Sunday, February 5, 2012

Picking and Choosing 236

"Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry."

1 Samuel 15:22-23a


Although Saul made many sacrifices on the altar to God, he had failed to obey the word of the Lord in its entirety. In this passage (1 Samuel 15) he succumbed to the will of the people, choosing to have selective obedience, picking and choosing from what he had been commanded to do by the Lord.
Selective obedience also means selective disobedience.
What are synonyms for disobedience?
Rebellion...arrogance...pride...these are the seeds of the harvest of downfall and destruction, individually and corporately.

I heard Lou Engle ask the question, "What if Jesus had chosen to be selectively disobedient on just one point? What if He chose to turn the stone into bread (which He was capable of) at the devil's command?

The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4:3-4

Just as Saul's kingship was torn away from him, Jesus' authority would've been tainted, nullified, because of sin, and our salvation shattered.
Jesus, the Son of the Living God, understands total obedience, and we can too. The Lord Jesus pronounced over us, " Greater things than these shall you do" ...

Beloved, listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd, do not shrink back.
Total obedience is the requirement.
Do not trivialize or diminish the commands of the Lord, or any prophetic word spoken over you, even if it was years ago but has not been fulfilled yet.
Obedience is better than sacrifice.

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