The joys of obedience

This will be my last blog as Senior Pastor of Bethel A/G.  I have enjoyed the connections that I have made and will always cherish the relationships we have with a special group of people.  I decided to focus on the topic of obedience because it is through acts of obedience that has brought me to this point.  Jesus said several times right before He was going to the cross to die for your sins that if we, meaning His followers, loved Him then we would obey His commands.  Obedience has and will always be a major focus of God to His special creation.  Any thought that we can do as we please and still think we are OK is a tactic of our enemy to live a defeated life.  God gave the Ten Commandments to the children of Israel to obey them, not to admire or just to look at.  Whenever we think obedience is optional we are buying into the philosophy of the world and not the philosophy of the Kingdom of God.  God mad a statement to Cain that still applies to us today.  "If you will only do what is right will you not be accepted."  Genesis 4:7  I could share many verses of why we should obey but I want to share with you the joys of obedience.  Jesus once again is our great example of this principle.  Hebrews 12:3 "Let us fix our eyes Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Jesus went to the cross as an act of obedience to the cross, see Philippians 2:6-11.  The joy of obedience for Jesus was not the feelings at the cross but the truth that millions of souls would be restored to their Creator.  So what are our joys of obedience.  First, the joy of obedience is often delayed to be experience at a later date.  Unless we understand that aspect of this principle we will become easily discouraged with the thought 'I obeyed and nothing good happened to me' or 'obedience seems to work for others but it is not working for me'.  One of the joys of obedience is trusting that at the proper time my acts of obedience will result in great fruitfulness and joy.  Second, the joy of obedience is being confident that I am pleasing God whether or not it may feel like it at the present time.  When we make our present happiness the priority then we will often act out of selfishness rather then out of a heart to please my Lord and Savior.  Third, the joy of obedience will reach its pinnacle when we hear the words from the mouth of Jesus "Well done, good and faithful servant, come and enjoy all that My kingdom has to offer you."  I realize all the joys of obedience that I have mentioned have a delayed aspect to them.  That is because we must break the instant gratification mentality that so dominants our thinking.  Make no mistake about this truth that the joys of obedience will far outweigh any perceived joys of disobedience, for the pleasure of sin last only for a moment but the sowing of obedience last for all eternity.
May the God of all power and love inspire us to obey Him out of a heart of love for Jesus Christ.

Pastor John