50 Days to More: Day Thirty-Two

50 Days to More

A Seven Week Campaign to Begin 2018

Week 5: Cultivating the Habit of Hourly Obedience

Day Thirty-Two (2/7/18): The Proof that You Love God
Recommended Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:14-24

This week, we have firmly established that God requires us to obey him if we love him (see John 14:15). God requires our obedience because he is not impressed by our words, but by our actions. Talk is cheap. A person who doesn’t believe in God can say that they love him, but of course it won’t mean anything. We can experience a powerful time of intimacy in God’s presence and tell him over and over again that we love him. But if we never obey God when it comes down to it, then did our words have any meaning? That’s why God--rightfully so--wants us to prove our love for him. He proved his love for us by sending his Son to die for us.

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8 (NLT)

 Although we will never be able to make such a sacrifice as this, we can prove that we love God through our obedience to him. As we discussed earlier this week, the true love for God comes from knowing him.

The truth is that a lot of people love God, but many don’t really know him. That’s why we see a lot of people who say they follow Jesus but don’t actually obey his Word. However, being a follower of Christ involves more than that. We must be obedient in order to see God’s grace; we must be repentant of our sin in order to not be judged for them. A lot of people assume they know God, but really they only know what they’ve taught themselves. It’s a common misconception in this world that because God loves us all, we will all go to heaven. However when we get to know God and study his Word, we see that there’s more to the story. God requires our obedience, and anything less results in punishment.

Because there is a chance that we will be punished by God, we have to develop a fear of him. But fearing God and being afraid of him are two different things. The law of the fear of the Lord doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re afraid of God. It means that we are reverent of him and respect him. Dictionary.com defines “reverent” as “a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe.” The fear of the Lord is true knowledge of who he is, and this comes from intimate fellowship with him.

God can’t live in our hearts if there is any sin in them. He is so holy that he can’t share a heart that is sinful. When we hate evil and refuse to take part in anything that is displeasing to God, we are proving that we love him. When we put God first by being obedient and living to please him, he promises to live in us.

Have you proved to God that you love him? Maybe you’ve gone against his Word and think that it’s too late. The amazing thing about our God is that it’s never too late! He is always able to change our hearts and form a deep relationship with us. Although he can’t share a heart with sin, he is not afraid of sin. As we get to know him more and more, he will help us remove anything out of ourselves that doesn’t please him. It’s never too late to learn to be obedient or to walk in all God has in store for you!

“The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” Isaiah 33:5-6 (NIV)

Compiled by Christine Thompson & Meredith Hobbs
Taken from the Sermon Series “7 Steps to One Thousand Times More”
By Pastor Timothy Coats
Family First Church - Spring Hill, Florida