3.27.9 "Radical Obedience"

"Radical Obedience"

Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20
Luke 7:36-8:3
Psalm 69:1-18
Proverbs 12:1

Do you ever order chicken "medium rare"? Of course not! You wouldn't even think if it. Even though it's "mostly cooked" it's a bad idea. Chicken needs to be thoroughly cooked. Why? Because it's unhealthy to do it any other way. You can get sick if you don't.

We need to be fully obedient to what the Lord calls us to. Why? It's unhealthy to do it any other way. In today's reading in Deuteronomy Moses is addressing the people.

"For you are a holy people, dedicated to the Lord your God. He has chosen you from all the people on the face of the whole earth to be his own chosen ones. He didn't choose you and pour out his love on you because you were a larger nation than any other, for you were the smallest of all! It was just because he loves you..." (Deut. 7:6-7)

God loves each one of us more than we can imagine. He desires relationship with us. To have that relationship we must be holy before him. We must be pure. We must rid our lives of things that separate us from him. He set us free, but it's our job to stay free.

"You must destroy all the nations which the Lord your God delivers into your hands. Have no pity, and do not worship other gods; if you do, it will be a sad day for you. (v. 16)

We must set ourselves apart from sinful ways. We must be radically obedient to what the Lord is directing us to do. If we don't "It will be a sad day."

Sometimes it seems overwhelming. "Perhaps you will think to yourself, 'hOw can we ever conquer these nations that are so much more powerful than we are?' But don't be afraid of them! Just remember what the Lord your God dug to Pharoah and to all the land of Egypt." (v.17-18)

You may be caught in sin in a way that seems you can't get out. Or, you may like some of the idols so much you don't want to get rid of them. No matter how hard it seems it's not impossible. Remember that grace gives us the power to do what truth demands of us. We can trust in the grace of God to strengthen us as we step out in obedience.

Obedience is a PROCESS of growth in us. "No, to not be afraid if those nations, for the Lord your God is among you, and be us a great and awesome God. He will cast them out a little at a time; he will not do it all at once..." (v. 21-22)

We all wish the challenges before us would just disappear, bust we must understand that God us doing a work in us, and we need to follow through in the steps as he shows us. We have to understand that partial obedience is disobedience, and delayed obedience us disobedience. I need to live a life of radical obedience. When God says something, I need to do it. When he asks me to get rid ofsomething in my life, I just need to do it. That's living the dynamic lifestyle of worship.

Through the power of the Spirit,
live the DREAM!

P Greg

Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to reach our World for Christ