February 2
Ex 15:19-17:7 | PS 27:1-6 | Prov 6:20-26 | Matt 22:1-33
In the 1996 movie, "Jerry Maguire" the phrase, "show me the money" was popularized. This phrase reverses the way true faith occurs. Many believe that God needs to do something first for us, then we will obey Him, almost like telling God that it is up to Him to show us the money. First, God has already done everything for us, it is our puny and finite brains which fails to recognize this. But secondly, when we humble ourselves and obey Him, we will learn to trust Him. He loves us, knows what we need, but just as with an earthly father, he knows that children must learn obedience if they hope to receive things. In 1 Samuel 15:22, we read, "...Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams." In the Great Commission given by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, we read, "Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you."
When God released the Israelites from bondage, He could have showered them with one thing after another, without trials or lessons, but He knew that if they were going to learn to trust Him, they had to learn to obey. They were allowed to experience fear when the Egyptian army chased them, thirst as they had no water in the desert, hunger as they could not find food, to which we read in Exodus 16:4, "Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions." God doesn't need any of us, it is us who need to learn that we need Him. In Jesus' parable, we read the repercussions of a lack of obedience in Matthew 22:2-6, "The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come! “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them." This parable shows those willing to be the Bride of Christ and those who were unwilling. God had already done everything, He even sent His only Son to pay the price by offering up His life for His bride, but many simply choose not to believe, refusing to obey the simplest of instructions: repent, accept, and come.
We read in Psalm 27:1, "The Lord is my light and my salvation - so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?" This is who the Lord is. We need to do more than just say this, we need to trust Him. In Proverbs 6:20-23, we read the importance of obeying the commands of one's parents, as "their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you. For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life." Obedience has become a dirty word in our current society. People desire and are throwing off all restraint. People shout for a society with no rules, with no boundaries. Sadly, many see this as freedom, but in reality, this represents bondage. People are becoming slaves to their selves and their endless desires, trading it for the freedom which only comes from trusting and being in a relationship with the God of the Universe. Decide for yourselves today who you choose to obey and trust.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: