SACRIFICE, OBEDIENCE AND THE EXPECTATIONS OF MEN.
PART TWO
I am going to continue from where I stopped in my last post.
We have discussed what expectations of men and sacrifice are. Today we will discuss obedience.
At some point in our journey with God we move up from sacrifice to obedience, where God begins to give us specific instructions to obey. When we are at this stage, our obedience comes first before our sacrifices.
So if we will arrange it in order of priority, obedience comes first then sacrifice and then expectations of men comes last.
The temptation at this stage is that many of us want to substitute sacrifice for obedience.
Up to the point when we have not moved up to the level of obedience in our walk with God, our sacrifices are just fine and acceptable to God.
But once we have specific instructions, a hundred sacrifices cannot take its place, that is, given to replace it.
King Saul crossed this line with God. He had a specific instruction from God to totally destroy the Amalekites and spared nothing but he spared some fattened cows and their king under the guise of wanting to sacrifice those things to God, 1Samuel 15:3&8,9.
The response of Samuel to him was that does God delight in sacrifice more than obedience? Obedience is better than sacrifice and to listen than fattened rams, 1Samuel 15:22.
God told you to give one particular dress to someone but because it is your favourite you did not give that particular one but you took ten other dresses and give it to that person. You have done exactly what king Saul did.
You have sacrificed because ten dresses looks much but you have not obeyed. While sacrifices gets the attention of God, it is obedience that guarantees His committment.
Many times we want God to give us instructions but we have not learnt obedience.
When we have not learnt obedience it is better to continue at the level of sacrifice and enjoy the attention of God than to have God give us instructions and we are not obeying. From that point on our sacrifices no longer counts before God.
The nation of Israel had problems with God over this issue of obedience and sacrifice.
Israel was very sacrificial, they offered this and observed that, only for God to say they had not obeyed Him and they began to ask questions; why were we doing so much but God did not seem to notice or pay any attention, Isaiah 58:2-3.
A point came when God told them all their sacrifices weary Him and they should stop bringing them if they were not ready to obey, Isaiah 1:13&14.
Obedience starts from simple obedience to the Word of God. Doing what the Bible says not just reading or knowing it.
To unlock the power in the Word, we must do what the Word says. Now I will show us what sacrifice is and what obedience is. We can be very sacrificial but not obedient.
Reading 2 chapters of the Bible everyday is sacrifice but not putting to practice what you read there is disobedience.
Praying one hour everyday is sacrifice but not following through to obey the instruction you receive from that prayer is disobedience.
Attending church services is sacrifice but not putting into practice what you hear in church is disobedience.
Praying 3hrs is sacrificial but not meeting with God at the specific hour or time He chose for you is disobedience.
God can tell you to reduce the number of hours you spent doing spiritual exercises to pay more attention to other areas of your life in order to bring balance.
If we don't take heed to that instruction it is disobedience even though we are very spiritual.
Jesus is not only interested in our spiritual life alone, He is interested in other areas of our lives too, our family, our marriage, children, career, finances, health, relationships e.t.c, Romans 8:32, 3John2, Matthew 7:11, Psalm 103:5.
He wants our entire life to bring glory to his name not only our spiritual life alone.
We should have so many banners to lift up in the name of Jesus, that is how He will be most glorified among the unbelievers.
Sacrifice is a shadow of things to come but it is in obedience that God commanded the blessing, Hebrews 10:1-14.
If we can do what the Bible says many of our prayer points will be taken care of and we will be left with praying the prayers of God.
(To be continued)
PEACE
SALVATION PRAYER
Anything short of you being born again and living a life of holiness and purity hurt Jesus so much. But you can make things right here and now by saying this simple prayer and mean it genuinely from your heart:
Lord Jesus I come to you today. I acknowledge that I am a sinner and I cannot help myself. I repent of all my sins and I forsake them. Jesus, I invite you into my life, be my Lord, be my Saviour.
Wash me by your precious blood, forgive my sins and write my name in the book of life. From this day, I promise to follow you all the rest of my life. Help me Lord, in Jesus name, Amen. Congratulations you are now born again!
PEACE
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