Bible Study: Obedience to God 04.04.10

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Today is Resurrection Sunday April 04, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of I Samuel, chapters 12-14. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-april-4

Title: Bible Study: Obedience To God
The faith that God honors comes as a result of full obedience to Him and His Word. Surrendering our lives to do His will above all else should be the unconditional response of every Christian, yet many people disregard God's commands in the midst of trials. In fact, it is during those circumstances that God tests our ability to be obedient to Him.

The Israelites were eager for a king to reign over them and God hearkened to their pleas and gave them a king. Now, Samuel is giving them a warning, “If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God: But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers. Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.” - I Samuel 12:14-16. God promises to give them the best of the best as long as they kept Him and His commands first. God is no different now than He was then, He still gives His people the best of the best as long as we put Him first and follow all His commands.

Now Saul, became the first king of Israel, he was a godly man and had great abilities and potential, but he had one fatal flaw. He chose to trust his own judgment rather than God's, his first failure occurred a few years after he became king. Samuel had instructed Saul to go to Gilgal and wait for him there and he would meet him there in seven days, but when Saul got there Samuel was not there. Instead of waiting for him, Saul had disobediently offered a burnt offering sacrifice earlier that day. “And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.” - I Samuel 13:7-13. Saul's mistake, he took on the role as a priest, which violated a command from God that only a priest was allowed to offer the offerings for him. God was testing Saul's ability to be patient and obey His commands. Did you ever get caught doing something wrong? How did you react? The first response is always to give an excuse, but the truth is, we get into trouble because we are not thinking clearly before we do the things we do. How often do you think about God when you are committing sin? Never, right. Saul may have thought he was seeking God for guidance, but he knew he was wrong.

God knows our flesh and he knows our needs, but He is very patient and expects us to be also. We can not rush God along, it is all in His timing. Of course, He knows we grow and learn to be more patient as we follow Him, but if we are in the will of God we will wait on Him, no matter how long it seems to take. I have a brother that passed away over three weeks ago, we are still waiting for the funeral director to pick him up from the hospital morgue to bury him. This is one of the most difficult things to wait on, but it is all in God's timing. God has a purpose and a reason for every circumstance we face and we must not disregard His Word regardless of how frustrating things may be. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” - Romans 5:1-5. It is only through Jesus that we will find glory in our tribulations, He is truly the only one that cane give us peace through the circumstances we face and also the one who will help us stay obedient to God and His commands through them all. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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