'Therefore you shall keep the Commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him'- (Deuteronomy 8:16)
Some weeks ago i was doing some work on my laptop and my 3 year old daughter kept pressing the keypad, interrupting the work i was doing. I tried to stop her several times and make her understand that i wasn't playing but seriously working on a task, yet she persisted. I then warned her that if she
continued what she was doing, that i was going to smack her...yet she kept pressing the key pad randomly interrupting my work and chuckling to herself. Then i caught her hand and gave it a soft but firm smack at the same time raising my voice with the orders; 'STOP'. As expected, she then burst into tears and only at this point did she realize i was serious and she stopped her misbehavior.
I then wondered how children can be so stubborn and naughty at times despite all my warnings and it amazed me. Almost immediately and at that same moment, i perceived in my spirit the Lord telling me that we too are like that, stubborn little children. We know the consequences of sin yet we persist in a particular sin finding it so difficult to stop and let go; despite the warnings of the Lord in His Word, some of which are; 'I tell you no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish' -(Luke 13:15); 'It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God'- (Hebrews 10:31); 'for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord' - (Romans 6:23) The Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul was speaking of not just the physical death but also the spiritual death which is an eternal separation from God in judgement.
And so brethren; 'likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey it in its lusts'. - (Romans 6: 11-12). Dear brothers; the Lord is telling us today to let go of that secret sin that we have persisted in for so long. Let us no longer be stubborn but submit ourselves totally in all humility to God. Everytime we sin, we choose to obey satan and disobey God and disobedience to God can be very costly.
Disobedience to God separated Adam and Eve from the close fellowship they enjoyed with God and earned them physical and spiritual death. (Genesis 3:17-19) Disobedience to God landed Jonah in the belly of the whale for three days (Jonah 1:17). Disobedience cost Saul his kingship and the throne of Israel (1st Samuel 15: 16-23). The Bible is replete with examples of people who suffered so much because they disobeyed God. There is a physical and spiritual cost to disobedience to God.
However, it is the spiritual cost of disobedience to God that people should be afraid of. Every man that is alive whether he is a believer or not; whether a Christian or not has a dire need for God whether such a man realizes this or not. And so to be eternally separated from God without the hope of redemption...and not only that but to also burn in a fire that will not be quenched is a very scary thought. Jesus warned of this in (Mathew 13:40-42).
On the other hand, there is also a reward for obedience to God and His Word. The reward for obedience to God is both earthly or physical and spiritual or everlasting. some of these promises for obedience can be found in (Deuteronomy 28: 1-4). It has also been written; 'and whatever we ask we receive from Him because we keep His Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight' ( 1st John 3:22)
However, our focus as believers should be on the Spiritual reward for obedience to God which is Everlasting Life for Jesus has promised; 'Blessed are those who do His Commandments that they may have the right to the tree of Life, and may enter through the gates into the city' - (Revelation 22:14). Dear brethren every time we are faced with temptation to sin in any way, we have an opportunity to prove our obedience and faithfulness to God which will be richly rewarded. If we however yield to temptation and commit sin, then.. we have chosen to disobey God.
It is my prayer that we obtain the grace to always choose obedience to God over disobedience. let us remember that when we sin we disobey God because sin is a violation of the Commandments and Word of God. And so 'today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion'- (Psalm 95: 7-8)
As we remain faithful to God in all things may we also receive both the earthly and the everlasting reward of Eternal Life in Gods presence.
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