Obedience

It astounds me how stubborn I can be sometimes.  Seriously!  I think you can be so blinded that you don't even realize you are being stubborn.

Obedience is defined as 1. Compliance with someone's wishes or orders or acknowledgment of their authority. 2. Submission to a law or rule.  Obey is found over two hundred times in the New International Version (NIV) Bible.  God commands us to obey Him.  Throughout the Old Testament God commands us to obey Him and we will receive great reward.  There are also many warnings if we do not obey.

Obedience is not difficult but for many (myself included) we make it difficult.  We do not like submitting to anoher's authority.  We are self-rulers.  We do not want to submit (as though it implies weakness).  On the contrary, it takes great strength to submit to authority--God first, family, government, etc.  Leviticus 25:18 “‘Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land.

Walk in obedience--what does that really mean?  Obedience is a moment by moment, step by step process.  Joshua 23:6 says “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left.  As we obey God will direct our steps.  Psalms 27:11 says Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.

As we walk in obedience we are strengthened by God.  Jesus says in John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.  Obedience is an act of love.  1 John 4:19 says "We love because He first loved us."  1 John 2:5 But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:

As you take each step remember to walk in obedience.