ABIDE AND OBEY
Have you ever been so pressed in by God about something? It seems so much of what I am reading and listening to and thinking about revolves around one subject. Abide and Obey! I ask God to impress on my heart (mind, will, emotion and intellect) what to post each week and I have felt such a strong inner voice and moving of the Spirit about this subject. Today let’s talk about abide and obey.
One of my favorite books of the Bible is Romans. It is an exhaustive treatise that lays out God’s plan of salvation and so much more!
One of the verses in Roman 12 is so deep and profound to me it has become a recording in my head being played on a loop!
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1
First of all, this scripture is addressed to Christians. Those who have already bowed the knee and made Jesus Christ Lord of their lives. Only by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit can this verse be lived out in our lives.
The big picture meaning of this verse is very deep!
Because of all God has done for us the only sane way to answer his gifts, and grace and mercy is to give Him our broken bodies, as a living sacrifice, as our way of worshipping Him for all He has done.
And we are not to be like the world around us steeped in the way they think and do things that are in rebellion to our Father but make sure we are abiding (having a relationship) with God by reading, knowing, and obeying His word. So when we transform our mind we can test and know what the will of God is for our lives.
The key is turning our bodies and minds and will over to the Lord to obey him.
Obey!
I have a Sunday Scripture about Romans 12:1-2 you can read HERE. Easier said than done. But when we really know all God has done for us it becomes our only reasonable response!
I’m also doing a study with my church called Discerning The Voice Of God by Priscilla Shirer and it is FABULOUS. This study is about hearing the voice of God in our lives and following it.
Over and over again Priscilla talks about how we need to obey God to hear Him. Obey first! Not second guessing and not slow obedience. Just like Romans says … to obey God as a living sacrifice.
Yes, I have been hearing from God in a big way lately. And the Holy Spirit has impressed on my heart (mind, will, emotion and intellect) a phrase I use often when I teach…
ABIDE AND OBEY
Jesus says in John 15:4…
Abide in me and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
Again the big overview meaning of this verse is tied up in the word abide!
Abide carries with it the meaning of having a close, personal relationship with Jesus. We can do nothing of kingdom value if we do not know and have a close relationship with Jesus.
Abide and obey is the mantra of my life.
Although, I am often not very good at it.
In times when I let my relationship with Jesus slip it becomes hard to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit (the very presence of God in me) in my spirit making it hard to know His will and obey.
Jesus said in John 10:10…
… I have come that they (His sheep, believers) may have life, and have it abundantly.
Our abundant life comes when we abide and obey.
Today make a commitment to know Jesus. Not just know about Him.
To have that beautiful connection on a deep level study your bible yourself.
Ask the Holy Spirit to “guide you in all truth” (John 16:13). And obey what He tells you.
Transform your mind. Replace the clutter and filth of this world with the grace and truth of God.
Spend time quiet before God and let His Holy Spirit speak to you! He will not tell you anything that contradicts His word.
And if you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior now is the time to get to know Him and take part in the everlasting life He offers. You can read about it HERE.
Friends, the essence of our lives here on planet earth is all about abiding and obeying God.
We will live eternally with Him if we bow the knee to Jesus as Lord so why would we not live out the eternal truths ahead of us.
We are destined for the Kingdom so we should be living out that kind of life here on earth, right?
I pray that you would ask God to show you how to abide in Him and obey Him without delay.
Oh, the abundant life, a life of living close to God, if we abide and obey!
Hard to fulfil sometimes, as we think we know more than Him, an excuse I invent when He asks me to do things and rules I don’t want to follow! It is an act of our mind, will and trying millions of times.
Another piece of writing full of the inspiration of those that live in the presence of God all the time trying to do things well.
Lots of LOVE for you and yours as well as those following your blog.
Hugs from afar once more,
Charo
I am also studying Romans at my church and we are in Romans 12… Let love be genuine …..Abhor what is evil… Hold fast to what is good.
I have committed my life to God….. and I am running the race to win a prize of everlasting life with Jesus in heaven!
Thank you Yvonne….I needed that. We here in Vt have been bogged down in a VERY snowy, very COLD winter with nothing but negative covid news daily from our local news outlets. Our church has just lost it’s third pastor in about four years, and it’s disheartening. Abide, and Obey! That’s it…the answer to peace in the chaos. Bless you.
Thank you for this post. The longer I live the more I see that the “joy of the Lord” comes to us when we stay in God’s Word and do what He tells us to do. Obeying Him. He is our creator and surely knows what’s best for us. Even in the most difficult of circumstances, we can rest, have peace, and be joyful in Him.
I am so thankful for my Savior! I appreciate what you have said today. I hear your heart-felt message!
Thanks so much for sharing this great Word!!! What an encouragement at a time when right and wrong seem completely upside down in our world. How grateful I am to know Him…..learning to lean into Him further and listen for His voice above all the noise of this world. “Trust and obey, for there’s no better way….to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey…..”
I needed this today. I am searching for what to do in an area of my life and I need His help. Please pray for me
Yes, I am praying for you Linda!
I thank God for the abundant life we have when we put our trust in Him! This was a wonderful devo, Yvonne. Thanks, so much, for sharing with us. We appreciate you so much and will never cease to thank God for you! May He bless you and Bobby in a special way this coming week.
Thank you Mary Ann! May God bless you too!
Yvonne, I always appreciate your Sunday posts and Biblical insights. Do you have a Study Bible that you have used that you like? I am looking for one and there are so many choices.
Hi JoAnn, what a great question! I use the NASV version of the bible. It’s closest to the King James which is closest to the original Greek and Hebrew. It’s really not the Bible I use but the way I study the Bible. Have you ever heard of INDUCTIVE Bible study? This has changed my life! Here is a book that will really help you learn to study the Bible:https://shop.precept.org/collections/how-to-study/products/how-to-study-your-bible
Thank you! I will look into that. I am just starting a Bible Study on the Holy Spirit that has a 5 step process for reading Scripture. It takes more effort but the reward is great!