Obedience!

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. God is great and greatly to be praised. How much do you desire to do the will of God?

Primary Text

“Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast Thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast Thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea: Thy law is within my heart.” Psalm 40v6-8 (KJV)

“Sacrifice and offering You do not desire, nor have You delight in them; You have given me the capacity to hear and obey [Your law, a more valuable service than] burnt offerings and sin offerings [which] You do not require. Then said I, Behold, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of Me. I delight to do Your will, O my God; yes, Your law is within my heart. [Heb. 10:5-9].” Psalm 40v6-8 (AMP)

“You do not want sacrifices and offerings. But You have made a hole in my ear to show that my body and life are Yours. You do not ask for burnt offerings and sacrifices to take away sins. Then I said, “Look, I have come. It is written about me in the book. My God, I want to do what You want. Your teachings are in my heart.” Psalm 40v6-8 (NCV)

How do we take the Word of God – as a suggestion, as a “feel good” book? Do we accept some of His instructions, but take others as suggestions? We have to get to the point of, God I want to do what You want. God, I delight to do Your will. My God, I take joy in doing Your will. “Daniel decided not to eat the king’s food or drink his wine because that would make him unclean…” (Daniel 1:8, NCV), and God honored that. When you determine to follow God all the way, He will help you . Psalm 37v39 (KJV) says “But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: He is their strength in the time of trouble.” We have the strength to do all things through Christ who empowers you (Philippians 4v13). There is strength to preach the gospel, to suffer for preaching the gospel, to travel for Him, to spend and be spent for Him.... He can give you words to encourage those that are weary (Isaiah 50v4). He can give you wisdom for each and every situation, without upbraiding you (James 1v5). When you become His, none can snatch you out of His hands. When you do wrong, He can correct you, so that you will partake of His holiness (Hebrews 12v5-11). And when all is said and done, Jesus says “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” Revelations 3v21 (KJV). Hallelujah!

Supplementary Texts

“I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].” Philippians 4v13 (AMP)

Prayer

Father, I thank You for Your Word today. Father, give me the capacity to hear and obey Your Word; to know that my life, my body, my spirit and my all belong to You. Father, grant me the grace and empower me to do all of Your will, all of the time. Create in me a deep desire, longing and delight to do Your will in Jesus name, amen.