursday, also known as “Holy Thursday,” is the Thursday of Passion Week, one day before Good Friday (the Friday before …
“Just because I don’t understand what Jesus the Messiah says, I have no right to determine that He must be mistaken in what He says.” ~Oswald Chambers
“Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to Him, “…are You going there again?” —John 11:7-8 Great insight …
“I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” ~Jesus to the religious leaders
Some of the religious leaders [Pharisees] in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But Jesus answered, “I …
“Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion.” ~King Solomon
Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, …
“If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you.” ~Jesus
If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll …
“What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things?” ~Jesus
Jesus is teaching us. He has given us the power of his Holy Spirit. What a gift. What a God …
‘TWEEN GOD AND ME – Coat
Originally posted on Sweet aroma:
“Ooh, she looks cold,” I thought as I drove past the girl sitting on the bus…
“But an independent witness confirms me, the most reliable Witness of all.” ~Jesus
Jesus is very clear in what he is saying to his disciples. Jesus knows it is not about Jesus. It …
“If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ say … ” ~Jesus
Jesus gives me a job to do. It may not make sense. My job is to do it. When asked, …
“So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.” ~Author of Hebrews
Are we ready for some rest? I know I am to rest. So here is a promise that is considered …
“Do you think you’re about to be promoted to heaven? Think again. You’re on a mudslide to hell.” ~~Jesus
Jesus spent a lot of time in the town of Capernaum. In speaking of them, He is direct in letting …
Is Jesus a respectable religious leader? A Mr. Rogers with a beard?
Is Jesus a respectable religious leader? Jesus is not interested in being a “respectable religious leader”. He is not Mr. …
"Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future." ~~Oscar Wilde
Here we go. We are all in the same boat. Saint and sinner alike. I have a past and I …
“I couldn’t be more pleased—I’m so confident and proud of you.” ~Apostle Paul
As we start out on the journey with Jesus, it helps to have leaders who inspire us. Sure, I need …
Is God’s word important for my life? 3 important questions to answer.
Is God’s word important for my life? Am I living it out in my life? For most believers we read …
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” ~Jesus
Why? The words of Jesus haunt me. Why do I pretend that he is my Master and then not obey …
“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” ~Jesus
What does it take to be a part of God’s family? The answer is very straight forward. Jesus doesn’t hold …
“I must get rid of the underlying idea that I can ever be right with God because of my obedience.” ~Oswald Chambers
What can I do to get right with God? Nothing. Nada. Zip. Not a single solitary thing. I have the …
“Something has always come up and prevented it.” ~Apostle Paul
Paul knew how to plan. Fortunately, he listened to God and so sometimes was unwilling to follow what he planned …
“You’re more than happy when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him.” ~King David
How can I be happy? How can I be more than happy? It is pretty simple and straight forward. King …
"When you’re celebrating a wedding, you don’t skimp on the cake and wine. You feast." ~~Jesus to religious leaders
The religious leaders of the day were constantly trying to trap Jesus. It didn’t work but it didn’t keep them …
"But the witness that really confirms me far exceeds John’s witness. It’s the work the Father gave me to complete." ~~Jesus
How do we know about Jesus and who He is? Just look at the totality of what He did and …
“I decided not to make another visit that could only be painful to both of us.” ~Apostle Paul
Paul decided not to show up, even though he was wanted. How often, just because someone asks me to come, …
“I was convinced at the time I wrote it that what was best for me was also best for you.” ~~Apostle Paul
What is the best thing to do? What does God want? Do I pray first or just do what I …
"It’s not what you do for God but what God does for you—that’s the agenda for rejoicing." ~~Jesus
Jesus reminds me it’s not about me. That comes as a shock because I love to live like it is. …
“Do whatever he tells you.” ~Mother of Jesus (Mary)
This is pretty good advise. It came from a woman who knew Jesus very well. His mother knew who Jesus …
“Think of yourselves the way the Messiah Jesus thought of himself.” ~Apostle Paul
The birth of Jesus has special meaning. We must see it from the eyes of Jesus, our Messiah. We should …
Is my obedience not so much out of love as it is out of carefulness? “Just tell me what to do, God, and I’ll do it.”
Jesus told of the man who entrusted three of his servants with thousands of dollars, urging them to handle his …
“God-friendship is for God-worshipers; They are the ones he confides in.” ~King David
Jesus calls me to maturity and to be a friend. It is my obedience and worship of God that leads …
“Abraham went, even though he did not know where he was going.” ~Author of Hebrews
Worry is not faith. Faith is obedience. God says go. I must go. God has a goal in mind for me. …
“Grace doesn’t overlook sin, it empowers obedience.” ~~Bill Johnson
Grace leads us somewhere very important. It leads us to where Jesus wants us to go. Grace leads us to …
Is God our friend?
We start out as slaves. Our path to maturity starts with servitude and obedience. I saw this in my relationship …
“I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.” ~King David
Now here is a good word. What should I do? I should seek Jesus with my whole heart. David knew …
“So what difference does it make who’s religious and who isn’t?” ~Apostle Paul
It isn’t about who was raised in the church and has a religious background. Paul is clear on that. If …
What is Jesus saying to me today that requires supernatural courage?
There were two who walked on water. Jesus wasn’t the only one. Peter had supernatural courage. Jesus said one word. …
"Quiet! Get out of him!" ~~Jesus to the demons in a man
Jesus has authority over everything. To the demons He says “Get out” and they do. They know who Jesus is. …
“The person who obeys my heavenly Father’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” ~Jesus
Family is important. We think it is the most important thing. Jesus challenges me to understand that the most important …
” God the Father has his eye on each of you.” ~Apostle Peter
God has given me an assignment. Jesus personally has a mission for me. I must focus on knowing what it is …
“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.” ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
When Jesus says it is time to go, it is time to move on. To not obey is deadly to …
"Neither he (the Son) nor the Father shuts anyone out." ~~Jesus
Jesus demands radical obedience from us but also brings good news. No one is shut out from God. All are …
“The great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God’s authority over you and presence with you.” ~Jesus
Jesus, the Messiah and our Master, challenges to understand what is remarkable about this powerful life in the Spirit of …
““I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking.” ~Jesus
Powerful message from Francis Chan. Jesus, the Messiah and our Master, requires pretty much one thing. We must be obedient God. …
“Thanks for giving your lunch to God. He did something with it; it became the Bread of Life for me.” ~Max Lucado
Great story from Max Lucado. We never know how our faith in Jesus will pay off. Even when it makes …
” Jesus became the source of eternal salvation to all who believingly obey him.” ~Author of Hebews
Our mission is to obey King Jesus, the Messiah. This leads to our rescue which delivers us out of destruction …
“If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us.” ~~Oswald Chambers
Am I willing to let others experience pain because I am following Jesus? Obedience brings joy to the believer. To …
“Keep his commandments.” ~~Apostle John
It is fairly normal to question our relationship with God. Just think of Thomas. Jesus loved him and chose him …
“Though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned trusting-obedience by what he suffered, just as we do.” ~Author of Hebrews
How do we learn trusting-obedience? This is not an answer we want to hear. We learn trust and obedience by …
“Those earlier ones never did get to the place of rest because they were disobedient.” ~Author of Hebrews
We have the promise. It has not been fulfilled yet. We can receive it today even though in the past …
"I can’t do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide to act." ~~Jesus
Jesus only does what he hears the Father say to do. That is His standard for us as well. We …
"You can trust my decision because I’m not out to get my own way but only to carry out orders." ~~Jesus
Jesus can be trusted. Jesus doesn’t have a self serving bone in His body. Jesus only does what He sees the Father …
“Because Jesus honored God, God answered him.” ~Author of Hebrews
Jesus is all about doing what He sees His Father doing. He listens to God. Jesus doesn’t do anything without …
"Travel light. Comb and toothbrush and no extra luggage." ~~Jesus
Jesus challenges us and gives some good advice. Focus on today’s needs and not long term plans. It runs counter …
“Obedience is an act of faith; disobedience is the result of unbelief.” ~~Edwin Louis Cole
God asks us to have faith that He knows what is good for us. God then asks to act on …
Am I willing to suffer and mature? Will I rejoice and be happy?
Jesus, the Son of GOD, came to earth and suffered for us. Imagine that. Take a minute to think about …
"God has given His commands to us, but we pay no attention to them, … because we do not truly love and respect Him." ~~Oswald Chambers
Is it about obedience or is it about love? We like to think it is about obedience. That is the …
The Digital Ministry: A Manifesto
Jesus has a mission for us. He commissioned us. He commanded us to do it. He demands we pay attention. …
"But it wasn’t by any fancy footwork on our part" ~~Apostle Paul
Paul depended on Jesus and the Holy Spirit to speak about the Good News. He depended on Jesus completely. While …
“You have set my heart free.” ~King David
Not only has He healed my heart, He has set it free. That freedom leads me to run in the …
“Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” ~Jesus
Here is a lesson in worry from our Master Jesus. Jesus wasn’t worried. He wasn’t anxious. He was just doing what …
"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow." ~~Jesus
Jesus challenges us to focus on what God is doing today, right now. That is all that Jesus did. He …
"My Father is working straight through, even on the Sabbath. So am I." ~~Jesus
Jesus rattles the religious leaders. He does it all the time. It is intentional. No, I didn’t mean to do …
""All heaven is interested in the cross of Christ, all hell terribly afraid of it, while men are the only beings who more or less ignore its meaning." ~~Oswald Chambers
We miss God’s goal for our life. We want to be God and decide what to do. There is a …
“We are His workmanship, created in the Messiah Jesus for good works.” ~Apostle Paul
There is no plan B. There is no backup plan. Contingencies are out the door. God has a goal for …
"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." ~~King Solomon
Generosity is interesting. It brings a blessing back to me. That blessing takes many forms. The greatest is the joy …
