Tag Archive | obedience

Be Careful Little Eyes

Aug6

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, — Romans 8:5-6

Remember the children’s song “Be Careful Little Eyes”? As I read this verse today this song came to mind. I have often wondered why this song is considered a children’s song.

For those who may not know the song:

Be careful little eyes what you see
Be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little eyes what you see.

Be careful little ears what you hear
Be careful little ears what you hear
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little ears what you hear.

Be careful little feet where you go
Be careful little feet where you go
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little feet where you go.

Are not the things we as adults put into our minds as important as what children’s minds are exposed to? If we are honest with ourselves we would do so much better if we read, watched, listened to and went places that were not in contrast to God’s Word. What we fill our minds with will effect where our feet walk, what comes out of our mouths and our actions.

A few years back when my children were young, (okay, more than a few years back), I removed offensive movies from my house. I stood on the belief that if it wasn’t good enough for my kids to see, it wasn’t good enough for me to see. Since then I have wandered from that but was quite convicted today when I read this verse. Am I being careful what I feed my mind? What am I watching on T.V.? What am I reading? Would I be doing these things if Jesus were standing or sitting right next to me in the flesh? Hmmm. I wonder.

If I am to be obedient to God’s Word and bring Him glory through my life, then I need to be careful what I see, hear and where I walk.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. — Philippians 4:8

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Determination

Jul5

He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” — John 14:21

Do you want to see Jesus? Really see Him and experience His love and grace? Really know Him intimately? Are you seeking that sold out to Jesus relationship? Are you desiring His guidance and leadership in your life? Are you needing His comfort and peace?

Well if you do, it will take obedience. Obedience to God’s commands. That means searching the Word of God with prayer and determination. Determination that nothing will get in the way of your daily seeking of God through His Word and prayer. Determination to practice His Word on a daily basis. Determination to share your victories (testimonies to God) and your failures in prayer with the Lord. Keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus the author and perfecter of your faith.*

Our practicing obedience demonstrate our love for Jesus. In our love for Jesus comes the blessing of the love of the Father toward us. And still more love is directed toward us from Jesus Christ Himself. And the crescendo? Jesus will disclose Himself to us! What a promise to work toward. He will make Himself known, reveal Himself, allowing Himself to be seen. That is a most wonderful promise.

So? Do you want to see Jesus? Seek Him.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

*Hebrews 12:2

How Do You Handle That?

Jun26

When you “do good” — are obedient to God’s Word, will, direction, instruction and walking closely with Jesus — don’t you expect good results?

Going through a particular journey you know that God is present. He is guiding your every step. You see God at work and you feel extremely blessed. A lot of good is coming out of your obedience and God’s will is being accomplished. You are encouraged, blessed and praised by others around you. You are floating on cloud nine.

Then . . . the season of that journey comes to an end. You move on and it seems that all has been forgotten — all those “good things” that you did. The praise ends. It seems that no one cares. And to add to the feeling of abandonment comes persecution. Accusations of misconduct and inadequacy. “But I was in the midst of God’s will, doing what I believe the Bible instructs me to do. How can this happen?” How do you handle that?

Jesus was well respected by many people, especially those who benefited from His grace and power. He had quite a following. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26) who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; (1 Peter 2:22) You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. (1 John 3:5) Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.” (Luke 7:9) Jesus was right in the midst of fulfilling the Father’s will and purpose. People were coming to Jesus and having their sin forgiven.

Then . . . accusations started to fly. And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer. Then Pilate *said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed. (Matthew 27:12-14) In humiliation His judgment was taken away”  (Acts 8:33) He was good, loving, caring and obedient to the Father. He did not seek the praise of man but the will and praise of the Father. How could this happen to Jesus?

The Word of God says:
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. — Matthew 5:10-11
Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. — John 15:20
Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. — 2 Timothy 3:12
If Jesus was persecuted we can expect to be persecuted also.

So, back to the question, “How do you handle that”? Remember! Remember to focus on Jesus and His example, how He reacted to persecution. Remember that He is with you always. (Deuteronomy 31:6) Remember where to stash your treasures. (Matthew 6:19-21) Remember His faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:23; Psalm 33:4; Psalm 100:5) Remember that all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) And remember to Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:12)

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Righteous in God’s Eyes

Jun14

Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. — Luke 1:6 (NLT)  
They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. -Luke 1:6 (NASB)

In the sight of God are you righteous? Righteousness is characterized by uprightness or morality: Morally right or justifiable. Acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous. Many people who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can be upright and moral. So what is the difference?

God is the judge on righteousness. I believe it is also seen in our reaction to our walking with the Lord. We are careful, diligent, focused on obeying His Word because we desire to please our God. In our desire to walk in the light of Jesus is where our righteousness is seen. We can walk in an upright and moral manner but not have the desire to please God in our walk.

So what does your walk look like? Is it different enough that God would see you as righteous in His sight?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Go!?

May15

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; — Genesis 12:1
So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. — Genesis 12:4

Have you been sent by the Lord to an unknown place with nothing more than the instruction to “go”?  First I see here that I would need to hear what the Lord said. That will take my being attentive to the relationship with Jesus. I need to be consistent in my intent to know Him better. With this I will be more apt to hear Him when He instructs.

Next I see that I would need to do something with the instructions I’ve been given. Obedience is the next step when hearing the Word of the Lord. Abram was instructed to leave country, relatives, even His father’s house to go to a land that God would show Him. God did not tell Him to go to such and such a place but said that I will show you. Abram was also well along in life. I am sure he was well established and comfortable in his surroundings and life. When we are set in our ways it is even harder to hear and obey when God says to go but we can when we are surrendered to this wonderful faith in Jesus Christ, totally trusting in God.

The biggest step is the one when we say yes I will go by faith and faith alone.  It takes great faith to step out into the unknown with no clear path but to totally lean on Jesus, trust Him completely. When God says, “Go”, will you step out in faith, into the unknown in obedience to the Lord? The first step is faith, the rest is calm assurance on a journey beyond our wildest comprehension. God is good.

Thank you Lord for the challenges in our lives that bring us to a closer walk and faith in You.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

All My Heart

May8

Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. — 1 Samuel 12:24

When I consider all the Lord has done for me — relocated from on high to a dark world of sin; endured extreme pain, ridicule, being mocked; experiencing rejection and ultimately on the cross loneliness, shame and sin — how can I not believe with all my heart in Jesus Christ.*

He has given me life worth living filled abundantly with love, peace, joy, contentment and a journey beyond all my expectations. Let me make it clear that I am not perfect and make many mistakes while the Lord conforms me to His will. I still have freewill and that “will” many times has a hard time trusting. But I will continue to return to God with all my heart.«

I choose to fear and serve Him with all my heart. I choose to seek Him, love Him, observe and keep His law, hold fast, walk in His ways giving thanks and doing it with all my heart. The more I practice these the more my trust toward the Lord increases so that I trust Him with all my heart.

As I trust my Lord I rejoice and exult Him with all my heart!»

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

*Acts 8:37
«Joel 2:12
»Zephania 3:14

Victory!

Apr19

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. — Hebrews 2:14-15

He Himself likewise also partook of the same. The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. Jesus experienced human life just like every human that ever lived. He also experienced extreme pain and anguish. As Jesus knelt in the garden He prayed, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” Jesus came for purpose — to fulfill the will of God.

Jesus was the perfect example of obedience. Through His obedience He died that He might render powerless the devil who had the power of death. We saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. Is there anything more glorious than what Jesus did for us? We are free from the fear of death and have received a spirit of adoption as sons. We also cry, “Abba Father” with grateful hearts.

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. — 1 Corinthians 15:57

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

– And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.– John 1:14
– For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” — Romans 8:15
Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” — Mark 14:36

Humble, Pray, Seek

Mar22

“But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: — Deuteronomy 28:15

“Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. . . Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. . . The Lord shall cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you will go out one way against them, but you will flee seven ways before them, and you will be an example of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth. . . A people whom you do not know shall eat up the produce of your ground and all your labors, and you will never be anything but oppressed and crushed continually. . . You shall bring out much seed to the field but you will gather in little, for the locust will consume it.  You shall plant and cultivate vineyards, but you will neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes, for the worm will devour them.  You shall have olive trees throughout your territory but you will not anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives will drop off. . . — Deuteronomy 28:16, 19, 25, 33, 38-40

So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the Lord your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. . . Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things;  therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you. The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you shall not understand, a nation of fierce countenance who will have no respect for the old, nor show favor to the young.  Moreover, it shall eat the offspring of your herd and the produce of your ground until you are destroyed, who also leaves you no grain, new wine, or oil, nor the increase of your herd or the young of your flock until they have caused you to perish. It shall besiege you in all your towns until your high and fortified walls in which you trusted come down throughout your land, and it shall besiege you in all your towns throughout your land which the Lord your God has given you. . . — Deuteronomy 28:45, 47-52

“If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, to fear this honored and awesome name, the Lord your God, then the Lord will bring extraordinary plagues on you and your descendants, even severe and lasting plagues, and miserable and chronic sicknesses. . . Among those nations you shall find no rest, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul. So your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you will be in dread night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. In the morning you shall say, ‘Would that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Would that it were morning!’ because of the dread of your heart which you dread, and for the sight of your eyes which you will see. — Deuteronomy 28:58-59, 65-67

Sound familiar? Do we have the curses of God upon us? What is the answer?

 If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people,  and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. — 2 Chronicles 7:13-15

Blessings While Coming And Going

Mar19

All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God: — Deuteronomy 28:2   “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. — Deuteronomy 28:6

The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever. (Psalm 121:8) Forever is a long time. What a peace is ours knowing that in our obedience God promises to bless us as we come in and go out. As we grow in our obedience we learn to trust Jesus more and more as we see the blessings, experience the assurance of God’s promises kept, and draw closer to Him.

Drawing closer to Jesus I am confident that He is intimately acquainted with all my ways. He checks out my path and my lying down. He sees my ways and all my steps are numbered. From birth to death I am His. I love that He encloses me behind and before and has laid His hand upon me. Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, the Lord surrounds His people from now and forever.

Why would we not want to be obedient? Built into obedience is trust, peace, security, intimacy, direction, and a relationship with God, the Almighty, Creator of the Universe, Father, and the lover of my soul.

Come and be blessed. Go and be blessed.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. — Psalm 139:3-5

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the Lord surrounds His people From this time forth and forever. — Psalm 125:2

“Does He not see my ways And number all my steps? — Job 31:4

For You have rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling. — Psalm 116:8

The Blessing of Provision

Mar18

All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God: Deuteronomy 28:2          “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Deuteronomy 28:5

Obedience to God brings blessing to our table. What have we to worry about when our obedient trust in Jesus promises blessing to us. “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? — Matthew 6:25-26

“For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” — Matthew 6:32-33 Our God treasures us and thinks we are worthy to be blessed. He desires to shower blessings on His children and He will when we are obedient. He knows what we need to survive and will supply all we need. And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:19

Our Great Provider, of all our needs, has given us a means to receive blessings by our obedience and seeking of His righteousness and kingdom. The choice is ours. Hopefully we choose blessing.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon