Tag Archive | blessings of obedience

1 Samuel 15 – Obedience! Obedience!!

Jan28

​Good Morning y’all. We are continuing our study of the first Book of Samuel
with the Good Morning Girls and will be looking at chapter 15 today

I pray you are blessed as you read 🙂

In this chapter we see Samuel give Saul an instruction from the Lord to destroy ALL the Amalekite’s.

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”(v2-3 NLT)

Nothing was to be spared, yet we see Saul and his men choose to do what pleased them. They chose which part of the instruction to obey. Rather than kill ALL as God instructed they chose to keep the king and any other treasure they find worthy.

“Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt. He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else. Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality”. (v7-9 NLT)

The instruction to Saul was very simple yet he chose to disobey. This really broke God’s heart to the extent that God told Samuel He regretted making Saul King.

“Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the Lord all night”.(v10- 11NLT)

That’s very deep. I’m not sure I read any where else in the bible where God specifically said He regretted a decision He made. That’s how much Saul’s disobedience aggravated God despite the fact that Samuel warned him and Israel (during his coronation) to be loyal and faithful to God; and to obey His commands.

Samuel met with Saul and challenged him regarding his disobedience to the Lord’s command. Saul replied that he obeyed. His rationale for keeping the animals was so he could offer sacrifices to God. Now my question is, did God ask him for the sacrifice? If God needed sacrifices why didn’t he tell him to keep the animals in the 1st place.

“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. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”(v22-23)

I wonder how many times we assume we know better than God. Instead of us to obey Him plain and simple, we twist His commands to suit our selfish motives. This action cost Saul not only the throne but to be completely rejected by God. He had no opportunity to repent. God was done with him completely. Obedience is definitely better than sacrifice.

I’m praying for us that the grace of God will not expire in our lives, that the grace to be obedient the Lord will grant unto us.

I’ll leave us with the words of the Psalmist in Psalms 19: 13-14

“Don’t let me do wrong  on purpose, Lord, or let sin have control over my life.Then I will be innocent, and not guilty of some terrible fault. Let my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you, Lord,  because you are my mighty rock and my protector”. (CEV)

Thanks for joining today. Please feel free to leave your thoughts on the chapter.

Have a blessed weekend 🙂

Leviticus 26 – Blessings of Obedience

May25

Good afternoon y’all. Today we are studying Leviticus 27.

Be blessed

In this chapter God highlights the blessings when we obey His commands; and the curses when we do not. I pray we will always obey God and not disobey.

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In verses 3-13, God stresses again that if we obey him and follow His decrees we will live a successful and prosperous life.

“If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field will produce their fruit. Your threshing season will overlap with the grape harvest, and your grape harvest will overlap with the season of planting grain. You will eat your fill and live securely in your own land. “I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep with no cause for fear. I will rid the land of wild animals and keep your enemies out of your land. In fact, you will chase down your enemies and slaughter them with your swords. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand! All your enemies will fall beneath your sword. “I will look favorably upon you, making you fertile and multiplying your people. And I will fulfill my covenant with you. You will have such a surplus of crops that you will need to clear out the old grain to make room for the new harvest! I will live among you, and I will not despise you. I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people. I am the lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high. (LEV.26.3-13.NLT)

Some of the benefits of obedience that He promised us are:

– Abundant rain
– Abundant provision
– Overflowing harvest
– Peace
– Protection
– Deliverance from enemies
– Victory over enemies
– Favor
– Multiplication
– Fulfilment of covenant
– Increase
– God’s personal presence

So then how do we find out what God’s commands are and how do we ensure we obey them :

1) Prayer – we need to spend time in prayer. Prayer allows us communicate with God. God talks to us and we respond.

2) Studying the word – this is very key. God is His word. The only way we can know what pleases Him is by studying His word.

3) Fellowship with others: Don’t neglect the company of others (of like faith). We can encourage each other and grow up together.

I pray God gives us the grace to be obedient at all times.

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