obedience – Page 4 – Cross Culture Church

Meditation: August 2

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“SINCE ALL this is true, we ought to pay much closer attention than ever to the truths that we have heard, lest in any way we drift past [them] and slip away.” Hebrews 2:1 ( AMP)

The things we neglect we forget. The things we give attention to are remembered. It is easy to have good intentions and resolve to apply great truths to various aspects our lives, but unless that commitment is immediately acted upon, the urgency of the moment will fade. Even if the thought returns, the zeal would have diminished. Obedience to God is to make Him the priority of your life. It is to make first things first at all times. Disobedience will dull the senses and the spirit becomes sluggish in its response to the Word of God. That person will eventually become a selective hearer and not be able to contain great truths when they are conveyed because the capacity to comprehend them has not been developed.

Pay attention to God’s Word, especially those truths that you do not understand. Your interest in the deep things of God will prompt your inquiring mind to search with all diligence. Then when you ask God through prayer, the answers to life’s most perplexing questions and the resolve to the most difficult challenges will be yours for aspects Jesus will be revealed to you and you will see and know Him in the midst of all that you encounter.

27 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: June 27

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments,For this is man’s all.” Ecclesiastes 12:13

The fear of the Lord is where wisdom begins. It is the acknowledgement of God’s existence and His divine power. Even though He is invisible, the evidence remains that God is Almighty. Many have lost their fear of the Lord and has either disrespected and ignored Him altogether or reduced Him to a level that makes Him common. As important as it its, yet the fear of the Lord does not constitute salvation. Even the devil believes that there is a God and trembles. The second must accompany the first. We must keep His commandments. An attempt to keep His commandments solely on the basis of fear will lead to a Pharisaic and legalistic form of obedience. It is the motivation is love that provides consistency in our obedience to Him. If we love Him our will is to obey Him. The Royal Law of love provides a constant flow from our hearts to the object of our faith. Then it is distributed towards the assignments given to us. We must see the objective from beginning to end. Then our path will remain straight because our intentions will remain pure.

03 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: June 3

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“You shall have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3

In an age of diversity, tolerance, and political correctness, to speak exclusively that One would stand out among the crowd condemning all others beside as false, lifeless, and insignificant. So it is with God who has no respect for other gods. None other is to be worshiped and the exclusive course to the Father is through His Son, Jesus Christ. What is most difficult to many is to understand the effect of original sin. None had access because of man’s nature as sinners. When sin is ignored then the need for a Savior is unnecessary. But thanks be to God, a provision was made through the death of His own Son that we might be redeemed! Idolatry is the pursuit of a god that is either after Him or in place of Him. He must stand alone. He is to be worshiped. Renounce any idols in your life that may be competing for your exclusive obedience to Him.

04 May 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: May 4

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.” John 2:9

Only the servants were knowledgeable of the source of the wine that was changed from water. Those who served had knowledge beyond those who mastered over them. Their obedience to the Master that ruled over masters had given them the instructions. As they had filled the water pots with water, they were firsthand to give witness to the first miracle of Jesus Christ. Jesus will reveal Himself to those who are willing to obey Him at His Word. They did not see first and then obey but rather, their obedience positioned them to see. The master of the feast was in amazement because he tasted the best wine last. The master of the feast was pleased, the bridegroom was pleased and the guests were pleased because the feast could continue. But only the servants knew the secret. Who would get the credit for the miracle? Jesus, who was only a guest, had rescued the feast by turning water into wine. He took the most common and plentiful and made it something that was rare and expensive. He used His servants to merely fill up the water pots and the transformation took place immediately. His servants today are set for miracles. As we serve Him He changes simple things into glorious masterpieces.

25 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: April 25

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself:” John 21:1-2

He makes Himself known in ways that are familiar to each person. He once came in human flesh and fully identified with the human experience, yet honoring the Father by not yielding to the temptation of sin. After He was raised from the dead, He continued to show Himself again to His disciples. In His resurrected state, He is still in touch with all things pertaining to us. They were fishermen before their encounter with Jesus. Now that He had been crucified, they returned to their former professions. Their lack of success was challenged by His question, “Children, have you any food?” They had toiled all night to no avail. Jesus then gave them instructions that they could either follow or ignore. But when they cast their nets on the other side of the boat, they could not contain all that was in their nets. The resurrected Christ makes His presence known again among His disciples. He is the same Jesus but now raised in newness of life as the first-born of many brethren. It is His Spirit speaking that brings us to change our mode of operation. Our obedience to His Word will produce what we strain at doing alone.

14 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: April 14

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Philippians 2:2

What the Lord offers the Church should be shared alike by every believer. The benefits of salvation and the joy that accompanies obedience should be experienced by all. It is not enough for merely some to know the grace of the Lord and peace that resides within their hearts. God’s desire is that all should know Him in intimate and endearing ways. The mind can either be one’s best friend or worst enemy. When our minds retain the information of past experiences and attempt to decipher it without the renewing power of the Holy Spirit, division is inevitable. How can our varying experiences and thoughts lead to a unified conclusion? Each would interpret life and God on the basis of his own conclusions. Like-mindedness can only be attained when we hear the same message having the same Spirit in common. The Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of unity. He will take us from where we were to a new place of worship. Then we see Christ together and love Him with the same love. He then takes what is within us and distributes it from our hearts abroad. There is no greater joy than a shared experience of love for Jesus Christ shared with others who love Him as we love Him. We do not ever come together as strangers. We can then fellowship as intimate friends.

11 Mar 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: March 11

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Blessed is he who takes no offense of Me.” Luke 7:23

The offense that occurs among men is the contradistinction between His deity and His humanity. Some would view Him as not being human enough to understand man’s dilemma and the challenges that all men face, while others would reduce Him to being just a man, the son of a carpenter. Then there are those who view Him as being an impostor who proclaims to be God. The paradox of His life as being fully God and fully man is the reason for many taking an offense to Him. But blessed is he who has received from the Holy Spirit the revelation as Peter received, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In this statement, both His deity and humanity are genuinely and fully expressed. Flesh and blood cannot make this known. Only the Father in heaven can reveal this to us thus positioning us to receive the revelation of the Father through our surrender and obedience to Him.

26 Jan 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: January 26

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” Galatians 3:2

It is the Holy Spirit that empowers the believer to become what God wills for him to become. Out of his becoming, he is enabled to do what God would have him to do. The reversed order is to do what one may thinks may be His will with the expectation of God’s approval. Receiving the Spirit initiates the believer into a life in the Spirit. But the Spirit is quenched if the recipient does not yield to who he has received. God’s intention is for our efforts to be a response to His initiative. God’s interpretation of deeper meaning of His truth is hidden within our simple obedience to what is understood. Hearing the word preached is more than an exercise in attempting to retain the information made known. It is also a matter of receiving the Spirit of the Word that becomes life within the hearer. Works alone is one attempt at self-justification but void of God’s approval. Hearing sets the standard for Spirit-life in the believer. He then would have a target of which to aim. He is positioned to see Jesus Christ as He is and not a caricature, but as real. Paul’s question was a means of asking them, what has been added to their lives by the Spirit as the result of hearing the word preached. The teacher then may learn from his pupil by what is gained when the Spirit takes what is received and adds Spirit-life to it.

17 Jan 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: January 17

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

God’s desire is to raise a people to meet the challenges of the times. It is not enough to have bodies occupying time and space, but there are many who are in bondage and in need of relief and deliverance. They need to be relieved of the pressures that are brought to bear against them and deliverance in order to experience the freedom that can only come from the Lord. Every need is to be met by a people who are spiritually aligned to hear what the Lord is saying. Their obedience in acting will affect the lives of the people to whom they have been sent. If they remain silent and still, God will yet hear the cries of His people. Those who seek Him for help will not have their prayers left unanswered. Those opting out of offering assistance would merely eliminate themselves from His divine plan. He is seeking those whose hearts are perfect towards Him. Who are the ones and where are the ones who will take up the mantle? Who will be the answers to the prayers of those who are in search for something and someone that is real?

29 Nov 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: November 29

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.” 2 John 6

Love defined by the Source from which it originated. None else can define love in language that is so sensible yet so profound. The qualities of love are found within the confines of obedience. Everything else outside of this is hatred and repulsive to the One who is able to determine the authentic from the counterfeit. The world is in search of authentic love. Too many have been duped into believing the lie of those with strings attached to their affection. It is a legitimate need that is, to love and be loved.

This is love, love identified as a lifestyle chosen and a people empowered to obey God’s commandments. The will or the heart to obey precedes one receiving the power or ability to obey. A daily walk willfully engaged that is pleasing to God. An assurance accompanies that degree of commitment. God makes it known to the servant’s heart that He belongs exclusively to Him. He reveals His love in order for it to be disbursed abroad or distributed through his heart to others. He becomes an instrument in God’s hands as His servant which is the highest honor. The synchronizing of wills so that only one exclusive expression remains. One enters into His life of love as He lives His life through us. The knowledge of His love produces joy within the soul. It is a contagious love which recruits others to enter in. They see the message of Christ conveyed thus giving an entryway for the hearing of the message which readily pours forth from the lips. True love cannot be contained within the heart of the lover. It must be given away.