Session 14 – Obedience

http://www.bibleuniversity.com/Video/CourseID2/NR14.asx

• No one gets to Heaven because of what they know
  • Knowing what the mark of the beast is doesn’t get you into Heaven
• People get into Heaven because of their personal surrender to the Lord
• To whom much is given, much is required
• Recommended book: Practicing the Presence of God (very old book)
• God judges us according to what we know
• Hebrews 10:26 – “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.
• God is aware of and intensely interested in each of us personally (He’s aware of every conceivable thing in existence)
  • He wants a personal relationship (personal surrender) with each of us (He wants our love, like a loving father wants his child’s love)
  • Jesus wants to know each of us – and the word ‘know’ in the Bible is very very personal in nature (Adam knew Eve)
  • He wants to be married to each of us
  • He’s desperate to save / redeem as many of us as He can
• God doesn’t force us to do anything – our disobedience has their own consequences
  • He won’t ask you to give up anything that’s truly good
  • He will only take the things that will hurt you
• Those who persist in rebelling against God would not be safe in Heaven
  • They would bring their rebellious attitudes there
• Sin is like the bubonic plague – in order to be cured, you need a transfusion from a person who was exposed but did not succumb
• While justification is a moment, sanctification is a process –
  • Like building a house – one nail /brick at a time
  • Don’t worry about changing all at once
  • Follow what He presents to you
  • As you focus on obedience, ask God to help you
• Every commandment you obey has a blessing that comes with it
  • Tithing > prosperity
  • Honor father and mother > long life
  • Obey the Sabbath > find rest in Jesus
• God doesn’t hold a person accountable for lack of knowledge, but He does hold people accountable for rejecting knowledge (Hosea 4:6).  So you can’t say ‘I just won’t learn any more of His commandments, so I won’t be bound by them’
• Even the ‘little things’ count – in fact, there are no ‘little things’
• Obedience will never be convenient
• Deny yourself daily
• Following Jesus is the opposite of following the devil
  • Satan gives you the pleasure now and the penalty later (buy now, pay later)
  • Jesus says that there will be trouble in initially following, but the blessing follows immediately after. (pay now, and then be free)
    • Sometimes the initial decision is a tremendous battle
• God / Christ is able to keep us from falling
  • A Christian is a person who loves God so much, they would rather die than knowingly hurt Him
  • Most of us do not have that experience because we are not able to let go and let God have control
• Surrender is the only battle you win by giving up
  • Analogy: monkey trap – rice placed inside coconuts so that the monkeys can reach inside but can’t get their hand back out without letting go of the rice.  Poachers can simply walk up and grab the monkey.
• Your love for God is demonstrated by obedience (you obey because you love)
  • Saying you love God is not enough.  Jesus said that ‘if you love me then keep my commandments and I’ll pray the Father and He’ll send you the Holy Spirit.
  • How do you think Jesus feels when He died to save us from sin, and we say ‘thanks, Lord’ and run back to our sins?
• Trust – you don’t have to understand why God is commanding something
• Satan has an excuse or rationalization for every sin

Surrender

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/surrender

Don’t force it… allow it (surrender)

Surrender is the only battle you win by giving up… To the degree you empty yourself, you will be filled up with the spirit of God.
– Doug Batchelor

Sin

Sin is like the bubonic plague – in order to be cured, you need a transfusion from a person who was exposed but did not succumb.