Tag: Obedience

Do Our Actions Say We Hate God?

On September 22, 2021

And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. (Exo 3:5) Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. (Exo 3:6)

For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. (Rom 14:11)

We have all heard that “actions speak louder than words” – or “actions speak volumes”! What do my actions speak about my love for the Lord? More importantly, do I hold God in a place of honor in my life above any other? What does God deserve? Why does He deserve this place of honor?

Do I truly view God as Moses viewed Him in Ex. 3:5-6? Do I stand on holy ground when I am doing my devotions? Or have I taken the worldly Christian’s view of “Abba Daddy” too far? Do I give God the reverence that is due Him? Or have I “trivialized” His position in my walk and worship?

Yes, our Heavenly Father IS our Abba, Father. But do I speak to my earthly Dad with disrespect? Do I put my Dad on the same level as my friends? Of course not. My earthly father is respected and has a “higher” place than my friends. I don’t speak to him in the same manner as I would my friends. The average Christian today has removed this respect and honor for God from their lives.

The phrase, Abba, Father is mentioned three times in the Word:

And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. (Mar 14:36)

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Rom 8:15)

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Gal 4:6)

Whenever we want to learn what the Word has to say about a certain topic, the best Teacher is Christ Himself. Christ revered His Abba, Father to the point of praising Him (all things are possible unto thee), petitioning Him (take away this cup from me), and finally submitting to His will (nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt). Christ did not treat His prayer as though it was a talk with one of His friends. He recognized His position as being under submission but yet as a Son speaking to His Father. What a great teacher.

Why doesn’t God work through men and women today as He did with our forefathers? Could it be because we have allowed the devil to dilute God’s holiness and position in our lives? Do I “take off my shoes” in my heart as I enter into my prayer closet to spend time with the Lord? Do I hide my face because I am not worthy to look upon the face of God?

If not, why not? More importantly, if not – then what are my actions revealing? God is not just “one of the guys”! God is not my “buddy”! God is not “the Man upstairs”! How dare we trivialize God? How dare we put God on “our level”?

Yes, the Word does say that God is our friend. And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. (Exo 33:11a) But do you treat your friend with disrespect? Then why do you watch movies or listen to jokes that dishonor God? Do you lie to your friend? Then why do you try to weasel your way out of telling the whole truth about missing church services? Do you steal from your friend? Then why do you steal from God by withholding your tithe? Do you find every excuse under the sun to avoid being with your friend? Then why do you skip your devotions and prayer time? Do you throw your friend’s letters away or leave them unopened? Then why don’t you open your Bible except in church? Ouch!

What the average Christian needs today is to set aside the “charismatic’s” view of God and get back to the old fashioned principles taught in the Word. If you want to be God’s friend, then pattern your life after Moses – And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. (Exo 3:5) Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. (Exo 3:6)

Jesus Christ is our King of Kings! Let’s treat Him like one!

Study on Submission and Obedience

By Kate Plourde

On September 22, 2021

In Bible Studies, Submission

Written in February 2007

One cannot be submissive without obedience – one cannot be obedient without being submissive. They go hand-in-hand, don’t they?

Our children are commanded to obey. We are commanded to obey God. We are commanded to submit ourselves to God. Woman are commanded to submit themselves to their own husbands. We can glean much if we read verses dealing with this topic and applying it to our lives. If we practice true biblical obedience and submission, how can an unsaved husband or disobedient husband to the Word help but see God’s goodness through our actions? If we, as wives, are not obedient and submissive to our husbands, how can we expect our children to be obedient to us? If we’re not practicing what we preach to our children, are we not hypocrites?

But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers. (1Sa 12:15)

When we know that God wants us to do something, yet we don’t do it, we are being disobedient. We are sinning.

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. (Jam 4:17)

Therefore, if God tells us to submit to our own husbands in all things, and we don’t submit in one little area, are we not sinning?

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1Sa 15:22)

We can play the game of sacrifice all we want, but if we disobey in one area, we are not a delight to the Lord. Let’s say my husband tells me to do something I don’t want to do. Instead I make up for it by going the extra mile in doing other things for him – that is the game of sacrifice rather than obedience. I may have all the warm fuzzy feelings in the world because I did all those extra things for him, but I did not do what he asked me to do.

But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. (Jer 7:23)

When we obey, God says it will be well with us. We will have peace in our homes and foremost in our hearts. Women are emotional creatures. God made us that way. If we are trying to be a yielded vessel to God, we know automatically when we are not doing right. We do not have that peace that our actions are what God wants. We lie to our own selves when we say that we are doing the “right” thing yet we know it is not our husband’s will.

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. (Col 3:20)

Don’t expect your children to obey you if you don’t obey/submit to your husband. Your children do not have to witness your unsubmissive spirit – it will be evident in other ways and you will reap with disobedient children. When your children are disobedient, look inward – examine yourself first. Are you a submissive wife? If you are, then deal with your children accordingly. If you’re not, then deal with yourself accordingly.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Gal 6:7)
Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: (Col 3:22)

Obedience and submission is such an important lesson for us to learn. Without it, there is chaos. That is the reason the world is in the shape it’s in. We have lost our singleness of heart (purity of heart – separation) and our fear of God. We do not see our disobedience as sin. We think we know better or have more wisdom than our husband. But the Word does not say to submit only when we think it’s right.

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; (1 Pe 3:1)

Why would Peter say this? The “conversation” of a meek and submissive wife speaks volumes to her unsaved or disobedient husband. He does not need the Word. He sees the Word in action by her submission!

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (Eph 5:22) Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. (Col 3:18 )

Twice Paul commands the wives to submit their own husbands. Take notice and obey. To do otherwise, is sin.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (Jam 4:7)

When we submit ourselves to our husbands, we are submitting to God’s will for our lives – as unto the Lord. God did not create us to rule our homes. No matter if we could do a better job than our husbands can, it is not our place to rule and go against his wishes. We do not have the God-given wisdom and discernment that God gives to men. We were made to nurtur, not lead. We women are emotional and do not base our decisions on logic as a man does. The devil will whisper in our ear and say that we know better but we should not succumb. We are to resist the devil – submit ourselves to God by submitting ourselves to our husbands.

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. (Eph 5:33)

The word reverence is only ever used in Scriptures as it relates to God, a king, superiors or our husbands. That should tell you something. Noah Webster says reverence means:

…to regard with fear mingled with respect and affection. We reverence superiors for their age, their authority and their virtues. We ought to reverence parents and upright judges and magistrates. We ought to reverence the Supreme Being, his word and his ordinances.

If a woman willingly submits to her husband, she reverences him. She shows him that she gives him the respect he rightly deserves. He should not receive it only when he earns it – his position as husband and head of your home says he deserves reverence. This is God appointed and God commanded. Without this order, there is chaos in the home.

Godly submission, obedience and reverence are our goals in life, ladies. We are to practice, practice, practice! When you go against your husband’s wishes, can you honestly admit that your heart and your home are at peace? Honestly? If you are experiencing strife in your home, look to your heart first and see if you are being the submissive wife God has commanded you to be. Only then will you know for sure. If you’re not, repent and ask forgiveness from God and from your dear husband.

If you are submitting to your husband as unto the Lord, God will give you grace during your trial and will provide for every need you have. He does not forsake us!!!

Me Obey Him?

By Kate Plourde

On September 22, 2021

In Bible Studies, Me Obey Him

Obedience to God - New Life Bible Baptist Church

Most Christian women who are married to an unbeliever have husbands who are good and kind – and they are willing to live at peace with their Christian wife. Their husbands are not abusive and are decent men. I know a handful of women who are in this situation. In fact, I was in that situation, too.

The topic that kept cropping up in my own spiritual life was being an obedient wife to my unsaved husband. What does the Word of God have to say about this? I use to say, “Ya, but what IF he tells me to do something that’s wrong?” The fact of the matter was that many of the “what if’s” never came to pass. I was worrying over situations that never occurred. This worry is old slew foot’s way of distracting the Christian woman and keeping her from moving forward in her role of submission.

Let’s look at what the Scriptures have to say about being submissive and obedient to our husbands:

~Genesis 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
~1 Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
~1 Corinthians 11:8-9 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
~Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
~Ephesians 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
~Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
~Colossians 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
~1 Timothy 2:11-12 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
~Titus 2:4-5 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
~1 Peter 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
~1 Peter 3:5-6 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

I find it interesting that six times we see the appearance of the phrase “own husbands” – we are not to submit to someone else’s husband. There have been a few times that my husband told me, “You listen to your Pastor but you don’t listen to me!” Ouch! Out of the mouth of an unsaved man, God was still teaching me!

God’s Word says we must obey our husbands – not just on the outside but on the inside as well. Submitting and obeying are easy as long as it goes along with what we want. However, when the rubber meets the road, are we as willing to submit and obey when we do not agree with what our husbands want? That is where the Holy Spirit’s work comes in.

Submitting and obeying are not options – we are commanded to do so. When we do not obey, we will be spanked by the Father. Just as our children’s punishments get harsher when they continue to do what we tell them not, so will our punishments be more severe if we refuse to obey God’s Word and obey our husbands.

I hope all this makes sense to you ladies. I find it is much easier to obey the Holy Spirit and submit/obey my husband than it is to resist and suffer punishment as a result. Once we “get this,” our relationship with our husband improves dramatically. I don’t know why the Lord put this on my heart this morning. I pray it is a blessing to someone today.