Whether one is a Baptized "Born Again" Christian, belonging to any of the various denominations, ie. Baptist, Anglican, Pentecostal, or a Roman Catholic, or a would be Christian Coverter, or someone seeking truth and knowledge about God and Christianity, there is one fundamental choice we all must make, especially if we desire salvation from sin by God.
Almighty God gave to moses and the children of Israel his "Ten Commandments" not ten recommendations. We must CHOOSE to become Obedient to Almighty God and Christ Jesus, through their teachings in The Holy Bible. One of the most memorable demonstrations of obedience, illustrated by Jesus, comes to us in the Gospel of: LUKE: 5: 1-10.
To paraphrase the scripture, Peter, James, and John had been out fishing all night long and caught nothing. They were onshore mending and washing their nets. Along comes Jesus with a crowd following him, and Jesus steps into the boat of Simon and asks Simon to push his boat out from shore just a little which he does and Jesus sits down in the boat and teaches the crowd from the boat.
When Jesus is finished teaching, He asks Simon to take the boat out into deeper water and let down the nets for a catch. Simon tries explaining to The Lord, that they were tired, because they had been out all night long fishing and had caught nothing, but decides to do what Jesus asks.
When he lets down his nets they become full to overflowing with so many fish, the weight almost sinks the boat and Peter has to call James and John to help with the catch. Peter, realizing that Jesus had some kind of Godly Holy power, falls down at Jesus knees, begging Jesus to leave for Simon knew himself unworthy to be near to Jesus for Simon was a sinner. Simon, James, and John become Jesus first apostle recruits.
If we choose to have God come into our life then our obedience, is essential even in little things and our obedience will ultimately produce great blessings from God. There were so many excuses or alternate suggestions Simon could have given Jesus to get out of obeying Jesus request, but instead Simon complies and a miracle is performed, right before Simon’s eyes.
As you go through your day, you might get a nagging feeling that there is some small thing that seems really insignificant to you, that God has asked of you, and you procrastinate in doing it, but once you do it, you will learn the significance and will benefit from it.
Our obedience can also benefit others as well. Not only did Jesus get a break from the crowd that was pressing against him, as he sat restfully in the boat, but also the crowd got to listen to Jesus finish His teaching. Also Simon, James, and John benefitted too. They got to listen to Jesus teach. They got to witness a miracle, and they got to benefit from such a huge catch. As a mom or a dad, our obedience to God will ultimately benefit us, our mate and our children, or as children our parents will benefit from our obedience to God.
By being obedient to God we will never be disappointed. In Simon’s case Jesus rewards Simon’s obedience by filling his nets and boat with a huge catch. By our obedience, our graces from Almighty God will be also given in abundance to overflowing. God can take our emptiness, or lonliness our dispair or financial brokenness, and change it into something spectacular and prosperous. Each and every time we have some difficulty in life, if we choose to obey God, our obedience will in some way be rewarded, not necessarily immediately, as some intervening action may be required first but in time the rewards will be recognized.
By our choosing to be obedient to God, it permits God to demonstrate His powers in our life. He can show us such powers as curing us from some illness, saving us from some accident or disaster like a fire or a hurricane, maybe you might stumble across $50 bucks while walking down the street, or maybe the repair bill for your car will be a lot less than first mentioned. One never knows what miracle God will do.
When we choose to obey God we will grow to have a deeper appreciation and understanding of both ourselves and God. Simon knew Jesus the son of the carpenter. He knew that Jesus had been going around teaching and preaching, and now all of a sudden Simon witnesses this amazing miracle, and a light goes on telling him that Jesus was much more than some normal man.
Through our continual obedience to God, we enable God the opportunity to bring dramatic change into our lives. Maybe for years you’ve been trying to have a baby but were not able, then all of a sudden you’re pregnant. Maybe you want to make some serious renovations on your home but couldn’t find the money, and out of no where your boss offers you a huge promotion and raise. One never knows how God will reward our obedience, but rest assured reward us He will.
Listening to God, obeying God has nothing but benefits and blessings for us in our lives. Doing the opposite could end up in a pile of grief we don’t need or want. As for me, I choose hands down to Obey God in everything.
Jesus tells us in John 14:6 and in John 3:16 the one and only way to achieve salvation.
It is up to us to choose whether we will obey and follow Jesus example and teachings or not. Follow and your sins are forgiven and you have gained salvation for your spirit and the right for it to return to heaven when you die, the alternative is damnation in the lake of fire with satan and all who would follow him. It’s just that simple.
As one serches through the four gospels one can see that Jesus himself issues 50 or more commands to his apostles and followers. These are new commandments much more significant in religion today than the 10 basic commandments of God issued to moses and the Israelites back in the days of Moses.
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