I asked Him, “Daddy, what about those pastors, priests, and other people who gave their whole life to You, serving You, but doesn’t obey You fully?” And He answered, “If they truly gave their life to Me, if they are really serving Me, they must obey Me fully and not just partly.”
After He said this, I admitted to Him that I don’t understand. I thought to myself, “Daddy, will You not acknowledge the other good things that people do by serving You?” He was silent but He made me remember the story of King Saul in the Bible.
Daddy God made me remember how His servant King Saul failed to obey His commands fully. Saul had been given specific instructions by God to destroy the Amalekites (men, women, infants, animals, etc.) and not to spare anyone of them. Saul destroyed the people of Amalek. But he decides that perhaps it would be wise to spare a few things; like King Agag, the best of the sheep, the oxen, and "all that was good" (I Sam 15:9). The word of the LORD came to Samuel, "I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not performed my commandments." When Samuel, the priest, comes to Saul, Saul greets him by saying "Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the Lord." Saul thought that He obeyed God’s commands but the truth is He did not obeyed fully. He spared some sheep and offered it to the LORD as burnt offerings. He also spared the King of Amalekites.
Many of us are like King Saul who go on our own way thinking that we are pleasing God by our own decisions without His permission. When God gave us commands, we must obey Him fully without subtracting or adding anything from what He says.
“Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?" And Saul said to Samuel, "I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal." And Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king." 1 Samuel 15:19-23
Daddy God rejected King Saul for not obeying His commands. This may not only apply for Saul but for all of us. If we reject the Word of the Lord, if we reject His commands, He will also reject us no matter how long we are serving Him, how many good things we have done in His Name or how many sacrifices we have offered for Him because He said that “To obey is better than sacrifice.”
Daddy God requires full obedience. Most people think that full obedience is an impossible thing for humans. But the Bible says, "With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26. "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." Philippians 4:13. "Now thanks be unto God, which always cause us to triumph in Christ." 2 Corinthians 2:14. "He that abides in me, and I in him, bring forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:5. "If ye be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land." Isaiah 1:19. We cannot obey God with our own power. It is through Jesus who gives us strength that makes us able to obey Him despite hardships. We must ask God to give us strength!
“Obey now the voice of the LORD in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared.” Jeremiah 38:20.
Daddy God sees everything we do and hears everything we say. Yes, the Lord Jesus offers forgiveness for our sins, but there are still deadly consequences for breaking God's commandments. Many Christians say that to obey God's commandments is legalism. Yet Jesus said if you really love God, you'll do what He asks. So is obedience legalism?
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' Matthew 7:21-23
And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." Matthew 19:17.
ALL GLORY TO GOD!
-Daddy’s girl
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