When Tangled In Sin

Background Passage: 2 Samuel 11 and 12

These chapters follow perhaps the greatest period of time in David’s kingship. Under his leadership, Israel is united after a period of civil war. The government is established in Jerusalem. The Ark of the Covenant is brought into Jerusalem during intense worship. And the nations of Philistia, Moab, Zobah, Aram, Edom, Amalek, and Ammon are defeated. God blesses David and David demonstrates compassion and provides equal justice to the nation of Israel (Psalm 78:72 states that David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them). As stated in 1Samuel 13:14, God has established a king that is “a man after His own heart.”

However, things are about to change…

David’s great sin (2 Samuel 11: 1-4a)
A. Notice David was not where he should have been. His proper place was with his army in battle. However, he stayed behind. Perhaps he was growing weary of the job God had given him. Maybe things had come too easy. In any event, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time (v.1-2).
B. He sees Bathsheba (his neighbor’s wife) bathing and desire is kindled. Instead of putting an end to it right there, he begins to mull over a possible relationship or interaction with her. Scripture says that he inquired about her (v.3).
C. He not only inquires but soon his inquiries become a pursuit of her (v.4)
D. Finally, his sin is consummated. He commits adultery (V. 4). Notice that she was a willing participant. However, as we will learn, this fact is no excuse for David’s act.

Sometimes, our sin begins because we are physically not where God desires us to be. We let our guard down and improper thoughts enter our mind. We begin to mull things over and our improper desire grows. Our thoughts turn to action and our sin is consummated.

Sin often leads to more sin (2 Samuel 11: 5-17)
A. Bathsheba gets pregnant as a result of their adultery.
B. David’s response is to try to hide his initial sin. Psalm 139:11 says “surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me.” David is looking to bury his sin so that no one will know.
C. Initially, he brings Uriah back from the fighting (Uriah has been at war for his king!) and tries to entice him to go home to Bathsheba. Out of duty, Uriah won’t sleep with his wife while his compatriots are still fighting. David even tries to get him drunk but it still doesn’t work.
D. When trickery fails, David hatches a plot to have Uriah killed. Once carried out, he marries Bathsheba.
E. David thinks he’s home free. He’s fooled the people. He’s hidden his sin and no one will know.

We become good at hiding as we reach adulthood. We hide our emotions. We reflexively tell inquirers that things are “great” when asked how we are doing. And we become very good at hiding our sin from other people. Few know what our family life is really like. We are not caught in the little “white lies” that we tell. We may even be able to hide “major sins” that would bring public embarrassment or scandal. And certainly, no one knows what our commitment to our Lord is really like when no one is watching.

However, God always knows.…(2 Samuel 11:27)
Verse 27 states simply and plainly, “But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.” Psalm 139: 12 says “even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. Hebrews 4:13 says “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Unconfessed sin always has consequences (Psalm 32: 1-4, 38: 1-12)
David’s unconfessed sin has serious effects on David that are seen as we read the above Psalms.
A. He becomes physically ill (loses weight and becomes weak/exhausted. His heart pounds , he gets dizzy, and feels faint)
B. Emotionally, he is overwhelmed and his heart is in anguish.
C. His friends begin avoiding him.
D. His enemies seek to take advantage of him in his weakened state.

We must acknowledge our sin sincerely and genuinely (2 Samuel 12: 13, Psalm 51: 1-4, 10-12, 16-17 Psalm 40:1, Psalm 40: 6-8, Psalm 139:23-24))
A. Our sin is against God, not another person.
B. We must genuinely desire forgiveness.
C. We must truly desire to place the Lord back in the leadership role in our life, where ever that may lead.
D. We must be patient as we wait for forgiveness.

God will forgive us…(2 Samuel 12:13, Psalm 32:5, Psalm 40: 1-3, Psalm 103: 8-13) but our sin will have consequences (2 Samuel 12: 10, 11, 14).
A. David’s heart is cleansed and restored.
B. David’s guilt is lifted.
C. David’s family will be in turmoil as a result of his sin
D. David’s son (born of Bathsheba) will die.

We must treat sin seriously and genuinely. The guilt that we carry with us separates us from God. He already knows that it is there so we only do ourselves harm when we keep it in. Make a point today to confess your sin and put the Lord back in control of your life, no matter what other people might think!

Check out the Casting Crowns video below!

When Facing Difficult Circumstances...Find Strength in the Lord!

The blog notes return this week (I couldn't find time to get last week's notes up) as we continue our study of 1 Samuel. Today, we will be focusing on chapter 28 and 30, comparing how Saul and David face troublesome circumstances. We will see what approach God honors and how we should approach circumstances that cause fear and uncertainty in our life.

At this point, Saul has intermittently been pursuing David with the intent to kill him. David has taken refuge among the Philistines of all people. In fact, one of the Philistines (Achish) gave David property (Ziklag). Imagine how good David must have felt to have a place that he could call home after being on the run for so long. By this point, David has also acquired 2 more wives along the way (in addition to his first wife Michal who was Saul's daughter) and he has about 600 men that fight with him. In addition, since Saul had murdered 85 priests including Ahimelech, Abiathar (Ahimelech's son) was with David.

Chapter 28: 1-5. The Philistine army gathers to fight Israel. Samuel is dead. Saul sees the mighty Philistine army and it is superior in number and in advanced weaponry to his own. Verse 5 says that Saul was afraid to the point that terror filled his heart. Some of us unfortunately have been there. Circumstances arise and the odds against us appear overwhelming. The future looks uncertain and bleak. In fact, it looks like there is no escape. We are uncertain what we should do. We are afraid and our fear gives way to terror.

Chapter 28: 6. Saul does what many do when in trouble; he asks God for help. However, God remains silent. Why does this happen? First, notice that Saul really has no relationship with the Lord before his request. There is no mention of remorse or repentance for past sins. In fact part of his petitioning includes asking the false priest (Urim) that he established after murdering God's priests! Finally, in 1 Chronicles 10:14, we are told that Saul doesn't ask God for help at all. In other words, his request for help was so shallow that it really wasn't a request at all. We need a solid relationship with Jesus before we find our backs against the wall. God promises us that if we need wisdom He will give it to us if we ask. (James 1: 5-6)

Chapter 28:7. Receivng no answer from God, Saul turns to a witch even though he knows this is abhorrent (v.3 says that he ordered the mediums and spiritists expelled from the land). However, he does what many do when they have no relationship with which to anchor their life. He looks for help in the wrong place. What about us? If we don't get an immediate answer from God, do we wait on Him. Do we ask again? Do we look in other places for answers (horoscopes, palm readers, advice from seemingly successful but non Christian people, Oprah, self help books, etc.)?

Chapter 28: 8-19 The witch calls up the spirit of Samuel who tells Saul not what he wants to hear (what he should do about the Philistines) but what he has done wrong before God and what his judgement will be (he and his sons will be killed by the Philistines).

Chapter 28: 20-25 Hearing this news, Saul falls to the ground and is filled with fear. Those around him provide encouragement and food. However, they provide no spiritual advice. Eventually Saul leaves during the night apparently resigned to his fate. We need to ask for help from those that will give us Godly advice. Who knows what would have happened had Saul truly repented of his sin when confronted with it by Samuel. Had a true priest of the Lord been with him at that moment, who knows how Saul might have been encouraged to seek God earnestly! Surrounding ourselves with Christian people when we need help/advice certainly gives us a much better chance of deciding on a course that is pleasing to God. We simply cannot expect advice that will grow our relationship with the Lord from non Christian sources.

Chapter 30: 1-5. David and his men are sent home from the impending battle between Israel and the Philistines since the Philistines did not trust them to fight on their side. They arrive home in Ziklag to discover that it has been pillaged and burned. All of their possessions and their family memebers have been taken or destroyed. They are devastated. These battle tested men weep aloud until they have no strength left with which to weep. How despondent they must have been! We also will have "Ziklags" in life. We go to work like any other day and receive a phone call that brings bad news. We go to a routine doctor's visit and learn of a lump or abnormal test. The stock market crashes or real estate values plummet putting our financial future at risk. We see our children make bad choices or our spouse one day leaves without warning and suddenly our place of security and comfort (our Ziklag) is destroyed.

Chapter 30:6. It gets worse. David's men, his loyal followers, blame him. In fact, they blame him so strongly that they actually consider stoning him. After all, he is their leader and it was his choice to leave compound unguarded. At this point David does what we all should do in such a circumstance. He turns to the Lord his God and finds strength in Him. What a resource! When troubled, think of all of the promises that God has made to you, His child. Meditate on them. Claim them. Part of this process must include evaluating the quality of our commitment to Him. We must confess the sin that permeates our life. If we do these two things, God will strengthen us just as He did David.
Watch the Selah song below about how God can raise us up to do great things.


Chapter 30:7-8. After reaffirming his relationship with God (something Saul never did), David calls the priest and asks God what he should do. Notice that the request came in the exact manner that God had put forward in the law (David asks for the ephod or linen cloth with special stones in it because God had said that he should do so in order to petition Him). Even in his time of distress, David is fully obedient to God. Due to David's belief, God answers. David is told to pursue the captors.

Chapter 28:9-17. David and his men set out. However, 200 of them are so exhausted that they can't go on. They are left behind. The other 400 charge ahead but discover an Egyptian slave that has been cast aside by the raiding party. David's band nurses him back to health and the Egyptian is instrumental in delivering the captors into David's hands. The captors are routed. As we respond to what God tells us, we need to use all of the resources that He provides. Who would have ever guessed that a dying Egyptian slave would have been so important. Certainly not the man that cast him aside on the road to die. And probably not even David when the man was first discovered. However, he was an invaluable resource none-the-less.

Chapter 28: 18-25. David recovers everything... his family, his possessions, and also all of the possessions from all of the other cities that the Amalekites had raided. Some of the 400 with him want to keep it all but David insists that everything be returned to the rightful owner. The 200 men that stayed behind will share equally. Not only that but he also sends gifts to the places that he had previously roamed. When the crisis is past and we have been restored, we must resist the temptation to grow "fat and happy". This is a very difficult temptation to overcome. It is in our nature to store up treasure here on earth and to rely on our own strength as we plan for the future. We should look for ways that we can share our good fortune with others and therby encourage their relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Success is our opportunity to tell others what God has done for us!

Class social - Save the Date

We are planning a class social on the evening of November 8th (a Saturday). Please save the date. I will be posting more details as they are finalized.

Be A Good Friend!

Background passages 1 Samuel 17-23
Key verses: 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 19:1-2, 4-7; 20:41-42; 23:16-18

This week’s lesson focuses on the friendship that Jonathan (King Saul’s son and therefore, prince of Israel) and David shared. In studying their relationship, we can see some of the qualities needed to be a good friend. Check out the entertaining video below set to the Randy Newman song “You’ve got a friend in me.” (Warning: this video scores extremely high on the cuteness scale and will definitely make you want to visit the humane society!).


In 1 Samuel 17, David confronts and slays the Philistine warrior Goliath. Goliath was over 9 feet tall, wore brass armour that weighed 125 pounds and wielded a spear with a shaft weighing 17 lbs and a spear head weighing 15 lbs! He was one big man. Nevertheless, as Israel’s army looked on, David courageously confronted and defeated the giant in the name of the Lord Almighty (17: 45). After meeting with King Saul following his victory, he is met by Jonathan.

1 Samuel 18:1-4
v. 1 Jonathan became one in spirit with David. The best friendships usually have a common interest. In this instance, both men loved the Lord. Jonathan had previously attacked the Philistines against overwhelming odds, having faith that God would give him victory (14:6). Here, Jonathan is deciding that David’s interest will be his interest. David’s desire will be his desire. They will work together toward a single goal and David will set the agenda (as is further evidenced by the gifts that he gives David).

Jonathan loved David as himself. Again, Jonathan will put David first throughout their friendship together. We are to do this habitually as Christians (Mt 22:39; Lk 10: 25-28; Romans 13: 9-10; Gal 5:14; James 2: 8-9) and it is a vital part of having a deep friendship.

v. 3 Jonathan and David made a covenant before the Lord. They valued their relationship and were serious enough about their commitment to each other that they implored God as a witness! We should take our friendships seriously. Are you a fair weather friend? Do other things come before your friends? Do you try to meet their needs only when it is convenient?

v.4 Jonathan gave David his robe (a royal robe) and his military equipment. Remember that at this point, Jonathan is the prince (even though David has been anointed by Samuel). This act is important because Jonathan is symbolically giving David a place of strength and power greater than his own. Jealousy and envy have no place in a good friendship. We should seek to honor our friends and promote their welfare even if it is at our own expense!

1 Samuel 19:1-2 Jonathan learns of his father’s order to kill David and warns David of the plot. He doesn’t just stop there either. He places himself in harms way for his friend.
A good friend will warn of danger. Our first commitment to our friends should be to share the gospel with them. We should warn them of danger if we know of it (wrong decisions that they are on the brink of making, information about children or family that they might find painful but still need to know, etc.). Part of this means holding a friend accountable for improper actions/ behavior. Proverbs 27: 6 says that wounds from a friend can be trusted. Sometimes, the truth hurts but a friend will provide it nonetheless.

1 Samuel 19:1-4
Jonathan defends David against the accusations that the king has made. A friend will defend. When we hear about gossip regarding others, do we join in or stand up for them? Do we stand up even when it could mean danger for us? Jonathan defends David not only in this encounter but also later while he and Saul are eating. During the second meeting, Saul actually tries to kill Jonathan because of Jonathan’s defense of David. Proverbs 16:28 says that a gossip separates close friends. Beware of it!

1 Samuel 20: 41 Here, Jonathan has given David the news that Saul is again angry and seeking to kill David. It is best for David to flee. They weep together. A good friend will feel the pain of the other, weep together, and provide comfort. Jonathan reminds David of their covenant friendship and this certainly must have been comforting to David. How lonely he must have felt as he hid among the rocks waiting for word from Jonathan. How fearful he must have been knowing that the king wanted him dead. Jonathan’s commitment must have helped. We need to express genuine emotion and provide comfort to our friends.

1 Samuel 23: 16-17 A friend provides encouragement. David is running for his life and is hiding in the desert. Jonathan goes to David and “helps him find strength in God.” Certainly, if most of us were in David’s place, our faith would be tried. Perhaps he was beginning to have doubts about God’s providence and protection. Here Jonathan encourages his faith and confidence that God’s plan for David to be king will be fulfilled. Jonathan could not immediately fix David’s present circumstance but he could bolster his friend’s soul. I am reminded of the physician’s prayer in my office (which Robin cross-stitched for me when I finished residency). It says that I will not be able to cure every medical problem that I encounter. However, I should always be able to improve the condition of the patient that I am treating. Sometimes, that improvement is emotional or spiritual. This is the role that Jonathan played here.

We need good Christian friendships in our life. In order to foster them, we should examine our commitment to our friends and not keep a "running tally" of their acts of service toward us. We need to be willing to put their interests above our own when we know that doing so is God’s will (just as Jonathan did). We need to demonstrate a willingness to protect, defend, comfort, and encourage our friends.

Pray for your friends this week and look for tangible ways that you can demonstrate your commitment to them today!

When Your Dreams Are Shattered...God Cares For You! (Class notes from 10/12/08)

Background Passage: 1 Samuel 15: 34 through 16: 7
A Story of Hope
Losing three members of her family (husband, father, uncle) in a two week period of time, Donna Lucado shares how her faith is sustaining her through the dark and confusing days of grief. Watch the video below.

All of us have dreams. Life is great when they are realized. However, frequently, life becomes hard with twists that we do not expect. Our hopes and our dreams for the present and the future are shattered; and we are thrown into despair.

Today, we are continuing our study of 1 Samuel. Last week, we read about Samuel's anointing of Saul as king. Imagine Samuel's excitement as he met and then anointed God's man as king. Imagine the dreams and hopes that Samuel must have had for his nation as Saul began his reign. Then imagine the disappointment that must have come when Samuel realized that Saul would not fully obey God. Instead, he would become self centered and would lead Israel away from God...back down a road that Samuel had worked years to convince the Israelites not to travel.

I Samuel 15:34-35
In 15:34, Samuel and Saul part company. In 15:35, we learn that Samuel never went to see Saul again but that nonetheless, Samuel went to his home and mourned for Saul.
We have all been there. Life takes an unexpected or undesired turn and it hits home. Our marriage ends. Our finances become strained or collapse altogether. An illness is discovered. Death occurs. A hidden sin is revealed. Life wasn't supposed to be like this and it feels like we have been punched in the stomach. Time seems to stand still and accelerate at the same time. We are in pain and we feel alone. Reflexively, we withdraw; and our grief feels as if it will overwhelm us. We become paralyzed.

1 Samuel 16:1
God finds Samuel in his mourning and asks , "How long will you mourn since I have rejected him (Saul) as king over Israel?" Notice that God gave Samuel time to grieve initially. Ecclesiastes 3:4 tells us that there is "a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." Mourning is not wrong. God expects us to have emotions including sadness. He created us that way! Matthew 5:4 tells us that those who mourn will be comforted. Isaiah 43: 1-2, 4-5a assures us that God will not allow our circumstances to overwhelm us!
However, just as He reminds Saul that Saul needs to have God's perspective, He expects us to seek His will and to try to look at circumstances from His viewpoint.
In Matthew 11:28 (referenced last week as well) Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.
God gives Saul a job. Likewise, even when we have been buffeted by life, God does not cast us aside. He has a job for you and a job for me. When we are at our lowest moment, we need to seek His will.

I Samuel 16:2-3
Excuses will come. Notice that Samuel initially makes excuses about why he cannot do what God asks. He is fearful of what will happen. What God asks seems to be too much. Likewise, when the Lord initially finds us in our grief and gives us a new job, excuses will flood our mind. "I can't because" will fill our thoughts.
God will support us! In verse 3, God responds to Samuel's excuses. He doesn't chastise Him. He doesn't punish an already grieving man. God assures Samuel that He will show Samuel what to do. God will lead him. He will not abandon Samuel. 1Peter 5: 6-7 tells us to humble ourselves under God's mighty hand that He may lift us up in due time (which of course is just the right time!). We are to cast all our anxiety on Him becasue He cares for us!

1 Samuel 16: 4
We must go. At some point, Samuel got up, filled his horn with oil, and left his home as God instructed. The Bible does not say what his state of mind was at that point. I believe that he was still hurting. However, he was obedient nonetheless. I wonder how many times Samuel thought about pulling the cover over his head on the day of his departure. I wonder how many times Samuel thought of turning around and going back home during the first mile of his journey. I wonder how many times Samuel was ready to quit as he journeyed to anoint yet another man king. When we take the first step forward from our grief, it will be hard. It will initially hurt (remember the Rocky tape showing how hard it was for him the first day of his training. It hurt and he was alone as he ran through the streets). No one can do it for us. We may feel alone. However, at some point we must take the inital step forward.

1 Samuel 16:7
Keep God's perspective. As Samuel looks at Jesse's sons, He begins to see the world around him again. He sees kingly appearing young men and is ready to anoint one king. You can almost feel the hope and excitement returning in Samuel. God reminds Samuel to trust Him because He knows "the real score". Eventually, David is revealed as God's chosen man and as we will learn, He becomes Israel's greatest king. As we emerge from our grief, we often are able to look back and see exactly how God has supported us and cared for us during our hardest times. We become energized and are ready to charge ahead. We need to wait for God during these times and trust His judgement. If we do, He will certainly bring good things our way.

As you pray this week, thank God for understanding your pain, loss, and grief. Thank Him for caring for you and for the assurance that He will raise you up in the due time. Thank Him for being willing to give you a new task and for lovingly moving you forward even when it seems that you don't have the strength for it.

In Love, Mark

Don't forget the music videos!

Don't forget the music videos in the sidebar to the right. These change each week and I have found them to be uplifting. I posted the video that Dan referenced in his sermon this week (Does anybody hear her? by Casting Crowns). It is the fourth video down in the list and is worth watching.

All is Well When We End Well (class notes from 10/5/08)

Background passage: 1 Samuel chapters 9 -- 15

We are continuing our study of first Samuel. Last week, we saw how the Israelites felt they needed a king like other nations around them, thereby rejecting God's leadership. This week, we are introduced to the first king (Saul) and, through his actions, we get some insight into what God values and desires from us.

1 Samuel 9: 1 -- 2, 21; 10: 1, 8 -- 9

In these verses, Saul is introduced.

1. We learn that he is from the least important clan and the smallest tribe of Israel (Benjamin).

2. He also is unique in that he is "a head taller" than everyone else around him.

3. He is anointed king by Samuel (10:1)

4. He is given a specific and seemingly simple instruction (10:8). He is supposed to go to Gilgal and wait for Samuel to arrive in 7 days. At that point, Samuel will tell him what to do next.

5. Significantly, in verse 10: 9, Saul is changed by God so that he has the qualities necessary to be king.

1 Corinthians 5:17 says that when we become a Christian, we are a new creation. 1 Corinthians 12:7, 11 says that the Holy Spirit decides what gift we should be given in order to serve effectively in the body of Christ. 2 Timothy 2:16 -- 17 says that scripture perfects us so that we are thoroughly equipped for every good work. God does not give us a job to do without giving us the tools necessary to succeed!

1 Samuel 13: 3 -- 7, 8 -- 9, 10 -- 12, 13 -- 14

At the time Saul was annointed king, the Philistine nation was coexisting with Israel. Israel had regained territory and was not actively at war with the Philistines. However, Jonathan (Saul's son) attacked a Philistine outpost, angering the Philistines and causing them to marshal troops against Israel. Saul, who had gone to Gilgal as Samuel instructed, had also commandeered an army but it was small (13:15 says that Saul counted 600 men with him). The Philistine army had 3000 chariots (the largest recorded chariot force in the Old Testament), 6000 chariot soldiers and other soldiers that were as numerous as the "sand on the seashore". Saul certainly must have been worried as he saw this large army assemble against him. As Saul remained at Gilgal waiting for Samuel, his men became increasingly frightened. They began hiding in caves, wells, pits, among the rocks, and scattering throughout the countryside. They began quaking with fear.

Samuel arrived later than Saul expected so Saul decided that he would do Samuel's job and made a burnt offering and Fellowship offerings. (Verse 9)
When Samuel arrived and confronted Saul, Saul made excuses. He blamed the situation that he was in on Samuel for being later than expected in his arrival. (Verse 11, 12). As a result of his disobedience, Saul loses his kingship.

When Saul was initially anointed king, he was given a seemingly simple instruction by God. He was to go to Gilgal and wait one week for Samuel to arrive. Samuel would offer burnt offerings and Fellowship offerings at that time and then tell Saul what to do next (after asking God for instructions). Certainly, Saul had no idea that within one week, he would be facing one of the largest armies recorded in the Old Testament. Because of the circumstance, he compromised his principles and became disobedient to God's command (taking it upon himself to make the offerings instead of waiting for Samuel). He rationalized his behavior and certainly, most of us can understand his reaction. We also receive instructions from God that sometimes seem simple (because they are simple). However, given the right circumstances (usually ones that we do not foresee), we are tempted to compromise, "bend the rules", and thereby become disobedient. We start well and mean well but we compromise in order to get out of a tough situation. As a result, just like Saul, we miss blessings that God intends for us to have. We must finish what God instructs us to start. Partial obedience is really not obedience at all.

1 Samuel 15: 1 -- 3, 7 -- 9, 13 -- 16, 20 -- 21

Saul is instructed by God to destroy the entire Amalekite nation (this is God's judgment on the Amalekite nation). Saul is to kill every person and destroy all of their livestock. However, Saul spares the Amalekite king (taking him captive) and brings back the best of the livestock. When Samuel learns of Saul's partial obedience, he confronts Saul (13 -- 14). Saul's response is to blame his soldiers and states that it was his intention to use the sheep and goats as offerings to God (verse 15, 20). He insists that he completed the mission the Lord assigned him (verse 20).

We need to understand that when God gives us instruction, He does not expect us to keep only the portions of the instruction that please us. He does not expect us to keep only the portions of his commands for which we can fully understand his reasoning. He expects is to keep his entire instruction/command without deviation. Blaming other people or rationalizing our actions is no excuse for our disobedience. Remember, He clearly is aware what our future situation will be when He gives us the instruction. We need to trust Him (that's called faith).

1 Samuel 15: 22 -- 23

Which is more important, offerings or obedience. Obedience is the right answer.

God expects us to be fully obedient. (If we are, the offerings will obviously follow)

1. Ecclesiastes 12:13 reports that the whole duty of man is to fear (have reverence for) God and keep his commands.

2. In John 14:15, Jesus says "if you love me, you will obey what I command."

3. In John 13: 34, Jesus gives us a new command -- "love one another."

4. 2 John: 6 says that walking in obedience to the Lord's commands is love.
5. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus instructs us to take His yoke upon ourselves (let Him steer us) and to learn from Him.

6. Remember, God's commands are not meant to deprive us of anything. They are given as a blessing to us. Following them leads to joy (John 15: 11), increasing value (Exodus 19: 5 -- 6), abundance and protection (Deuteronomy 7: 12 -- 15).

Take a few moments today to evaluate your present state and commitment of obedience to God. Have you allowed your circumstance to lead to compromise/partial obedience? If so, recommit yourself today to following God's instruction no matter what!

Check out the video below of former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs discussing obedience.