One of the devil’s favorite techniques is to tell me to obey God
and then he gives his own definition as to what obedience looks like.
This puts us me a bind. If I try to “obey” the devil’s description it
would mess up my life; I but, if I don’t “obey” I feel that God is angry
with me. The devil has his own take on forgiveness, turn the other
cheek, or integrity.
Today I’d like to talk about the obedient, bad attitude, son.
You might ask why I find this topic comforting. Well, obviously, I like
to remember that God sees my obedience as a good thing even when I’m not
all that “pumped” to do it. Which is most of the time.
Matthew 21:28 One day a dad went out to work and asked bad attitude son
to help. “No way” was his reply. Then he asked the good attitude son who
replied ” in a minute dad.” Then the bad attitude son showed up and
worked hard all day and the good attitude son never showed up. You
figure it out, which one did the will of his father?
The devil suggests that it is hypocrisy to obey when I don’t want to or
can’t see how it would work or don’t feel worthy. (See my blog on the
definition of faith under the category WORD DEFINITIONS.) It is
enough to have a picture of God’s principles in action and then to move
your body members in accordance with this picture. Romans 6:19 I speak
after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as
ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity
unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness
unto holiness.
In fact those things that I don’t want to do, but do, because he asks me to, THESE PROVE LOVE MORE than obedience that comes easily.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s OK to enjoy serving the Lord, but
don’t wait till it all comes natural and just bubbles out of you. I can
teach and propound on God’s word and help his struggling children apply
his wisdom to their situations with no struggle and with great
enjoyment. However when I fast, pray or knock on doors, then the Lord
knows how much I love him because it feels like wading through mud. I
have learned not to judge others or be bothered by their judgment of me
when I find some obedience easier or harder than they do.
I remember when, by grace beyond myself, I had managed to fast for 30
days.(Not an eat at night fast) I ran into someone who said, “yeah, I
do that all the time, it’s fun isn’t it?” I had to run to the Lord, who
assured me that he was aware that I hadn’t found it fun but that he
appreciated it because it was a sacrifice. (I did find it beneficial.)
2 Samuel 24:24 Neither will I offer offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing.