So Samuel said: “Has 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 heed than the fat of rams.
1 Samuel 15:22
Dear Christian, obey the Lord. Obedience to the commands of God are always far better for us. Following Christ is the best way to live.
Fulfilling every precept of Scripture is not always easy. As a matter of fact, obedience can be costly at times. Nevertheless, the cost we might pay will always be worth it.
I have many regrets in life and I’ve failed the Lord numerous times. However, I have never regretted being obedient to my Savior. And you won’t regret living for Jesus either.
I will end with the words of the great, old hymn, “Trust and Obey”:
Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12
This verse comprises the famous “golden rule” that most folks know. Jesus commands His followers to treat others as we would desire to be treated. Said another way, we are to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Christ teaches us that this principle sums up the entirety of what we would call the Old Testament Law and the Prophetic writings. Our horizontal relationship with one another is contingent upon our relationship with God. As we trust in Him, we want to treat others well, especially in the kingdom of heaven.
May God be praised by our actions, words, and attitudes!
I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. 20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
John 17:15-23
In this passage, Jesus prays for His disciples. Christ prays for His immediate disciples and for those who will believe through their preaching and writing. Three requests are offered by our Lord in this prayer.
First, the Lord prays for our protection. He doesn’t pray that we will be taken away from all evil and difficulty. Rather, Christ intercedes for our protection in the midst of the trials and tribulations.
Also, the Savior prays for our sanctification. Jesus truly desires that we grow in maturity and increased faith in the Lord day by day. We are sanctified by the truth of God’s Word as we live in the Bible’s promises throughout our lives.
Finally, Messiah prays for the unity of His people. Christ desired that our unity as Christians would be modeled on the unity between the Father and the Son. May we ever seek that level of oneness among the children of God!
Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:9-11
Two main points emerge from these verses. The first is this—God is our provider. He gives us good things. James expounds on this thought by saying “every good and perfect gift comes from above.” (James 1:17)
When we pray, may we be reminded that God is our provider and sustainer. He is Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider. (Genesis 22:14) We can trust Him to meet our needs.
Also, God knows what we need more fully than we do. God knows us better than we know ourselves and He knows how to give us what we need.
We ought to be thankful for this aspect of God’s provision. Often, we do not know what is best for us. And I’m glad that God withholds what we think we want in order to give us what is best.
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13
Living for Jesus is the best life one can live. It’s not the easiest life. Yet, it is always leads to purpose and peace.
The Apostles spoke boldly because they had been with Jesus. Walking with Christ produces traits in the child of God that are noticeable and factual. What are some of these benefits of living for the Savior?
*Humility—those who live for Jesus exhibit humility in their speech and actions.
*Happiness—the blessings of the Lord fall upon those who obey Him which produces joy unspeakable.
**Holiness—Christians who have truly been with Christ will exemplify holiness in their daily walk and labors.
All in all, Child of God, you can’t go wrong by being with Jesus!
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Matthew 7:8
Jesus’ teaching on prayer in the Sermon on the Mount is memorable and informative. Matthew 7:8 gives us hope that God will not abandon us in our prayers. The Lord hears and He will answer in His way and in His time.
As Christians, we should pray persistently. Let’s be honest. If we don’t hear from God almost immediately in prayer we tend to give up. Some things take time and patience and that is especially true as we pray.
Jesus promises us an answer in verse 8 of this chapter. Sometimes the answer will be no or wait. But, you can’t trust that He will answer when the time is right and when we are right.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Matthew 7:7
Most Christians truly desire to have a thriving, growing prayer life. We want to pray and we hope to pray well.
If were honest, though, most Christians also admit that while we want to pray well we often do not pray effectively at all. We are not experiencing true growth and power in our prayers. The desire is to pray is real, but, the practical growth is non-existent. What can we do?
Jesus instructs us in prayer in this verse once again. May we heed His words and apply them to our prayer times. Listen to these practical instructions and pray well my friend.
Jesus commands us to pray fervently. When we pray, may we pray with a sense of urgency. Too often our prayers lack urgency and strength. We say our prayers perfunctorily and half-heartedly. No wonder we do not have power in prayer.
As you pray, pray believing that God can. He might not do everything you want, but, continue praying knowing that “with God all things are possible.” (Luke 1:37)
Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.
1 Samuel 11:1-4
This passage of Scripture is a case study on human sinfulness and how temptation works. David was a good and Godly man and yet, he succumbed to temptation and committed adultery and later murder (see 1 Samuel 11:5-27 for the sordid tale). If it can happen to him, then, it can happen to any of us. What can we learn from this story? How can we learn to overcome temptation?
First, don’t entertain temptation. Avoid it all cost. When it tries to seize you, run away from it. (1 Corinthians 6:8) David saw the bathing woman, Bathsheba. But, instead of turning away, he gazed and entertained the thoughts of temptation. Do not dwell on temptation. Run from it!
Also, guard your eyes. David saw and gazed and then began to lust after her. In our day and time, our eyes are now exposed to some of the most provocative images any generation has had to endure. Images of filth and depravity are all around us. May we covenant with God to guard our eyes and not look upon those things that are displeasing to God. (Job 31:1) Just remember, looking leads to longing which leads to lusting.
Finally, pray and study God’s Word. Pray for strength to endure and to resist temptation. Fill your mind with the things of God and His Word. (Philippians 4:8-9) Remember that sin has is it consequence and that we reap what we sow. (Galatians 6:7-8) May we take God’s command seriously to “Be holy, for I am holy.” (I Peter 1:16)
Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
Matthew 7:6
Finally, we are to be guardians of the truth. Do not allow the holy things to be treated as cheap and unholy. May we protect the truth at all cost.
Essentially, there is a right time and a wrong time to share and help. If someone is not willing to be helped, perhaps it’s better to wait. If someone is not ready to receive truth and help, perhaps trying to help them in that condition can do more harm than good.
We have been entrusted with a precious truth. May we protect it and share it carefully.
Ultimately, Matthew 7:1-6 teaches us the following principle; don’t be a hypocrite. Deal with your own sin, shortcomings, and hang-ups before you try to help others.
Pray for your own authenticity. Examine yourself often as hypocrisy often creeps up on us without us noticing it. Hold to the truth and share it as God leads and provides opportunity.
mrtonyfrench 