Obeying the Word of the Lord

Isaiah 66:2 NLT

2 My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.

Today we continue our series on the Awe of God with a message that focuses in on two very important parts of our faith.

One - The Word of God.

Two - Obeying the Word of God.

The Word of God is beyond essential when it comes to our walk with the Lord.

This book, this Bible is God’s special revelation to us. Although it was written by many authors over a great deal of time, ALL OF SCRIPTURE CAME FROM THE LORD.

2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that

2 Timothy 3:16 NIV

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

All Scripture is INSPIRED of the Holy Spirit. This is HIS STORY. It reveals to us God’s love, His plan, His character, His will, His way, etc.

We need to praise God for His giving of the Word AND we need to be thankful that we have access to it. We’ll talk more about the Word in a moment.

Secondly, The Word has been given… that it might be obeyed.

Think about a road map… or GPS. An atlas shows us the ways to go… it shows us the road we need to take.

If we ignore the route, we might end up somewhere we didn’t expect, of find ourselves lost all together.

Unlike a road map… the Word reveals the ONE WAY back to the Father.

If you wanted to drive from here to Wichita, there are various ways a person could choose to get there.

When it comes to God, there is only ONE WAY. There is only ONE PATH. There is only ONE NAME and He is Jesus Christ - the Word made flesh.

This Word… and our commitment to obey it… is foundational to our faith in the Lord. THIS IS HOW WE KNOW GOD. THIS IS HOW WE LEARN ABOUT WHO HE IS. If we neglect the study and application of His Word to our lives, we are trying to build our lives on something else that is not His Word.

Let’s consider a time period when God’s people had drifted away from having a genuine relationship with the Lord… and they replaced it with mere formalities. At best, they were going through the motions.

To get their attention, God says in Isaiah 66:1

Isaiah 66:1 NIV

1 This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?

If we read the first five verses of the chapter in context, we find God addressing people who have attempted to develop and maintain a relationship with Him… ON THEIR OWN TERMS.

Remember our tag line for this series? He is God… and I (we) are not. But in this case, the people were saying “We know you are God, but we want you to do things our way.”

How many understand that this is not how our God works today? It is not for us to dictate terms to our heavenly Father… it is simply our role… to OBEY.

God makes it clear to them that their chosen path is offensive, and He reminds them what is required in order for them to have an AUTHENTIC relationship with Him - Found in Isaiah 66:2

Isaiah 66:2 NLT

2 My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.

“I will bless” is the Hebrew verb defined as “to look, to watch, to regard. It has the sense of looking somewhat intensely in a focused way at something.”

God is saying - “This is a person who I will pay close attention to.”

Does this mean that God ignores everyone else? No… but the person who trembles at and obeys the Word of the Lord is someone who listens to and follows the ways of the Lord.

Look at the attributes listed here: This person is

Humble - reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission

Has a contrite heart - feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for improper or objectionable behavior, actions etc. A heart of repentance.

Trembles at the Word (our focus for today)

THE ONE WHO TREMBLES AT GOD’S WORD ALWAYS EXALTS WHAT GOD SAYS ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE.

The person who fears God… always obeys. Let’s break this down a bit.

We might find it easier to obey the Lord when… things are going right.

It might be easier to obey Him when at a church conference or church service or outreach. It might be easy to obey Him when His presence is strong.

It might be easy to obey Him when things are going your way, when life seems good, and people are being nice.

But what about in moments when we let our guard down?

Maybe a person at work or maybe even in the church lies about you and it damages your reputation. Will you forgive in accordance to the Word… or hold a grudge?

What if, while on a business trip alone, an opportunity rises to have a little… “fun.” Maybe its watching something you shouldn’t watch online or on PPV or… flirting with someone of the opposite sex that is showing some signs of interest in you.

What if your emotions get the best of you and your anger is boiling over? Will you sin in that anger or will you give it to God and seek resolve with that person?

We might think that these are moments when God isn’t looking… we might think they are excusable and reasonable times for compromise. However, if you tremble at His Word, you will obey no matter the circumstances because there is no greater precedence.

IF WE CLAIM to fear the Lord… the person who fears the Lord always obeys.

This person, at the core of his or her innermost being, is UNMOVABLE from the following foundational truths.

One, God is the One who knows what is right for me. Believe this… or not?

Two, God is pure love, and I am the focus of His love. Believe this... or not?

Three, God will never tell me to do anything that is sin. Whatever He says will lead me to life to the full.

Four, no matter what He says, I gladly choose to obey.

These are the foundational truths that reveal these living proofs of someone who trembles at the Word of God.

Proof One: Obey God IMMEDIATELY.

Here’s the deal church… delayed obedience… is disobedience. I’m going to say that again. Delayed obedience… is disobedience.

The Bible gives many examples of delayed obedience and in that delay can be found numerous missed opportunities.

In one instance, Jesus encounters a man on the way to Jerusalem. Jesus knew the time was approaching for Him to be taken up to heaven.

In Luke 9:59, Jesus invites the man to “follow me.” But the man does not obey immediately. And… he gives what appears to be a good excuse.

“Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

This man misses the opportunity to follow Jesus in order to take care of family business. Scholars tell us that when a first born son buried his father he received a double portion of the inheritance, while the other sons received a single portion. However, if the oldest did not fulfill his duty, it would fall to the second born. His excuse seemed legitimate, and the delay didn’t fall under the category of sin.

Unfortunately, money was more important than instant obedience to the Lord.

Luke 9 and 10 go on to give additional examples of delayed or missed obedience. Each case seemed to have a good excuse… but that excuse caused them to miss out on literally following Jesus.

Church, this might be hard to swallow but it needs to be said: When we are slow, or neglect, to obey God for any person or purpose, we honor that person or purpose above honoring God. IT IS A LACK OF HOLY FEAR.

When what is not sin takes precedence over the Word of the Lord… IT BECOMES SIN.

What if...

Moses delayed turning aside from his busy activities of tending the flocks to see the great sight of the burning bush?

What if Noah delayed in building the Ark?

What if Abraham delayed going to Canaan?

What if David delayed in taken on the giant?

Bottom line is, when we tremble at His Word, we OBEY GOD IMMEDIATELY. If I delay my obedience to God’s Word for personal excuses, I communicate that His will is secondary to mine.

Proof Two: Obey God Even if it Doesn’t Make Sense.

Has the Holy Spirit ever asked you or led you to do something… that didn’t make sense?

This leading did not go against anything in the Word of God… but maybe it didn’t make sense considering your current circumstance.

Most of those who have followed and walked closely with the Lord will probably answer… YES!

He asked you to trust in a hard time.

He asked you to go when the going looked rough.

He asked you to stay when there was nothing in it for you.

He asked you to endure when you felt like giving up.

He asked you to stand when everyone else had fallen.

Whatever the case might have been… did it make senses AFTER you obeyed?

Maybe this was immediate or maybe it took some time… but in the end… YOU WERE GLAD YOU OBEYED!

I have yet to regret doing things God’s way! I have yet to ever say, “Man, I wish I would have listened to me instead of God.” In fact, I have plenty of examples where I was GLAD I DIDN’T LISTEN TO ME!!!

It’s not a common occurrence that God asks us to do something that doesn’t make sense… but it does happen.

Think about situations like these:

Did it make sense to spit into the dirt and put mud on a blind man’s eye and then tell him to go wash it off?

Did it make sense to walk around towering and fortified walls of a large city quietly for six days, and then on the seventh day, do the same seven times?

Does it make sense to forgive those who hurt you - your family or someone close to you?

Does it make sense to do good to those who mistreat you?

Does it make sense to give when the month looks bigger than the money?

Does it make sense to believe in what is unseen… rather than what is seen?

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to

Proverbs 3:5–6 NIV

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Obedience is trusting God with the details. Obedience is understanding that He sees all while we see but a small piece of what is going on. Obedience, even when it doesn’t make sense, displays our fear of the Lord and our faith in Him.

Proof Three: Obey God Even When You Do Not See a Personal Benefit.

I find it sad that this point must be brought up… but this is becoming more and more a problem within the western church. People are glad to obey… so long as there is a pay out. “What’s in it for me” drives the level of obedience.

The sad reality is… to get some believers interested in obedience, benefits must be emphasized.

Think about it… would we come 30 minutes early for a front row seat to hear a message on holiness?

Are book titles emphasizing obedience making the best-sellers list? Unfortunately… no.

Has leadership strayed from confrontational truth to accommodate this trend?

I’ve heard it said this way… we now counsel what we used to cast out.

Have numerous ministers succumbed to the pressure of gratifying itching ears with inspiring stories, rather than calling God’s people to deny themselves to follow Jesus?

Do we see a move in worship more concerned with performance… than presence? A move that emphasizes the people being entertained instead of God being glorified?

In hopes of gaining… WE ARE LOSING. God is still all-powerful. God is still on the move. God is still changing lives, but He does so with truth that does not bend and a Word that does not lie. He does so with love that will endure forever.

Believers are hurting themselves by living by a “what’s in it for me” style of obedience. We may not see or understand the immediate benefit… but we ALWAYS benefit when we choose to obey.

Psalm 19:11 says there is a GREAT reward for those who obey God’s word.

Psalm 119:35 reads

Psalm 119:35 NLT

35 Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.

Uh.. wait just a minute… where is the Psalmist’s happiness found? NOT in following the trends of the world BUT IN WALKING ALONG THE PATHS OF HIS (God’s) COMMANDS!

We need not ask what is in it it for me… we simply need to understand that if God says do it… it shall be done! Even if we know that obedience means suffering… or sacrifice.

Proof Four: Obey God Even if it is Painful.

Christ Jesus is our primary example in this. He knew what was ahead. He knew the terrible suffering He would endure on the cross. Yet His prayer to God was submission, “Not my will but Your will be done.”

Sometimes obedience means… suffering. Sometimes obedience means… sacrifice. Jesus never promised that life on this earth as a believer would be easy. In fact, He said the opposite.

He laid down the cost of what it means to follow Him in Luke 9:23

Luke 9:23 NIV

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Denial of self isn’t easy… but is necessary if you desire to follow Jesus.

Taking up your cross daily isn’t easy… but is necessary if you desire to follow Jesus.

Why are these things a requirement?

Because our flesh will tell us this is crazy. Our emotions will try to convince us to go a different direction. The enemy has ways to discourage us from obeying the Lord. Jesus knew what we would be up against… and that is why He did what only He could have done.

You and I will face situations that we do not have the power or strength to overcome.

I am in the ministry because God called me to the ministry. There have been good days, and not so good days. And it is when we are in the trenches that our faith is truly tested.

And… it’s when we are in the trenches that our obedience must shine through. Because the victory we need… can only be found in Jesus.

We don’t have the power to overcome this world on our own… but Jesus does. He has already overcome the world and through Him… He brings the victory. But the battle isn’t won by retreating from the fight. We must obey and stay with it… Sometimes obedience… hurts. But God is WORTHY of such obedience.

Proof Five: Obey God to Completion

This is our last and closing point. If we are content with going half way… if we are content with good enough and we miss the mark, it isn’t partial obedience, it is complete defiance.

Complete obedience is an all-in obedience. Complete obedience understands that we take all of God’s words and live by all of His words. It means we go ALL THE WAY in our commitment and faith.

Listen… if you are a believer today then understand that God is doing a new and good work in your life.

The work that God has for you is not a partial work… it is not a 75% work… it is a complete work.

The Word says in Philippians 1:6

Philippians 1:6 NIV

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

God is FAITHFUL to COMPLETE HIS WORK IN YOU. He won’t stop at good enough. Jesus didn’t come to give us partial new life… He came that we might have life MORE abundantly!

So why would we stop at good enough? Why would we give less to God than what He deserves? Why would we choose go A distance instead of go THE distance?

Because things get in the way of our fear of the Lord.

We start with obedience… then get distracted, or too busy, or the emotional thrill runs out, or the pressure turns up, or the checkbook gets too low, or the fun feeling begins to diminish, or the price is too much.

Church, we need to throw out our excuses and we need to obey the Lord… fully… to completion.

If we truly stand in awe of the Lord, that awe will motivate us to obey His Word no matter what. But if that awe begins to fade… or is placed into other things… then our obedience WILL wavier.

So it’s time for an awe of God… check up. Does your level of obedience PROVE a healthy spiritual fear of the Lord OR does it show a self-motivated form of obedience which places your interests over God’s instruction?

I bring us to our closing prayer with the already mentioned words of Jesus from Luke 9:23

Luke 9:23 NIV

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

If this is your desire… If this is what you want to do… then stand to your feet. But do not stand if you are not all in. Do not stand if you are going to make excuses. Do not stand if you are uncertain.

This is a two-fold stance.

One - it is a moment of repentance. Maybe you’re standing realizing you’ve missed it in the past, but you want your present and future to be different.

Two - maybe its a time of commitment renewal. Maybe you’ve been on point and you desire to remain on point.

What we must do is BE HUMBLE… and have a CONTRITE HEART. We don’t have to do this on our own. God, the giver of the Word, will also give us the strength to carry out His Word. Will you trust in Him? Will you obey to completion the instruction given? Will you build your life on His foundation by hearing AND doing His Word?