12/08/23 OBEDIENCE, NOT DISOBEDIENCE, BRINGS JOY

12/08/23 OBEDIENCE, NOT DISOBEDIENCE, BRINGS JOY

Sometimes we do things we want to do and sometimes we do things we ought to do. Being a Christian means doing things we ought to do and we also want to do, because as Christians (Biblical, Spirit filled, Christ following Christians) we delight to do His will.

There are dark times, trying times, difficult times. There are battles, there are losses, there are heartaches. But those negatives do not come from being obedient to God. Jesus did not seek to escape the cross (contrary to the popular lie told these days). It was not the Father's will that was negative to Jesus. He despised the shame, but embraced the cross, because it was the will of the Father.

There are things we must do in obedience to God that are not fun things, things that often come with great sorrow, but it is not obedience to God that causes our loss or our sorrow. Usually it is the things which bring loss, sorrow, difficulty, darkness that results in God's leading us through that valley or that slough or that desert or that wasteland.

As I said, it is not obedience to God that brings us misery. On the contrary, it is disobedience that brings misery, but obedience brings joy.

Psalms 1:1-2
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalms 37:3-8
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

Psalms 40:8
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Psalms 94:17-19
17 Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.
19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

Psalms 119:16
16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

Psalms 119:24
24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

Psalms 119:33-35
33 HE. Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

Psalms 119:47-48
47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.
48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

Psalms 119:68-72
68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
69 The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.
70 Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

Psalms 119:77
77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight. 

Psalms 119:174
174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.