The Way of Obedience
J. Allen Blair
A person may try many ways to please God, but there is only one way acceptable to Him and that is obedience to His Word, the Bible. It doesn't matter what we think is right. The question is, "What does God say in His Word? After we know that, then we are to do it.
A New Life Conference was being held in a Christian church in the Belgian Congo. Missionaries and lay people traveled many miles to be strengthened by the Word of God and to have fellowship one with another. At the close of the first day, groups gathered to praise the Lord for His goodness. One elderly gentlemen, who had come a long distance to attend the conference, prayed, "Oh, Lord, Thou art the needle and I am the cotton."
During the course of the day, he had seen some of the ladies sewing. And the thought of cotton, following the needle wherever it went, reminded him of the importance of following the Lord Jesus Christ. What a splendid thought this was, coming from the dedicated lips of this saint. "Oh, Lord, Thou art the needle and I am the cotton.
Repeatedly, as Christ went about speaking to His anxious listeners, he would issue the appeal, Follow me. This meant more then becoming a disciple by name. It meant the pledging of one's life to Christ-forsaking all to follow Him.
This thought is stated clearly in Matthew 16:24 where Jesus said If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. The result of such a commitment should be obedience to the revealed will of God. Our concern should not be what shall I do or where shall I go but, rather, what does God want me to do? Where does God want me to go?
Recently, I read in the book of Ezra that God's servant had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments (Ezra 7:10). The word seek as it is used here is stronger than the use we normally place upon it. It expresses the thought of pursuit or search. Ezra studied the Scriptures diligently in search of God's plan for his life. Why? First, that he might do it and, secondly, that he might teach it. The order is correct. There is no use for any of us to attempt to teach God's Word until we obey it. Obedience to the Word of God is the keystone of Christian character. One may not possess the gift of preaching or teaching, but he can still be used of the Lord if obedient.
Someone gave a testimony in one of the Moody meetings. "I am not quite sure of all of the doctrines, and I do not know the Bible too well, but there is one thing I am determined to do. I am simply going to trust and obey.
D. B. Towner was in that meeting and he jotted down the thought of "trust and obey. He passed it on to J. H. Sammis who said, "That's the heart of the Gospel. He used these words for the well-known Gospel hymn with the chorus, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. How true this is, and how important it is that we obey God. There is no real value in simply storing up Bible knowledge without obedience.
I am reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul, which he uttered at the time of his conversion. Immediately after he was stricken and fell to the ground as the result of the blinding light that surrounded him, he cried out "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? God responded by telling Paul what to do, and he did it.
Before his conversion, Paul was a proud, angry man who had been pouring out his wrath upon believers. But he was transformed by the mighty power of God. He was changed from a haughty, rebellious unbeliever to a zealous, obedient child of God. He who had everything suddenly became as though he had nothing. And for the rest of his days he lived, worked, and ultimately died as God's servant.
The path of a servant must always be the path of obedience. Otherwise, he ceases to be a servant. The word servant is as inseparably linked with obedience as is work with workman. A servant must move when the bell rings. The master's work cannot wait for personal needs. Implicit obedience is required. Every follower of Christ, like Paul, is a servant of God-not to do what pleases himself, but what pleases Christ. Paul declared, Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's (1 Corinthians 6:20).
A pilot was experiencing difficulty in landing his plane because of the fog. It was decided in the airport control tower to bring him in by radar. As the directions were being given, the pilot suddenly remembered a tall pole in his flight path and appealed in panic to the control tower about it. The reply was returned bluntly. "You obey the instructions. We will take care of the obstructions."
That is a worthwhile message for all of us. We worry, fret, and become overly concerned about the obstructions that surround us. But our real concern should be relative to God's instructions. The question "What does He want from me? should be given top priority at all times. As Ezra did, we are to search the Scriptures daily and determine to do God's will with an earnest desire.
For whom are you living, my Christian brother or sister-Christ or yourself? There is no promise of satisfaction in the self-life, but there is in the obedient life. When we, as humble servants, walk with the Lord and obey Him, there is fulfillment not known in any other way. This does not necessarily mean that there will always be freedom from discomfort. In hardship, Paul ended up dying as a prisoner, as a result of His obedience to Christ. One thing is certain, however, there is peace and blessing in being obedient to God.
Are you finding satisfaction in Christ? If not, it could be that you are not obeying Him. Seek God's will and plan for your life and do it. I guarantee that you will discover a new dimension in your Christian experience producing a new appreciation of Christ, your Lord.
It could very well be that your critical, rebellious attitude is an indication of your lack of relationship to the Lord. You may have the knowledge, understanding the way of salvation, but you have not yet experienced Jesus Christ as your Lord.
Why not settle things at this moment, by inviting Christ to become your Lord, while making the confession to Him that you will obey Him, whatever the cost?
Jesus said, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).
Let your light so shine before men... (Matthew 5:16).
During the month of September 2009 you may request a free copy of Dr. Blair's autobiography,
Shining The Light.
(free and postage paid to a USA address while supplies last)
R U Comfortable?
We see huge signs in our state: R U Due? That's to remind us to have the autos inspected each year. We have a message that encourages a check-up of your service. If you are too comfortable, doing nothing for Christ, then this message is for you: Get Busy for God.
We'll send a free printed copy when you request it.
Free to Give More than Tithe
Dear Gary, I received the response from my tithing question, and agree as to the clarification and scriptures. I do not tithe based on the law but I give according to the fact that I love God and want to obey His Word. To show my love and obedience for Him, my giving is from my heart because Jesus is my High Priest forever.
GOD IS MY SOURCE for all things. No matter how much or how little I have to work with, I would not have it if it were not for God.
Answer - ALL IS WELL WITH ME AND MY FAMILY!! Peace and blessings to you, C.
Calendar Alert!
Due to changes in technology, demand, cost of production, and the availability of a variety of calendar formats, we are no longer producing the Scripture Planner Calendar. Our sincere thanks to those who have used the calendar personally and for gifts over the last two decades!
Your Birth Month
Gary M. Janes
Once each year it rolls around. After a few decades, somehow we still remember it. If we were to try to forget the aging process, our "good friends would be sure to remind us!
But do you know that you have an expected time to die? No, I'm not referring to the Bible verse, but to the actuary tables. That's right! Someone has figured out the likely-hood of the date of your death and it's written on paper.
If that shocks you, then what the Bible has to say should be even more shocking.
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27).
R U Ready?