OBEDIENCE

Websters defines Obedience as "Words or actions denoting submission to authority; dutifulness",

Who is my authority? Well, if I am a follower of Jesus Christ, then my authority is Him. My words and actions should denote submission to His authority. My duty and allegiance is owed to Him, why? Simply put, because of the Cross. He deserves my allegiance no matter what, He is my Creator, but its the Cross deserves my allegiance. Not because the Cross forces us to obey, but because the Cross was something we did not deserve! It was there that Christ paid MY PENALTY with HIS BLOOD. Thus, out of sheer thankfulness for what He did; I serve Him. Or should I put, I need to work harder at serving Him.

The other day I heard something really cool. Serving God can only be done in His Grace, by way of the Holy Spirit. In my flesh, I can't serve Him rightly. I need the daily aid of the Holy Spirit. I am free in Christ, my debt is paid! My slavery to sin is no more. Then why, do I so often return to that slavery! Why would anyone want to return to a yoke of slavery? Especially when we can live free, by grace through Jesus Christ. This is what I want to take a hold of. This journey, much like the last, is not a means to perfection in Christ. It is a means to growth in Christ. Doing these things don't make us perfect like Christ, we will never be perfect like He is perfect. But, we are to strive to be holy like He is holy. I think more than obedience, I am also desiring above all to live a life that is victorious over sin. I want a victorious life in Christ over the shackles of sin. I have been a Christian for a long time and I think we all can say that we all have skeletons in our closet. Mine, too often, reappear and I am in a time of my life where I can firmly say that God wants me as a victorious daughter. He has always wanted that for me, but it's now that I want it too. It started with the anger thing. That thing had been growing and growing into an ugly monster that I couldn't believe! I needed God and His Word to get out of that pit and now that I have seen what power the Word of God has done in that area of my life, then I am assured that God can change all parts of me!

CHALLENGE:
Keep making time for God and His Word DAILY. Ask yourself today "Who is your authority: God, Yourself, Other?" "Is who your authority is, working for you daily as a means to Grow in Christ?"

NChrist, Susan