Obedience is better than Sacrifice

                              

Thank God, for correction… I was listening to a minister teaching today when he made this statement: “To Fear God, is to obey Him, even when it does not seem to be to our advantage”.

Philippians 2:12-15 Amplified Bible

¹² Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).

¹³ [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.

¹⁴ Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves],

¹⁵ That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world.

Philippians 2:15 hit me in the face like a brick;

“Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves],” 

I know I’m not the only one, but the Holy Spirit rushed through my spirit a long playback of me grumbling, faultfinding, and complaining… against God, and against everyone else.  
Some will read this and say : “well thats normal Nolan… thats just being human”           ..
 Is it?

Listen to what complaining is:

Complaining – is a manifestation of insubordination against God.  

 So when we get on our little tangents about how things are unfair, why haven’t you done this for me God, why do I have to put up with these people, or (for me) Lord when will they learn…  We must look at complaining, just as we look at worry. Worry is like a pair of handcuffs on Jesus... we must cast our cares on Him and let him deal with... stop worrying.  Complaining is open disobedience in the face of God. 


Do you ever think of the patience which the Lord deals with us?  Father forgive me… I run my mouth and complain to you and to other way too much.

 

Proverbs 14:27Amplified Bible

²⁷ Reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord (Obedience) is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares (traps) of death.

Obedience is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the traps, snares, devices, manipulations of death.

1 Peter 1:15-17 Amplified Bible

¹⁵ But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living.

¹⁶ For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.

¹⁷ And if you call upon Him as [your] Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does, [then] you should conduct yourselves with true reverence throughout the time of your temporary residence [on the earth, whether long or short].

How do we dare call ourselves Christian when we don’t carry the attitude of our Savior the Lord Jesus the Christ. I ask you all to check yourselves and ask the question?

AM I CARRYING THE SAME ATTITUDE AS MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST?

Forgive me Master, and help me to correct my ways and my attitude toward You, and my fellow man.

 How do we fix it you ask? 

By staying in the Word of God... Only the Word of God can change restore the mind will and emotions...

My love to you,

Pastor Nolan