What is humanity's greatest curse? War, sickness, racism, poverty? Humanity's greatest curse is disobedience to God. Disobedience is what started it all in the Garden of Eden.

When we disobey we make God into what we want Him to be. We demand He agree to our standards and not His own, our theology and not His own, our focus, our interests, our methods, and our priorities and not His own. How arrogant of us! What a lack of fear on our parts. Is God molding you, or are you molding God today?

We live in self-consciousness, not God-consciousness. Our minds are directed where we want them to go, not where God wants them to go, and it's lived out in our actions. Disobedience in the mind is followed by disobedience in the actions.

Humanity has swapped reasoning for obedience. Eve discussed the issue with the devil at the foot of that fruit tree, she didn't simply resolve to obey God. She used her reasoning when God had already laid out her course. And every day Earth's countless billions reason with their own minds to make their choices. Minds that are finite, minds that are satanically influenced, minds that resort to education or the advice of peers rather than the Word of God, minds that simply are not up to the task of living a Christ-like life. The Holy Spirit will guide us, will we simply obey?

Hey, all you preachers and teachers, when was the last time you brought a message on obedience?

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

Answers

It seems lately everywhere I turn around "Obedience" is the topic of discussion. I think of what Jesus said "If you love me you will keep my commandments." Te proof of our love is in our obedience.

Another scripture that has just kept me in awe.

Hebrews 5 7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

I just keeps me in awe how one who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, can learn obedience. But my eternal salvation was made available because of his obedience. My obedience is a must.

How do we obey? Why do we obey?

With our whole heart we obey, because we love him. And not so much that we love him, but that he first loved us.

All of this brings me back to the song. "Lord I Want to Be a Christian In My Heart."

There is so much depth to the song.

In Christ,

Carmen

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

Thank you Carmen for reminding us of Jesus's words that if you love Me you will keep My commandments.

JazzMan

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002