Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice
"Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22
The Lord clearly tells us that our obedience to Him is key and He delights in our obedience to Him. God also tells us in Jeremiah, "Obey Me, and I will be your God and you will be My people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you." 7:23 As followers of Christ, we have God's precious Holy Spirit living within us to guide and direct us. It is important that we know when God speaks to us. The Lord speaks in different ways at different times.God does speak and He wants to speak to you! It is important for us to get alone in His presence and listen. We must tune out everything else around us. It may be a still small voice that you hear deep within your soul. It may be that God is speaking through others or through a song. Each time you read God's word, He will speak to you...His word is His love letter to you. His word is powerful, living and active.
When God asks you to do something, you may not understand it at the time. You may even be a bit scared or ask why, but God always has a purpose in mind. How awesome it is that we can be a part of what He wants to do. He does not need our help, but He invites us to share in His plan. God wants our obedience. Jesus said, "everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matthew 7:24 Jesus also said "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?" Luke 6:46 If Jesus is truly Lord of our lives, then we will do what He asks us to do, not because we feel we have to, but because we want to simply for all Jesus has done for us. There is nothing we can do to make God love us any more than He already does. Our lives though, should be a living sacrifice to Him. With our lives, we can glorify and honor the One who gave us life and freedom. Jesus said, "If anyone loves Me, he will obey my teaching." John 14:23 His commands and His teaching are not burdensome and they are for our benefit. There is a sin nature that still remains in us that will try to rise up and do what it wants to do. Paul talked about this in Romans. "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 7:21-25 This is a struggle within our flesh that all Christians face, however, through Jesus, we have the power to overcome this battle. We have to set our minds on Christ and on His kingdom."The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:6 This isn't just something we do once and we are done, not at all...this is a daily battle...but remember, Jesus has already won the victory! We are not fighting for victory, we are fighting from it!
How are you living your life? Is it for your own selfish gain? Are you so busy that you have neglected your relationship with God? It is so easy for us to get distracted by the things of this world. We have families, friends, jobs and other activities that fill up our days. satan would like nothing more that for us to go through our day without giving God a thought. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with all you have to do and don't spend enough time alone with God, start out small, maybe reading the Bible for five minutes each day at a time where there are no distractions. When you wake up in the morning as you are getting ready for your day to start, pray and ask God to make you sensitive to His Spirit and to grow you in Him. Ask Him to create in you a desire to do His will. "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17 Remember, that the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 1 John 4:4
The Lord clearly tells us that our obedience to Him is key and He delights in our obedience to Him. God also tells us in Jeremiah, "Obey Me, and I will be your God and you will be My people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you." 7:23 As followers of Christ, we have God's precious Holy Spirit living within us to guide and direct us. It is important that we know when God speaks to us. The Lord speaks in different ways at different times.God does speak and He wants to speak to you! It is important for us to get alone in His presence and listen. We must tune out everything else around us. It may be a still small voice that you hear deep within your soul. It may be that God is speaking through others or through a song. Each time you read God's word, He will speak to you...His word is His love letter to you. His word is powerful, living and active.
When God asks you to do something, you may not understand it at the time. You may even be a bit scared or ask why, but God always has a purpose in mind. How awesome it is that we can be a part of what He wants to do. He does not need our help, but He invites us to share in His plan. God wants our obedience. Jesus said, "everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matthew 7:24 Jesus also said "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?" Luke 6:46 If Jesus is truly Lord of our lives, then we will do what He asks us to do, not because we feel we have to, but because we want to simply for all Jesus has done for us. There is nothing we can do to make God love us any more than He already does. Our lives though, should be a living sacrifice to Him. With our lives, we can glorify and honor the One who gave us life and freedom. Jesus said, "If anyone loves Me, he will obey my teaching." John 14:23 His commands and His teaching are not burdensome and they are for our benefit. There is a sin nature that still remains in us that will try to rise up and do what it wants to do. Paul talked about this in Romans. "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 7:21-25 This is a struggle within our flesh that all Christians face, however, through Jesus, we have the power to overcome this battle. We have to set our minds on Christ and on His kingdom."The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:6 This isn't just something we do once and we are done, not at all...this is a daily battle...but remember, Jesus has already won the victory! We are not fighting for victory, we are fighting from it!
How are you living your life? Is it for your own selfish gain? Are you so busy that you have neglected your relationship with God? It is so easy for us to get distracted by the things of this world. We have families, friends, jobs and other activities that fill up our days. satan would like nothing more that for us to go through our day without giving God a thought. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with all you have to do and don't spend enough time alone with God, start out small, maybe reading the Bible for five minutes each day at a time where there are no distractions. When you wake up in the morning as you are getting ready for your day to start, pray and ask God to make you sensitive to His Spirit and to grow you in Him. Ask Him to create in you a desire to do His will. "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17 Remember, that the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 1 John 4:4
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