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Obedience
by Allison Antrim
I had to smile when Brad said, “No one is born obedient.” Anyone who has kids or has spent time with kids probably smiled along with me! Although we start out disobedient as children, then grow up and (hopefully) develop our ability to obey, a part of us remains that craves to be in charge of ourselves. It’s a craving so deep that we bristle with rebellion when someone tells us to do something, even more so when it involves something like money.
Obedience is required of everyone who wants to know and follow Jesus. It starts with salvation when you bend the knee to declare Jesus the King of your life. It continues as you live your life with him, taking daily opportunities to follow his directions in the Bible and listen to his voice when you pray. Every time we obey God, we will find ourselves growing in our faith. Obedience shows us that God is the Lord over everything. It makes us take action. And the whole Bible testifies that obedience to God brings us blessings from him. Like Brad said, obedience doesn’t always result in an immediate reward. But Scripture assures us that God delights in us when we obey. At least we will know we are pleasing him, deepening our relationship with him as his children. That is a blessing, too.
Look back over your life with God. When have you obeyed his commands, and what good things came about as a result? Where are you struggling to obey God right now, and how might you submit to him this week?
The Book of Acts Reading Plan:
This Fall-Winter we will be diving into the Book of Acts. For context, check out these brief videos on the major themes in Acts from our friends at The Bible Project.
[Monday, October 21]
Acts 22:11-23
Ananias, with God’s help, restores Paul’s sight and gives him a new vision. He connects the dots for Paul, helping him to see that he had encountered God’s own Son on the road to Damascus. Ananias also gives Paul a new calling: to “be His witness to all people of what you have seen and heard” (v. 15). Who has God used to help you along your own faith journey? Is there someone you can help along theirs?
[Tuesday, October 22]
Acts 22:24-30
Paul’s Roman citizenship spares him the horrific ordeal of flogging and interrogation. It also gives him the opportunity to stand before the Sanhedrin as a witness for Christ. Everything God does is by design, including where we were born. What in your background might help you share the good news of Jesus?
[Wednesday, October 23]
Acts 23:1-11
When Paul appears before the Sanhedrin, his simple statement about “the hope of the resurrection of the dead” (v. 6) causes an uproar between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. This shows us that the gospel, while good news for all, is offensive in some ways. What aspects of Christianity are easy for you to accept as good news? What parts are offensive, and how can you seek God’s help as you wrestle with those?
[Thursday, October 24]
Acts 23:12-22
Paul’s nephew hears about a group of over 40 men that want to destroy Paul for his testimony about Jesus. The nephew reports this to the commander, who tells him not to reveal to anyone that the plot was reported. What do you notice about the development of the relationship between Paul and the commander? How has God used the commander to take care of Paul so far?
[Friday, October 25]
Acts 23:23-35
The commander rescues Paul from the ambush, sending him to Caesarea in the care of a huge company of soldiers along with a letter to the governor. Why do you think the full text of the letter is included in this passage?
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE.
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
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