HOW CAN I BECOME A MORE OBEDIENT CHRISTIAN? (DAN. 1:4-6)

OBEDIENCE IS THE BOTTOM LINE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. SO WHAT IS IT? OBEDIENCE MEANS COMPLIANCE TO THE PLAN; CONFORMITY TO THE PATTERN;  OBSERVANCE TO THE RULES ;  ADHERENCE TO THE STANDARD ; AND SUBMISSION TO ANOTHER'S WILL.

IF WE WANT TO OBEY THE LORD, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT ACTION GOD WANTS US TO TAKE. WHAT ATTITUDE WOULD MOST PLEASE HIM? WHAT REQUIRED STEPS MAY BE ALONG THE WAY? AND HOW DO WE GET OURSELVES TO THAT POINT OF OBEDIENCE?

FIRST, WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT GODS COMMANDMENTS ARE. WE CANNOT OBEY WHAT WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND OR KNOW-AND WE GET GODS PERSPECTIVE BY BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH HIS WORLD.

 BUT SIMPLY  KNOWING GOD'S WORD ISN'T ENOUGH.  WE MUST ALSO TAP INTO HIS POWER THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT,  WHO HELPS US RELATE TO GOD'S COMMANDS TO OUR OWN SITUATION AND WHO ASSISTS US IN DETERMINING  THE WISEST  COURSE OF ACTION.

ONCE WE DECIDED TO OBEY, WE CAN EXCEPT A CHALLENGE TO COMPROMISE. IT TAKES COMMITMENT AND COURAGE TO OBEY GOD IN THE FACE OF THESE CHALLENGES: COURAGE TO GIVE UP WHAT WE LIKE IN ORDER TO DO WHAT HE ASKS;  COURAGE TO DO THINGS THAT MAY BRING UNWELCOME RESULTS; COURAGE TO REARRANGE OUR SCHEDULE  TO HIS PLAN; COURAGE TO LOVE THE UNLOVELY, COURAGE TO FORGIVE THE SEEMINGLY UNFORGIVABLE, AND TO GIVE WHEN WE WANT TO KEEP.

SINCE SATAN DOESN'T WANT US TO FOLLOW GOD, HE WILL OFFER TEMPTATION AFTER TEMPTATION TO DIVERT US TO ANOTHER PLACE OR TO WEAKEN US THROUGH SMALL STEPS OF DISOBEDIENCE. HOW CAN WE COUNTER HIS CHALLENGE TO COMPROMISE? BY RENEWING OUR RESOLVE TO OBEY, AS JESUS DID.

WHEN JESUS NEARED THE END OF THE FORTY DAYS AS FASTING AND PRAYER FOLLOWING HIS BAPTISM, SATAN CAME AT HIM HARD, TEMPTING HIM TO COMPROMISE HIS CALLING. BUT JESUS STOOD TO SATAN WITH COURAGE, ANSWERING TEMPTATION AFTER TEMPTATION WITH THE WORD OF GOD. COMMITMENT LIKE HIS INVOLVING THE WORD OF GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE, OBEDIENT ACTION, A DETERMINED ATTITUDE, AND WILLINGNESS TO SUFFER ANY CONSEQUENCES THAT FLOW OUT OF COMPLIANCE.

WHENEVER YOU FEEL TEMPTED TO DISOBEY GOD, REMEMBER YOUR FAITHFULNESS AND DEVOTION TO CHRIST ARE AT STAKE. ASK YOURSELF: "IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF SCRIPTURE INCREASING? AM I ABLE TO HOLD GOD'S PLAN WITHOUT COMPROMISE? HOW COMMITTED AM I? I TO OBEYING GOD? IF I LOVE HIM, I'LL OBEY HIM-SO HOW MUCH DO I REALLY LOVE HIM?"