Hackernoon #5 Trust And Obey

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The urban dictionary classifies a hacker as: as someone who strictly pursues creature comforts through completely legal means that while frustrating to others; allow him to live his best life.

We are all hackers looking for shortcuts or ways to do things which are less stressful and more comfortable.

SALT! for:

Coffee stains

Stinky Hands (salt and vinegar)

Flowers

Salt scrub (? salt, teaspoon honey, tsp olive oil, essential oils)

Toothpaste (? baking soda, tsp salt, 10-15 peppermint)

Life is hard enough so finding the fastest way to, or through, the obstacles of life seems like an appropriate subject in this covid reality we have found ourselves in.

So over the last few weeks, we have been sharing simple shortcuts to help you live your best life. We offered hacks on scripture, financial, relationship, parenting, purpose. And this week a simple but not easy shortcut to God.

To talk about today’s shortcut, we must first ask ourselves why we, as humans, have such a hard time living ‘The Story God’ written for each of us.

<story of a person who knew Jesus but just couldn’t adhere to the ways of the lord and suffered the consequences>

There are three key scriptures of obedience

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

2) “Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.'” John 14:23

God’s love language is Obedience.

3) “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:17

We have a choice: Obedience to the World and what it promises, Obedience to God and what He promises.

In short, Faith is trusting God enough to do what he says. The simplest of all of life shortcuts is obedience. If we would just obey God’s directives, life would be so much satisfying.

There are seven ideas we must be aware of because any of the following seven will derail our obedience to the mission we are on for Christ.

(1) The first derailing issue in our obedience is the idea that our conscience can be our guide.

Have you ever been in one of those situations where the two options felt equally “right” and you were afraid to choose and an old friend told you to “trust your gut.” This is the same as letting your conscience be your guide. Proverbs tells us:

The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. Proverbs 12:15

We think our conscience was given to us so we know what God wants of us. The problem is God only gave us a conscience to know if we are living up to our standards, not His. So every time we believe we have peace about a decision without first consulting what God may suggest on an issue, we are asking for our will to be done, not His.

Now, I know some of you have led your life by your gut and it often has proven profitable for you. However, Paul, the apostle, the man who wrote 25% of the New Testament, the man who would be imprisoned, beaten and even martyred for the faith said the following about following his gut or conscience:

My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.1 Cor 4:4

If the apostle Paul wouldn’t trust his gut, what makes you think you can.

(2) The second detriment to being obedient is when we: Ask for more proof when God has already spoken clearly. (Judges 6-8)

Tell the story Gideon as the least likely to deliver the people.

He wanted a miracle to make sure he was on the right side of the decision. A wet fleece and dry land confirmation and its reversal. Because of that, many believe it's okay to put God to the test but the end of the story tells us how that idea culminated in a ridiculous practice that would ruin a great deal of people. They would become the people who became an idolatrous nation always asking God to jump through the hoops to provide direction. Listen to the scripture:

33 No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god 34 and did not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. Judges 8:33-34

(3) The third issue derailing our obedience is we confuse risk with faith. (Luke 14:28-32, Proverbs 19:3)

A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord. Proverbs 19:3