Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice for Sure

Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice for Sure!

1 Sam. 15:22

INTRO: Last week I looked at how prayer can accomplish so much in our lives if we just use it in our lives. Prayer is crucial to our lives as Christians. Prayer plays too little role in our lives. Prayer is a key component to our having a closer life with the Lord. It also is a key component for our loved ones learning about the Lord. Our prayers will not fall short. The problem is we must pray. We need to pray for each other, our church's outreach and ministries, our lost friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors. Pray for me. And also we need to pray that we are all obedient in the Lord.

I trust you are doing your best to increase the quantity and quality of your prayers to the Lord.

Today I want to look at obedience. Obedience to God is important to having the kind of relationship with God that He wants us to have. Without obedience, we fail to have the closeness God wants us to have with Him. Without obedience we truly come short in our Christian life. Think as a parent, how much it is disappointing when your children disobey. When they are obedient it is so different. Well we are the same with our Heavenly Father. He wants obedience in our lives. I know, we may think He wants it so we have honored Him, but that is not so. He wants obedience in our lives for our benefit and for the benefit it does for those around us.

First I want to look at our…
Achievement of obedience
If we are to achieve obedience we must first start

Understanding the witness (of His Spirit) - Rom 8:13-16;

Speaks to our heart - 1 John 3:18-21; 24

Strengthens His Word's message to our lives -

His Spirit will help push us to be…

Using His Word - Dt 26:16

Sheds light on His Way - Heb 4:11-13

Shows sin for us to evade - 2 Thes 3:14-17

Next, I want us to understand we need the right…

Attitude of obedience - we won't be obedient without it

Desire to do Right

Starts with loving the Lord - John 14:23

Includes loving His children - 1 John 3:22-23

Continues with keeping His commandments - Matt 7:24

There needs to be a conscious…

Decision to obey

This involves…

Letting go of sin - Heb 12:1

Fleeing hurtful sin - Pro 11:19; Rom 6:23

And, this will help us to …

Moving towards a MORE blessed life - Rev. 22:14

And last, I want to look at our…

Advantages of Obedience

There will be greater…

Closeness to the Lord - 1 Sam 15:22;

Closeness to His ways (We will walk the walk) - Rom 6:16-18

Pleasing to God (our goal???) - 1 Thes 4:1; Heb 11:5

Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 020605am