Obeying God

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Psalm 25:10 The Path Of God

All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. Psalm 25:10

In order to get to any location a person must take some path to get there. Every location in the world has some type of path to get to it. Each of these paths are different, some being very difficult, while others are simple and easy to walk. In the same way that there are paths to physical locations in this world, there is also a path through this life that each person must take.

In this psalm of David, he states that all the paths of God are mercy and truth for those who obey His commands.

Every person begins a journey on a path through life from the moment that person is born. Throughout life, many people are searching for that journey or the meaning of their journey. The world sees it as a journey of self-fulfillment and pleasure as much as possible until the moment of death and the end of it all.

Since the journey is all about self, for most, many see the path of God as restrictive and no mercy. Believers who have chosen to believe God and obey His commands see the path of God as something different.

This path of God begins with mercy. Every person has sinned and deserves the worst punishment possible and death. Instead of punishing and killing a person, God has great mercy and leads that person on a path towards life the continues into all eternity.

As God leads the believer on His path, it is done with truth. God reveals what is wrong or sinful in the life of the believer and helps remove it. He also guides the steps of the believer in what is right and true, not the false lies of the world.

God has you on a path that is for your best interest. It is one to lead you to be more like Jesus and to bring others to Jesus. He has already had mercy on you by not destroying you because of your sin.

Do not trust or follow the paths of this fallen and sinful world. Put your trust in God and His path of mercy and truth. Walk His path that will continue into all eternity. It may be a difficult path to walk, but it will be worth it in the end.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know the path God has for you to walk; that you will see God’s mercy in His plans for your life; and that you will see the truth in walking God’s path.

Picture by Josie Wiess on Unsplash

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Job 23:12 Treasure His Words

I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. Job 23:12

Going through life people will treasure different things and often differently during various times in their life. Some will treasure non-material things such as their family and friends, while others treasure physical things such as their money, house, car and more.

The things that people treasure they will spend their most time, effort and money on to have and keep. Other things will often get forsaken or left aside in order to have what they treasure.

Job said that he did not turn away from God’s commands but treasured the words of God even more than needed food.

One thing that every person needs to survive is food. Without food, one will get weak very quickly and be susceptible to sickness. Given enough time without any food at all, one will die.

Yet as important as food is, there is one thing that is even more important. That one thing is obeying God’s commands. In order to obey God’s commands, one has to first treasure them.

The commands of God have to become extremely important or else one will not be able to even begin to really obey them. As soon as a person does not choose to treasure the commands and word of God, that person will choose to step into sin against God.

Choosing to obey God’s commands must take such a priority in the believer’s life that the believer would be willing to go without the needed food for survival rather than disobeying God. One would rather die, than disobey God’s commands. This is what Jesus was saying when one must take up his cross and follow Him.

You most likely have many different things in your life that you treasure. Many of those things may be good to have and desire. And most likely you enjoy eating food, or at least some types of food.

Although these things may be good and acceptable, what is your greatest treasure in your life? Allow yourself to treasure God’s word and obeying God’s word above everything and anything in your life. Without God and His word, you really have nothing of value. Most everything else will fade away, but God and His word will never depart or fade.

What do you treasure today?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know God’s word and commands to you; that you will treasure God’s word in your heart; that you will live by God’s commands; and that you will seek to obey God’s word over anything else in your life.

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Nehemiah 10:29 Entering An Agreement To Obey

these joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes: Nehemiah 10:29

Contracts are written up, agreed to and signed every day in every nation around the world. In the contracts are parts saying what will occur if everything is followed and what will occur if certain things are not followed by both parties. This occurs on individual, corporate and national levels.

All the people of Israel joined together to enter a curse and an oath to obey God’s Law and all His commandments.

Agreements with consequences for obedience and disobedience is common among people everywhere. They are made to hold people responsible to reward those who do right and to punish those who do not do the right thing.

Although believers are no longer under the Old Testament Law of Moses, they are still under the commands of God. Under the Law of Moses, it was do or die. Under the grace of Jesus, if one obeys God’s commands, there are blessings, if one chooses to not obey, His hand of blessing is removed. Jesus paid the penalty for sin, not obeying God’s commands.

Everyday God still gives commands to those who have chosen to believe in and follow Jesus with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength. These may be simple commands of just stopping to pray for someone, to detailed and complex ones of going overseas to do missions work. They may also be just stopping doing some activity or to start doing some activity.

All are commands of God and need to be obeyed just as much as the Israelites had to obey the Law of Moses.

God is willing to speak into your life what He wants you to do or not do. The moment you chose to believe in Jesus, you entered an agreement to obey His commands, no matter how little or big they are.

Make the choice to hear what God is telling you to do and then obey it without hesitation or delay. God knows what is best for your life. He has a plan for your life, but you must be willing to walk in it in full obedience, not turning to the left or the right.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know the commands God has given you; that you will obey every command of God; that you will see the blessings of obeying God; and that you will see God’s favor in obedience.

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God Talk (book review)

Title: God Talk
Author: Calvin M. Durham
Publisher: Three Skillet Publishing
Date: 2022
Pages: 130

God Talk: Does God Speak Today? (book review)

The author, Calvin M. Durham, has ministry experience that has covered six decades. He has worked as pastor, church planting, administrative, evangelist and missionary. Calvin has served as the head of the General Council of the Assemblies of God Sunday School Department.

One of the questions that many people ask is if God still speaks today. In this book, Calvin explores that question and how God has spoken to Him over the years in many different ways. Some of these ways are audible voice, inner voice, dreams, silence, through others and through the Bible.

Throughout the book Calvin talks about different situations in his life in which he heard God Talk. He talks about some of his doubts and fears and how he was able to overcome them and obey what he heard God speaking to him in the moment, especially when the results were very delayed by years. Each chapter is a different situation and a different way in which God had talked with him.

At the end of each chapter Calvin challenges the reader to hear God Talk in the reader’s own personal life.

It is very clear that Calvin believes that God does speak to people today, if they are willing to listen and obey to what they hear God say.

I strongly encourage you to read this book with an open mind and heart to hear God speak in your own personal life. It will challenge to hear and obey God when he speaks. When you are open to hear and obey God, it will amaze you on what God will say and do in your life.

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Ezra 3:3 Working In Spite Of Fear

Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening offerings. Ezra 3:3

Fear is something that is often very crippling for most people. It will cause them to back down or stop doing something or take a different path out of fear that something bad could occur. While most will run out of fear, there are some who will face their fears as a good challenge. They have learned to overcome their fears to get things accomplished.

Ezra led the people to rebuild the altar. They chose to rebuild it even while they feared the other nations around them and then sacrificed offerings on it.

True believers will have enemies in this world that are out to stop them at any cost. Some of those enemies are willing to go to the level of physical killing the believer, though most will not go to that extent. The world, as a whole, hates believers because of the standard that they hold. It reveals that the life they are living is bad and there will come a day of judgement.

Believers need to remember that Jesus has overcome death and will be with them. This can give them encouragement to overcome fear and do things despite what may or may not happen.

When surrounded by the enemy, the first thing a believer must do is build the altar. He needs to get down on his knees and be praying and worshipping God first and foremost, pushing out fear and allowing God and His love to enter and be a presence among the enemy.

God’s perfect love will cast out all fear and give one the ability to accomplish that which needs to be done.

There will be times you will be surrounded by the enemy. Others may be trying to get you to stop doing God’s will. Their threats may appear ominous and life threatening. Despite the fears arising in your heart and mind, build the altar to God.

Go before God in prayer and worship and allow His presence to fill you with strength and peace, removing all fear. Be willing to do what God has commanded, despite what the world may say or try to do. God will help you overcome and be victorious in the end. Remember He defeated death.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will build your altar to God; that you will seek God’s presence in your life; that you will allow God’s love to remove all fear; that you will do what God commands despite any fears; and that you will see victory in obeying God.