Obedience As A Lifestyle

Obey God to the point of risk.

GE 6:5-13 The LORD was grieved - his heart was filled with pain.

8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

9 he walked with God. God Warns those who listen to Him

Is it moral for God to destroy?

Redemption is His first choice, but what happens when gangrene sets in?

Is it moral for a surgeon to disfigure a face when a jaw has cancer - for a civil war cutter to amputate?

Building plans - enough floor space for 85 30 X 40 foot ranches.

No power tools Timbers huge enough to support 3 floors.

14 So make yourself an ark 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high.

22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

7:5 And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.

6 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth

Noah Builds the ark. Noah showed that character is formed by obedience. To obey for a moment is OK, but to obey for a lifetime is the way to life. So Noah and his family were spared.

Obey God to the point of risk.

Obey - not a popular word today. Focus of the whole world is on self - obey and self are enemies.

Obedient people are disciplined people

Obedient people are people of action - they may or may not feel like it but their will is to act

Obedient people are fully devoted - they know that halfway obedience is not obedience at all

Clear Direction - when you get it - follow it no matter what

A) Obey principles of scripture (Don’t ask)

Make sure that you know the intention of the author. Ex. Women, slaves, sex and $

The discipline of Meditation on God’s word and following a spiritual mentor, a trusted guide

B) Individual direction - What’s my place in this world

Life long plan - big picture

Disciplines of prayer and possibly fasting

C) Daily direction - WWJD one day at a time

Little things matter a lot.

Discipline of silence and solitude

Obey God to the point of risk.

Do you pass the test?

Popularity (Squirrel will anyone see me? What will people think?)

Yellow rain coat at recess

ACTS 4:18-20 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

Too embarrassed? Obey anyway

Rational Must be based on God’s word, not my opinion

Beware, the opposite of rational doesn’t guarantee that it will please God

No evidence of flood or even rain in history - too incredible - nothing is impossible with God.

Convenience Noah started at the age of 480 and worked 120 years

Costly - The more vital it is, the more costly it is Christy Car Story

- too expensive - obey anyway what would it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul

Not a test of Success- may not measure up to your ideas of success or ever give the benefit you seek

Not the Size of the Project -

MATT 25:23 "His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Visible - high profile doesn’t matter - don’t let works be seen of men

Perseverance Finish what you start

James 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Obey God to the point of risk.