Obedience (2/4)

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give… Romans 12:1

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Romans 12:1	I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. mercy holiness
Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other. Romans 15:32	So that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. joy dependence

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. Galatians 5:17	For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. Spirit
And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 1 John 2:17	And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever. eternal life desires world
Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. Galatians 1:10	Am I now seeking human approval, or God's approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ. reward relationships
My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart. Proverbs 4:20-21	My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. listening Word of God heart
I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands. Psalm 119:60	I hurry and do not delay to keep your commandments. law following
And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment. John 3:36	Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God's wrath. eternal life faith salvation
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm 37:23	Our steps are made firm by the Lord, when he delights in our way. serving trust following
‘I am the Lord your God,’ I told them. ‘Follow my decrees, pay attention to my regulations, and keep my Sabbath days holy, for they are a sign to remind you that I am the Lord your God.’ Ezekiel 20:19-20	I the Lord am your God; follow my statutes, and be careful to observe my ordinances, and hallow my sabbaths that they may be a sign between me and you, so that you may know that I the Lord am your God. law sabbath
You must faithfully keep all my commands by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord. Leviticus 22:31	Thus you shall keep my commandments and observe them: I am the Lord. law God
Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Revelation 3:20	Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. food listening promises
But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. James 1:25	But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing. law blessing listening
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Philippians 2:6-8	Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. Savior Jesus crucifixion
Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. Exodus 19:5	Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine. covenant valuable world
Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Zechariah 1:3b	Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. conversion repentance reliability
My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. Proverbs 4:10	Hear, my child, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. Word of God law life
So obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. Deuteronomy 8:6	Therefore keep the commandments of the Lord your God, by walking in his ways and by fearing him. law awe following
Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.” Acts 10:34-35	Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” righteousness evangelism
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:10-11	Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you. calling kingdom reward
In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. Hebrews 5:9	And having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. salvation Savior eternal life
If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field will produce their fruit. Leviticus 26:3-4	If you follow my statutes and keep my commandments and observe them faithfully, I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. law blessing harvest
So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. Hebrews 4:11	Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs. sabbath rest
You must diligently obey the commands of the Lord your God—all the laws and decrees he has given you. Deuteronomy 6:17	You must diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his decrees, and his statutes that he has commanded you. law
Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. Proverbs 4:5	Get wisdom; get insight: do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. wisdom understanding Word of God

But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.

Bible verse of the day

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.

Ezekiel 36:26 heart Spirit salvation