What does radical obedience mean to you when you hear it? To a Christian it should mean one thing...it should mean that you are ready to completely and utterly give your life over to God and follow the path that he leads for you. I am currently reading the book Radical by David Platt and I am astonished by the things he has written.
I realized that I was not allowing myself to listen to the plan God has for me. I am not following the directives of the Bible as I should...I am not obeying God's word.
I realize that many of my readers may not share my beliefs, I hope that they can still respect my values and beliefs. I can understand if they don't though. It is a tough pill for people who do not believe to swallow. It is a tough pill sometimes for those of us who do believe to follow.
God loves us, He created us in His image, He created us for His enjoyment. He expects us to follow His word...He demands it. The cost of not following His word is worse than anything you can experience in this life. It is eternal damnation. It is eternal separation from our Loving Creator.
He never said that this life would be easy, He never said that we would be able to easily follow His word. He did provide us with the blueprint for this though. He gave us the Bible to study, to read, to learn. He gave us His written word, written by mortal men. Men, who like you and I, found it difficult to radically obey His word until they were shown the path He laid out for them.
I can only imagine the shock and awe they experienced when the Lord reached down and physically touched them? The Love they felt engulf them when they finally reached the point where they were ready to listen and believe.
Can you also imagine the fear they felt when at first they did not follow God's word. They chose to stray from the path He laid for them? The fear Jonah felt when the was in the fished belly, the fear he lived with for the days he was there?
Had Jonah simply listened and obeyed He would not have had to have that experience. If we would listen and obey there are some many things we could avoid experiencing. Not saying that you will never experience difficulties or obstacles in this life...you will. Even the most ardent, most obedient of God's people will experience pain and suffering. However, when the Lord returns those same people will be the first to experience His amazing love and healing.
You may not be in a place in your life where you are ready to follow the Lord, you may never be in that place, I pray that you change your mind though. I pray that I am able to find the radical obedience the Lord expects...that he demands!
"Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine." ~Exodus 19:5
I realized that I was not allowing myself to listen to the plan God has for me. I am not following the directives of the Bible as I should...I am not obeying God's word.
I realize that many of my readers may not share my beliefs, I hope that they can still respect my values and beliefs. I can understand if they don't though. It is a tough pill for people who do not believe to swallow. It is a tough pill sometimes for those of us who do believe to follow.
God loves us, He created us in His image, He created us for His enjoyment. He expects us to follow His word...He demands it. The cost of not following His word is worse than anything you can experience in this life. It is eternal damnation. It is eternal separation from our Loving Creator.
He never said that this life would be easy, He never said that we would be able to easily follow His word. He did provide us with the blueprint for this though. He gave us the Bible to study, to read, to learn. He gave us His written word, written by mortal men. Men, who like you and I, found it difficult to radically obey His word until they were shown the path He laid out for them.
I can only imagine the shock and awe they experienced when the Lord reached down and physically touched them? The Love they felt engulf them when they finally reached the point where they were ready to listen and believe.
Can you also imagine the fear they felt when at first they did not follow God's word. They chose to stray from the path He laid for them? The fear Jonah felt when the was in the fished belly, the fear he lived with for the days he was there?
Had Jonah simply listened and obeyed He would not have had to have that experience. If we would listen and obey there are some many things we could avoid experiencing. Not saying that you will never experience difficulties or obstacles in this life...you will. Even the most ardent, most obedient of God's people will experience pain and suffering. However, when the Lord returns those same people will be the first to experience His amazing love and healing.
You may not be in a place in your life where you are ready to follow the Lord, you may never be in that place, I pray that you change your mind though. I pray that I am able to find the radical obedience the Lord expects...that he demands!
"Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine." ~Exodus 19:5
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