Obedience = LIFE
Genesis 6:22
“Noah did everything just as God commanded Him.”
This morning, I’m reading the story of Noah and the Ark. One thing is standing out to me more than ever. God gave some crazy specific instructions when it came to building the ark. Use cypress wood, and make it 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Put the door here and a window here and make it 3 levels. I’m sure Noah heard these instructions and thought... “Wow! That’s not easy.”
Here’s the thing, sometimes being obedient to God seems incredibly difficult. Sin is described in the Bible as something crouching at your door, ready to devour us and something that so easily entangles us. Sin is so easily found and sometimes very quickly accepted. Who among us can claim to never have fallen into this trap of sin? To be obedient to God means to reject this sin and follow God’s specific instructions. Sin = destruction. Obedience = life!
To obey God, may seem difficult, but let’s take a lesson from this story of Noah. The one man who was obedient and rejected sin, even though it wasn’t easy, even though no one else was doing it, and even though it took a lot of work and effort, because of his efforts, he was saved!!!! To obey means, to put in some work and effort. It’s all about self discipline!!!! Training ourselves to deny our selfish desires and instead live for Christ! It’s not always easy, and the enemy is constantly trying to trip us up. But... “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9. THIS IS PERFECT!!!!
Life isn’t always easy, and obedience isn’t always easy. It may require hard work and perseverance and denying our own desires. But the more we follow God and are obedient to His specific instructions, the more we are blessed! DO NOT GIVE UP! And in time you will be blessed beyond your wildest dreams! To wrap up, what’s the key to overcoming sin? OBEDIENCE!!!! Be so consumed with obedience to God, that you don’t have the time to sin. Lets work hard, and reap the rewards of God’s grace! Just like Noah, Let’s get to work! God loves to uplift the obedient and righteous man! That’s my God!!!!
Pastor Max Campfield