The Right Way To Obey God. Part [13] 01/13/2025 (Morning thought)

Deuteronomy 28:45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee. 46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever. 47 Because thou served not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things.

[2] If one were to obey God the right way, there will be a deep-down joy and peace that cannot be easily disturbed by external circumstances. Persons in this second scenario look on the brighter side of life and they tend to praise God in good times and bad.

 Psalms 100:1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all you lands. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endures to all generations.

In the first scenario we have persons who obey God, but they are not happy doing so, because they view His requirements and laws from the prohibitory side yet they will obey, because it is the right thing to do. There is no real joy, or pleasure to such persons in obedience, for their view is that God’s instructions are an encroachment upon them, but, because of a fear of consequences, they will comply. In this way, one’s service to God descends into a cold formality that becomes devoid of delight.

Malachi 3:15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!

The Right Way To Obey God. Part [12] 01/13/2025 (Evening thought)

Malachi 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers you are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But you said, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

The second erroneous concept on obedience that has crept into Christianity, and one that has soured the relationship between God and many Christian is: [2] The prohibitory perspective to obeying God in which His laws, and instructions are viewed as a restriction to a person’s liberty rather than beneficial to your overall well-being, but you will obey anyway, because you are scared of the consequences.

This particular perspective has wreaked havoc on so many people that it must now be disclosed for what it really is. God does not desire anyone to obey Him because of a fear of consequences. Whenever this is the case, the Christian experience will become one of gloom, instead of joy, and gladness. This particular perspective took very deep root in the hearts and minds of many persons in ages past and today the dirty work still continues. Just for the record, there are two confirmed results to obeying God.

[1] If obeying God is done the wrong way, your focus will always be on the darker side of things, and you would have great difficulty praising God in times of adversity. In addition, it would almost be impossible to recognize the good purposes of God when He may allow trials to come.

Malachi 3:13 Your words have been stout against me saith the Lord, yet you say what have we spoken so much against thee? 14 You have said, it is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!