Worship and Goodbye

The worship service started earlier in the week at the ministry campus.  Erica came to me wanting to see "Open the Eyes to My Heart Lord".  She not only sang it but she learned how to sing it in Spanish. She walked around all week singing it or humming it. I told her to get with Ezekiel to help her.  But once we found out Saul was there helping build the home I told Erica Saul knows how to sing it in English as well as Spanish. So the duo practiced several days at the project in preparation for Sunday morning worship. I suggested they switch it up, Erica sing in Spanish and Saul sing in English.  This is what they did and God to be the glory for this blessing on Sunday morning.  Also Saul knows "I Lift Your Name on High" in English as well.  He led the congregation in this praise hymn in Spanish and switched it over to English as everyone was in awe of such a gifted young man.  Saul was singing in English and he looked over at Erica and said to her "Erica sing with me in English".   Lorina and Maria also did an amazing job praising the Lord through music as well.  Burt shared how he did not even have to know what they were singing because you could feel the presence of the Lord at church Sunday morning Wow praising the Lord in music today was definitely of the Holy Spirit at work.  

After the singing the children were dismissed to go to Sunday School. Ray came forward to bring the message for us on "Obedience". All throughout our lives we are commanded and expected to obey different things.  Whether it is to obey our parents or obeying the law of the government.  Since we often grow up with some sense of the purpose of obedience we apply our worldly notions of obedience to our relationship with God.  Sometimes we see the commands of scripture or feel a prompting or a push from the Spirit and sense a similar tone of command to obey it.

However the problem with carrying a worldly notion of obedience into our relationship with God is than NO ONE, no matter how loving, can or will fully care for us the way our Heavenly Father does.  No matter how good the lawmaker, teacher, friend or even your parent is to you.  They all feel they are trying to help you grow and make the right decisions, none of them know you or what your future hold like God does.

Isaiah 1:19 promises us "If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land."

Here God is letting us know to obey Him because His plan is always for our betterment.  He sees what lies ahead of us.  He knows the potential danger or rewards of our actions and like the Good Shepherd He wants so badly to guide us into an incredibly abundant life filled with all the goodness of His Kingdom.

If we are ever going to experience the glorious inheritance God has for us in Heaven we must learn to trust Him and obey His commands.  God cannot lead us into the depths of His love if we do not trust his loving kindness.  He cannot lead us to consistent encounters with Him if we do not trust that He is near as His Word promises us.  And He cannot satisfy our deepest desires of our hearts if we don't trust that His purposes for us will truly satisfy our desires.

God longs to fashion us into children who are quick to obey Him  He so deeply desires our obedience because He deeply desires an abundant life that only comes through acting upon at total trust in His goodness. This is shown to us in 1 Samuel 15:22, "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of the rams." This verse is telling us God wants us not our sacrifices.

I want to share a few more verses of scripture to show us how much God desires for us to trust and obey His commands.  The first one is Proverbs 2:1-5 "My son, if you receive my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, indeed if you call out for sight and cry aloud for understanding and if you look for it as silver and search for it as for hidden treasure then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."  God is telling us to search His wisdom in all we do.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 "Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength, or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have an understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord.  All we need to do is boast in the Lord for He is the only one worthy of praise.

The next one is Proverbs 3:5-8 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways submit to Him .and He will make your paths straight.  Don not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil, this will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."

This one tends to get me, how many here today eve feel a bit nervous about certain situations in your life. I know I do.  I am struggling with something in my life right now.  But I have to realize I cannot fix it only God can.  I have to trust in God with all my situations in life.  Whether they or big or small God has this.  He can do it for me. I do not have to do it myself.

Lastly Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?"

If we call him our Lord, we prove it by doing what He tells us to do in His Word.  If we fail to do what He is telling us we are living a lie. Today I challenge to look at your life and see where you rely on yourself or something of the world for understanding and truth.  When thee things are upon you I urge you to look for scripture and the Spirit for understanding. Ask God to help you be the one who seeks understanding from Him in every area of your life.  Take time to rest in His presence and discover the wealth of His affections for you find only in His Word.