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Obedience vs. Rebellion: Learning from Abraham and Saul – Bible Reflection

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The Bible teaches us that we are to be faithful and obedient. Most of us think we are faithful and obedient because we follow the Word of God in the most general of ways. However, God is not looking for general adherence to the Word. He looks at how we listen and interpret His commands.

When God told Abraham (Genesis 22) to sacrifice his son, Issac, he did not deliberate, he did not weigh the loss of a son, he, in faith, knew God had a reason he wanted him to sacrifice his son Isaac. He believed God’s commands had purpose and the outcome depended upon his response and love for the Lord. In this case, because of his obedience the angel, in verse 12, told him not to lay a hand on the boy.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” ~Genesis 22:12 NIV, Biblegateway.com

Sometimes God tests our faith and sometimes He instructs us in which way to go. The angel of the Lord called out to Abraham a second time to convey God’s declaration to him.

15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you… ~Genesis 22:15-16 NIV, BibleGateway.com

All scripture, that means every word in the Bible is God-breathed. He uses the Word to teach, rebuke, correct and train us in righteousness.

 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV, Biblegateway.com

The NLT version says that it teaches us what is true to help us realize what is wrong in our lives. The Word teaches us to do what is right.

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT, Biblegateway.com

We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 ESV, openbible.info

Abraham clearly chose to listen and follow God’s command. He was 100% in. He did as instructed. How often do we follow God’s instructions for our lives?

There was a time when God instructed me to stop spending. I thought, I was not overspending and interpreted His message as being more of a request and not a command. God knows the path to our destiny. He is the great architect. I had prayed for Him to reveal the next stage in my life to do His good work. Little did I realize that overspending was a lesson I needed to follow to get to the next stage. I did not follow His command like Abraham. I scaled back, like Saul who interpreted the commandment to meet his own needs.

To borrow a quote from Radical.net, God help us. Help us to give to you in worship what you have asked, the obedience of our hearts. God help us to hear your Word, and to obey your Word; hear your voice, and obey your voice. We pray that you would be glorified in our obeying your voice. ~Obedience of Sacrifice,1 Samuel 15:22 ESV.

God knows us. He created us and He knows how we will respond. The money was not the issue. My heart was the issue. Jesus said to Peter, if you love me obey my commands (John 14:15 KJV, Biblegateway.com), meaning follow my Word. He commands each of us to do the same thing, “obey/follow my commands.”

We pray that you would be glorified in our obeying your voice. God, we pray you would keep all of us, from at any point, getting caught up in practicing religion, and going to church, and taking part in this or that activity, while disobeying you and your word in our lives. ~Obedience of Sacrifice,1 Samuel 15:22 ESV, Radical.net.

In looking back, I now see where I strayed. I did not immediately follow His commands. I did not curtail my spending. I, like Saul, who told Samuel, that he did kill all the Amalekites as commanded, added I brought back Agag their King. I thought I followed God’s command to stop spending, however, like Saul, I left one thing out.  I slowed my spending down. As a sidebar, I felt guilty each time I did, but that did not stop me. How often do we fail to listen to the quiet voice telling us we are in the wrong yet forge ahead anyway? My decision to follow God’s command my way was a form of rebellion.

Samuel told Saul: 3 When Samuel finally found him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. “May the Lord bless you,” he said. “I have carried out the Lord’s command!”14 “Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?” Samuel demanded.15 “It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle,” Saul admitted. “But they are going to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. We have destroyed everything else.”

16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Listen to what the Lord told me last night! “What did he tell you?” Saul asked.17 And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? 19 Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord? 20 “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. 22 But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?

Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols!” ~1 Samuel 15 NIV, Web.mit.edu

Like Saul, I heard what I wanted to hear. I interpreted what I was commanded to do in a way that satisfied me. I did not obey the Lord as Abraham did. As followers of Christ, we must train ourselves to be obedient in all things, not just some things. God listens to our voice and watches our actions that demonstrate either our obedience or our act of rebellion.

We reap the consequences of self-love/rebellion, following our own interpretation of what God commands. In my case, our finances spiraled downward. If I had listened to His command, I would not have been in the position to have to rebuild financial solvency, and Saul would have been the King of Israel.

26But Samuel said to him, “…You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as the king of Israel!” ~1 Samuel 15 NIV, Web.mit.edu

All scripture is God-breathed. The Word is not open to interpretation that satisfies our pride. It requires complete obedience. Obedience is defined as an act or practice of obeying, dutiful or submissive compliance. ~ Online Dictionary.

Our actions are judged through the lens of obedience or rebellion. As Christians, we are being observed by many. Our actions speak louder than words. If we tell others to submit to the Word and be disciplined, we must first practice what we preach. As doers of the Word, we must learn to be obedient. God, through the Holy Spirit, reinforces His Word and His Will for our lives.  We are rebuked as needed, trained, and corrected in righteousness. God continually prunes the dead and withering branches in our lives to strengthen our dedication and submission to Him.

This article is purposeless if we do not examine our motives and submission to the Word of God. Ask yourself:

  • Am I an Abraham or a Saul?
  • What have you learned about yourself from this study?
  • Do you obey God’s commands like Abraham, operating in the spiritual realm being obedient and specifically following God’s commands and instruction for your life?

or

  • Do you operate in the carnal realm of rebellion like Saul?
  • What are your plans to fully submit?

Our life is a journey. We will stray from the straight and narrow path more than once during our lifetime. Our mission is to learn from each mistake, apply it to our lives, submit to God, work to eliminate rebellion and serve our God by sharing the Good News with all within our scope of influence.

We must always work to be faithful and obedient understanding that God’s way is not our way and stop interpreting His Will for us using our finite scope of understanding to forge our own path.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ~ Isaiah 55:8-9 NIv, biblegateway.com

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all of your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. ~Proverbs 4:26-27 NIV, biblestudytools.com

Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” ~Isaiah 30:21NIV, biblehub.com

Photos: Google.com, free images

The Sound of God’s Love is Quiet

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One definition of ‘sound’ is the vibration transmitted through the air or other medium. (Dictionary.com) The sound is noisy, loud, and resounding. But in the Bible, John tells of a vastly different sound, one that reverberates through the body and throughout the world. I call this sound the sound of God’s love and this sound reverberates in the form of inner peace.

God loved us so much that He sent His Son to earth to take away our pain of living in eternal sin in exchange for His Son’s death. He sent Jesus to die on the cross for us.

During His three years in ministry, He taught His disciples to love as the Father loves Him and He loves us. This type of love, agape love, is free of condemnation. He teaches us to listen beyond the words of those who betray us, hate us, and have disdain for who we are in Christ. He taught us to love regardless of personal interactions.

In the Old Testament David slayed Goliath hurling a stone that killed him to save his people. This young boy relied on his faith in God to slay a giant. It was not the noise of the stone jettisoning towards the giant’s head that he heard, it was the love of his Lord that spoke to his heart and gave him the confidence to take on an unimaginable task. Most of the stories in the Old Testament reflect quiet sounds when God communicated with His people, during other times it was verbal and often loud, as the Holy Spirit had not yet entered our hearts. All of the stories demonstrated the love of God for His people that reverberates in us and around the world today.

In the New Testament, we no longer audibly hear God’s voice, instead, He speaks through the Holy Spirit, who lives in us, and instructs us in the quiet still sound of His voice. His voice is the voice of God., God’s love emanates His Glory. His Glory reverberates in the hearts of believers and gives new life. God’s love is quiet yet reverberates throughout the world, calling all to join His family. God’s love is the love of a Father calling out to His children. the sound of God’s love is quiet, intense, profound, and peaceful, all in the same moment.

Associated Scriptures

John 10:27 ESV, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

Hebrews 4:12 ESV, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of would and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

John 10:16 ESV, “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock.”

Hebrews 3:7 ESV, “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,”

Psalm 85:8 ESV, “Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people…”

1 John 5:14 ESV, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him (faith), that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

John 3:16 ESV, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

“God loves each of us as tho there is only one of us.” St. Augustine

Scriptures – biblegateway.com, ESV; Itakeoffthemask.com

Images – The God of Love – NIV; Michael Dudlash, Pinterest; spreadinghopeeverywheretalks.com

What Proves Salvation?

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THOUGHT – Something that stood out to me in the BSF Study of the Book of John, Lesson 19. “Jesus taught that love for God motivates obedience, not that obedience is the method of salvation. A believer’s obedience does not contribute to his or her salvation but proves it.” Question – Why does obedience prove one’s salvation? (p.p. 269)

If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved (salvation). Acts 16:30-31

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (salvation). John 3:16

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (salvation). Romans 10:9-10

If you do not have the Spirit of Christ, He cannot live in you, and you do not belong to Him (no salvation). If you receive Christ is your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit lives in you. If the Spirit lives in you, He is your advocate, comforter, counselor, and teacher (salvation).

When we receive Christ, He enters our being in the form of the Holy Spirit who begins to change our lives. We move away from carnal desires and habits and exchange them for Jesus’ commands. Our new life reflects Christ’s command to Love God and obey His commands (salvation). (Romans 8)

For by grace, you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works (salvation). Ephesians 2:8

When we receive Christ, we are motivated, not by works, but through faith to obey the Word of God. Our behavior changes as we demonstrate the love of God. This demonstration drives our desire to obey the Lord’s commands and live them out in our daily lives.

God motivates our obedience. Our obedience proves our salvation.

Image: LAB Photos

Scriptures: Biblegateway.com


UPDATE: Do You Recognize Spiritual Attacks?

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When our life goes sideways, we are generally under spiritual attack.

I have studied spiritual warfare for over 12 years, and this is the best video I have seen. I found it on Facebook by a renowned Christian author, McDaniel. If you are FB members, you can also access it at RspH@K7CdEC

Debbie McDaniel, Facebook TAP ABOVE ARROW TO VIEW

Dear Lord, I pray that you cover each person that ruminates and ponders over spiritual attacks and begins to identify past attacks against them. Stand with them, alert them of current attacks, and give them wisdom in casting them away from their families, friends, associates, and careers. In Jesus Holy Name, Amen.

I pray the prayer for protection, the 91st Psalm, over them and encourage them to begin their days with this prayer.

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. With long life, I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.””
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:1-16‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.91.1-16.NIV

Google Images

I am listing several posts from my Youngchristianwarriors.com acct on this subject. Visit this site for additional posts.

* Satan Cycles Our Experiences https://www.youngchristianwarriors.com/satan-cycles-our-experiences/

* Youngchristianwarriors.com/Worried and Troubled About Many Things https://www.youngchristianwarriors.com/worried-and-troubled-about-many-things/

* Youngchristianwarriors.com/ Demolishing Strongholds https://www.youngchristianwarriors.com/demolishing-strongholds/

* Youngchristianwarriors.com/Stand Fast During These Crazy Times https://www.youngchristianwarriors.com/stand-fast-during-these-crazy-times/

* Youngchristianwarriors.com/God’s Promises Strengthen Us For The Battle, Spiritual Warfare https://www.youngchristianwarriors.com/gods-promises-strengthen-us-for-the-battle-spiritual-warfare/

* Youngchristianwarriors.com/Pandemics and Spiritual Warfare https://www.youngchristianwarriors.com/pandemics-and-spiritual-warfare/

* Why We Should Anoint Ourselves-Family-Homes-and-Workplace https://www.youngchristianwarriors.com/why-we-should-anoint-ourselves-family-homes-and-workplace/

* Conquering Evil By Doing Good, Part 1 https://www.youngchristianwarriors.com/conquering-evil-part-1/

* God’s Will, God’s Promises, Part 2 https://www.youngchristianwarriors.com/gods-will-gods-promises-part-2/

* Where Is Your Focus? https://www.youngchristianwarriors.com/where-is-your-focus/

UPDATE: Where Did God Place You?

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You pray and pray and pray, and God blessed you within His Will. Did He bestow a blessing that mirrored your prayer?

My husband and I lived in the Midwest for ten years. I wanted to move back to the West Coast, meaning Los Angeles. I prayed without ceasing, with self as the center point. I wanted to move back to L.A..

My pray was not one that reflected dependence upon God. I did not ask what His Will was for me, instead I told Him what I wanted, not thinking about His big picture for my life and where I was best suited to accomplish His work.

Image – Linda Moore Curry, Pinterest

The place I would accomplish His work was not Los Angeles, as I desired. It was Oakland, a place I refused to move to earlier in life. I did not care for the Bay Area. My husband had been offered a job in the Bay 10 years earlier. He was also offered an opportunity in Kansas where we moved. I would do anything to avoid the Bay.

Looking back, God planted me in Kansas to prepare me for the position as administrator at a charter school in, of all places, Oakland, Ca. Life was not easy in Kansas. We were in a recession and our jobs did not materialize as planned and offered. The state froze government jobs, i.e., the University of Kansas. I scrambled for employment and ended up taking two part time positions and a quarter coordinator position, yes that is equal to a full time plus job. We were also raising three sons who needed our attention. The jobs kept me going, made ends meet even though I was a college graduate and felt under paid with little to do with my degrees. Crazy right? Amazingly to the untrained eye, these experiences did not mount up to the reality. It turned out to be my training time in the desert. Each position offered experience in some component needed to succeed in my next task God was preparing me to undertake.This season was actually a blessing and also served to advance my husbands career.

All to often we can not see the forest for the trees. The trees are in our line of scope. Similarly, our prayers are in our line of scope. The forest is where God chooses to plant us to acquire the skills and knowledge to accomplish His work. The next time you feel you are in the wrong place, take time to recognize God has you where He wants you for that period in time. We are His apprentices. Apprenticeships often feel demeaning, without purpose or cause. But, within the context of doing things you feel require little of your abilities are the nuggets, the diamonds, that once connected prepare you for your next step.

I like the NLT version of Isaiah 55:8-9 because the message is clear –

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
‭‭https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.55.8-9.NLT

The Living, Tumblr

God chooses us and prepares us to do His work, His Will. In the case of Paul, (I am not implying any of us are Paul’s in the truest sense), we are God’s ambassadors on earth, sent here to accomplish His Will.

In the article, The Preparation of Paul, the writer shares: “Paul said that when Christ called him, he did not go to Jerusalem to receive instruction from the apostles. Rather, he retired into Arabia for a time and not until three years later did he go to Jerusalem… It has often been remarked that Paul clearly implied that he spent three years being taught by Jesus Himself (1:12), either directly or (perhaps more likely) through the study of the Word. Thus, like the other apostles, Paul studied with Christ for three years before beginning his ministry (compare Acts 1:21). Ligonier.org. March 19, 1992.

Paul spent three years preparing for his mission, career if you will, before God placed him in the role.

David is also a good example of how God applies His Will.

David did not become King over night. David was the youngest, least hardy and not handsome like his brothers. His father taught him a skill because there was little hope of him becoming anything more. But it was precisely the skill, being a good sheppard, that was needed for him to become a man of God and a great king.

Did you know that God sent Samuel to tell David that he would be king when he was just 15 years old? At that time, David was just a shepherd boy who was always overlooked by his older brothers. But God had a plan for David’s life, it just took a while for it to happen. David had to be patient and trust that God would do what he promised. David had to run away from King Saul who hated David. When King Saul died, David was finally made king. In total, David had to wait 22 years to be the king of all of Israel! Have you ever had to wait for something that you really wanted? If you have, you know how hard it is to be patient. But, maybe you’ve only had to wait a few days or a week…maybe a month. David had to wait a lot longer than that. So kids, here’s the lesson. Sometimes God will make us wait. He may not answer every prayer just how we want or he might take longer to answer than we like. But, we can trust God’s timing because he’s God and he knows what he’s doing. His timing is always perfect. Be patient! (David Becomes King. Pursuegodkids.org)

When David was a teenager, he was anointed as the next king of Israel. It was then that he faced Goliath, was banished by Saul, hid in the desert, lived on the run, forced out of the nation, and fought many battles. It was nearly 15 years between the time that he was anointed king and actually became king. He was tested, just like Joseph, so that God could convert him from a shepherd into a king. (Quota.org Gert Britz)

Paul and David are great examples of how God prepares us to accomplish His Will. The Bible is our manual, our guidebook. If God trained them, placed them in desperate situations, sent them places he would not have chosen on their own, why would it be any different for us today?

God also chose women to accomplish His Will, in a time when women were second class citizens if you will. He chooses the unlikely so the world will know it is not our doing. In fact, the vast majority of the hero’s and heroines throughout history were ordinary individuals who God planted a seed in before they were born. What is the proof, read Jeremiah 1:5 where he penned God’s words, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.”

We should always dig deeper when we are in situations that feel leads no where, or in a direction not of our choosing. There are hidden gems, lessons, skills, knowledge and wisdom that is being imparted in those moments, times, seasons, and years.

Again, our time is not His time, nor our thoughts His. We are His and He has plans for our future. Jeremiah 29:11 poignantly states:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
‭‭https://jeremiah.bible/jeremiah-29-11

Peaceful Home

I wrote this post days ago and my Pastor’s Daily Devotional focuses on this topic. Amazingly, we both spiritually matured in, that’s right, Oakland, Ca.

Southwest Church, Indian Wells, Ca.

When Prayers Go Up, Blessings Come Down

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This is a call for continuous prayer throughout this school year. Our children go to school every day and the parents wonder, are they going to be safe. Being safe was not a daily consideration earlier in the decade or in times past, but now it seems people are intent on harming and killing children in schools. We all need to pray for school safety this year.

Dear Lord,

We are praying that you keep all school children and schools under your protection this year. Don’t let any hurt, harm, or danger affect them. We know you are our refuge, our shield, and our strength and our ever-present help in times of trouble. We come to you know in prayer, asking for your blessings.

Please protect our children, and allow them to remain children with gleeful eyes, always questioning and believing the best about people. We know you can turn anything around, and we pray that if it is within your will, let no instances of school shootings occur this year. We praise you for who you are. We thank you for a violence free school year. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (L. Blair)

God, thank you for being a mighty warrior and a strong protector. You call us to stand firm, not in our own strength and might, but in Yours. Your power has no end and your authority demands even the demons to obey Your will. Help us, O God, to rely on your matchless power to stand firm. Grant us victory rooted in Jesus. (Paraphrased, City Life Church, Standing Firm In The Faith, August 15, 2022)