April 22, 2020

Good Morning Friends of Elbridge Community Church,

Dwelling in the kingdom of God is much more that simply going about our daily business. It is about accomplishing the work of the Lord in our lives. People come to inhabit the Kingdom of God when their wills become aligned with God’s. Thus, the Kingdom of God is available to any who is willing to surrender their will to God’s. When a person makes their will, their mind and their body available to God as tools in the hands of his will, then they are living in the Kingdom of God. On the simplest level, for me to live in the Kingdom of God I must simply choose to do what God desires. Obedience is Kingdom Living.

As obedient children do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. 1 Peter 1:14-15 (NIV)

All believers are God’s children. As such, we are to obey God. Believers ought not live in the same manner that they lived before they were saved. At that time, they didn’t know any better, but now they should not slip back into their old ways of doing evil. The evil desires still exist, but believers have a new goal for their lives. They must break with the past and depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to help them overcome evil desires and obey God.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22 (NIV)

Simply reading, even studying, God’s word does not profit us if we do not obey what it says. We listen to God’s message not just to know it, but also to do it. We would be fooling ourselves to congratulate ourselves about knowledge of Scripture if that’s all there is to it. Worthwhile knowledge is a prelude to action; God’s word can only grow in the soil of obedience. In order for a lesson to make a difference in a student’s life, it must enter the heart and mind, affecting his or her life. It is important to hear God’s word, but it is much more important to obey it. We can measure the effectiveness of our Bible study time by the effect it has on our behavior and attitudes.

Obedience to God’s commands is the true sign of your love for the Lord, and the only way you can know if you are obeying God is by knowing what his Word says.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:13-14 (NIV)

If you love me, you will obey what I command. John 14:15 (NIV)

Once we begin our life in Christ, loving and obeying Christ’s commands becomes the evidence that we love Him, are indeed born again, and living in relationship with Him.

Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14:23 (NIV)

Obedience comes out of love and trust of Jesus. Thus, a person who doesn’t love Jesus will not obey him. A sobering way of stating Jesus’ point is to say, the quality of our obedience is a direct reflection of our love for Jesus.

God Bless you friends and family,
Pastor Dennis