Good morning from
T.O.D.A.Y. Ministries!
This is Karen sharing with
you again today and I'd like to share
about how we are to OBEY.
Our Bibles are the
precious Word of God, alive and powerful, and
full of instructions -- in the Old Testament,
instructions on how people were to live under
the law, and in the New Testament, instructions
on how we are to live under grace. Many of the
Old Testament instructions, especially those
regarding the religious activities and the
sacrifices don't really apply to us today (since
Jesus became the sacrifice for us), but there
are guidelines for a Godly and holy
life throughout the Word of God. Sometimes it
seems a little overwhelming and we might think,
"How can I obey all of the Bible all
the time?".
The first thing to
remember is that we cannot do it on our
own, but we "can do all things through
Christ" Who strengthens us (Philippians
4:13). The second thing to remember is in
Philippians 2:13, which says in the Amplified
[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who
is all the while effectually at work in you
[energizing and creating in you the power and
desire], both to will and to work for His good
pleasure and satisfaction and delight. The
"Luanne translation" of that says, God is
working in me all the time giving me the
ability, the power, and the desire to do what
pleases Him.
Finally, remember that
Jesus gave us the "bottom line" so to speak, in
Matthew 22:36-40. This is where Jesus was being
tested by the Pharisees, when they ask what the
greatest commandment is. He replied "You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind
(intellect). This is the great (most important,
principal) and first commandment. And a second
is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you
do] yourself. These two commandments sum up and
upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets (Amplified,
verses 37-40).
So, the bottom line, the
sum of it all, is to love God and love others --
that's what He wants us to do, because
everything else depends on those two. Loving
others is probably our biggest challenge, but we
can do it with God's help!
Have a very blessed
weekend!
Karen Schuck
Administrator
T.O.D.A.Y. Ministries
