“But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”
I John 2:5 KJV
Your obedience to incredibly important to God. When you choose to obey God, you understand that He knows what’s best for you and that He doesn’t make mistakes. His love is made complete in you. That’s how you know that you are really in Christ.
Jesus said in John 14:21, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
When you choose to obey God, you show that…
- You love Him
- You know He loves you
- You want to please Him
Your biggest obstacle in obeying God’s Word is yourself – your stubbornness and your pride. We have a tendency to want to do things our way.
- It gets us in trouble at work. My boss said to do it this way, but I have a better way.
- It gets us in trouble at home. My dad wants it done this way, but he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
- It gets us in trouble with God. To think that Jesus is the only way to Heaven is awfully closed minded. As long as you’re sincere, it doesn’t matter what you believe.
When you constantly disregard those in authority over you…when you refuse to listen or follow instructions…when you always have to do things your own way, you are being stubborn. Stubbornness is not a virtue. It means “unreasonably obstinate.” No wonder in I Samuel 15:23 God said, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…”
God tells us
- What it takes to get to Heaven
- How to live our lives in a way that pleases Him
- How to treat others
- The importance of faith
- How to increase our faith
- How to develop a close relationship with Him
- The truth about sin
- The eternal lake of fire awaiting all unbelievers
In His Word, God instructs us, directs us, teaches us, warns us. He tells us everything we need to know to succeed in this life and lead us safely into the afterlife.
Why would anyone want to disregard the wisdom of One who is all-knowing and all-present, which means that He has already been where we want to go? He knows the best way. His way works. His way is always right. And His way is not our way.
Isaiah 55:8 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.”
In I Samuel 15:22, Samuel said, “…Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. “
There is nothing as important as obeying God’s Word. Nothing!