BrendaHubbard

Obey:

 1. to follow the commands or guidance of. 

1. To confirm or comply with. 
2.  “Obey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obey. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024. 

Can you please put that back? Please do not touch that. Come here! Throw that away. Please pick up your stuff. 

Are you having any childhood flashbacks yet? You might think, Childhood!? How about a few hours ago, when I was telling my toddler or teen one of those sentences? As we grow into adults, we believe the lie that we never have to hear those words again. But in reality, these words do not exactly go away. They just become sophisticated and coated a little differently. They sound like you should refrain from eating another donut or spending that money you’ll need at the end of the month. Wait to answer that phone call. Do not go out with that person. 

Refocus on your goals and clean up what keeps you from pursuing purpose. But the truth is that these phrases follow us into adulthood as we navigate life. Those reminders can be covered by distractions, temptations, and the idea that I am an adult and can do whatever I want. But in reality, one day, we must answer for every action and decision. The choices that we make on a daily will either help grow us or hurt us later. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
James 1:5-8

A targeted task or assignment:

We all know what we need to do daily. An adult who can care for himself should have a morning routine where they get themself together before starting the day. That would be like your appetizer to your day. Following that should be your focus work, school, or specific project you are working on. Your main course meal is the central part of your day. And after that comes the fun part. This would be where you engage in something you enjoy where you feel it’s optional but essential. I like to call this the dessert part of your day. The problem with most of us is that we hold on too long to every other plate except the main course plate. Playing with the crumbs, wanting more, or still working on being done. How about starting backward, wanting dessert, like browsing through our phones, and working on our hobby instead of our assignment, which is what we are called to work on. How often do we engage in the fun part of our day first versus what will move us closer to pursuing purpose and the calling on our life? 

Friend, seek God in prayer to discover purpose and the calling placed on your life. Once given the honor to discover this part of your life, an empowering shift will begin, followed by fulfillment and joy. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:13-16 

Go and tell my servant David, “This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwell in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, Why have you not built me a house of cedar? 2 Samuel 5-7. God had specific instructions and an assigned task for David to follow. David wanted to do more than he was asked, but that was not what God wanted him to focus on. His focus was to unify and lead the nation of Israel and destroy their enemies. Sometimes, God says no to our plans because he has better plans for us. Instead, we should expand on what He’s called us to focus on. 

Doing it to the “T” consistently until finished or told to move on: 

So David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands? The Lord answered him, “Go for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.” 2 Samuel 5:19 
David is an excellent example of someone who asked God what he should do in different situations and whether or not he would have the victory. The biggest key to his success was he followed instructions carefully and gave God all the Glory. When offered an assignment, it is essential to move forward and follow instructions, even when the finish line is not in plain sight. 

Saul said to his armor-bearer, Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me. 1 Samuel 31:4. Saul’s armor-bearer faced a moral dilemma: Should he move forward with a sinful act from a man, the king, at the time he was supposed to obey? Despite knowing that what he was asking him was wrong. The armor-bearer decided not to kill Saul. It is never proper or ethical to move forward doing something you know is morally wrong despite who you are supposed to obey. Always have the courage to follow God’s law above human commands. 

Partial Obedience isn’t Obedience: 

Being obedient is easy when it fits into our plans. But how about when it is inconvenient or a sacrifice? Are you still willing to carry it out? Being obedient depends on where a person is in life. For example, have you ran into speed bumps, potholes, or had crashes going through life? Usually, when we go through experiences, preferably negative ones, it creates awareness and caution. 
You have done a foolish thing, Samuel said. You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” 1 Samuel 13,14. Like Saul, sometimes we tend to make excuses and justify why we fell into sin and how we were unable to do this or that. But our excuses are nothing more than disobedience. God knows our hearts and will forgive and restore us when we turn to him wholeheartedly. 

No complaining: 

They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the dessert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Exodus 14:11. Despite God being with this group of people, this scripture was the beginning of the nation’s biggest downfall. COMPLAINING. It is easy to judge, but how often do we do the same thing? Complaining and grumbling over the very thing we prayed for. Repeated biblical stories show that God is faithful and is with us even when we believe He is not. Focusing on God’s faithfulness from the past helps us face crises with confidence rather than with fear and complaining. Stand firm against anything coming your way to steal your peace. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31. 

Thank you for taking the precious time to read the prayed and thought-out sentences typed above, all for the Glory of my Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that these tips help and bless you to do one thing: seek after God with intensity to discover your calling and walk it out with reverence and obedience. Heavenly Father, I pray that you equip the reader, my friend, and fellow brother or sister on the other side of this screen with Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness, and Self-Control all the days of their life and for others to see you through them in Jesus name, amen.