Family is a gift of God

Part -5.

Our text: Deut.5:29.O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!

13. Obedience. “Keep my commandments always”. Obedience in personal life is evident in family life and in our assembly life as well. The key word of the book of Deuteronomy is keep, obey or observe. We have two fold blessings. They are positional and conditional. Nothing is expected from our side for the positional blessing since it is the outcome of the glorious work finished at the cross in and thro’ His well beloved Son, our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, conditional. It demands our obedience. When we look at Deut.28, we find the blessings for obedience and curse for disobedience. It is further illustrated with two mountains,” Gerizim  is known as the mountain of blessing and Ebal is the mountain of curse. Deut:11:26,29, 27:12,13. And again it is pictured in Psalm 1- of blessed man. We see in the first part 1 – 3 the blessing of prospering and the second from verse 4 to 6 the curse of perishing. We read in 1 Pet. 1: 14 “The children of obedience”… Is how we are known in the sight of God? There must be the application of God’s word daily in our lives. When the Lord Jesus commissioned the disciples, he said… teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you”. The apostle did it in Acts and the immediate response of early Christian was that they continued steadfastly… When we are taught in scripture, God expects our response of obedience. Hymn writer says, Trust and obey…… Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet, or we will walk by His side in the way; What He says we will do, where He sends we will go, never fear, only trust and obey. Mary sat at His feet and listened His words and the Lord commended that essential “one thing” which has eternal blessing. She said once “be it unto me according to thy word.” We read about the young man of Psalm, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed there unto  according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. Deal bountifully with thy servant that I may live, and keep thy word. The godly couple of Luke Ch.1 unlike us who always talk, walked in all the commandments and ordinance of the Lord. Their married life had its foundation in the word of God and they both were righteous before God and blameless before the world. None could point their finger at them and they both experienced the blessing of the Lord. They were a God fearing couple, who lived in reverential awe of Him and walked in godly fear, in OBEDIENCE to the voice of God. We find in these days no place for God’s word among the people of God with compromises. The result is the breakdown of separation like unto the Church at Pergamos and the mixture of everything, while in contrast we are exhorted to hold fast the word of truth. We see in 1 Samuel 15 what Saul said, I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord… because I feared the people and obeyed their voice, so is some of our leaders today. 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. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, He hath also rejected thee from being king. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Disobedience to the word of God is the act of sin. We have a solemn verse ”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. Any doubt about it? Unlike brethren justify today Naomi testifies like this..” the hand of the Lord is gone out against me”. In the days of Nehemiah the cry was “ bring the book” and when God’s people are brought in touch with the book, they cried, because the entrance of God’s word giveth light and their conscience pricked unlike Laodiceans. We read in Neh. about their hunger for God’s word and when it was expounded, we find their reverence. They were attentive, responsive, sensitive and finally obedient. We read of our blessed Lord saying, I do always those things which pleases the Father. And  Father said, this is my well beloved son, in whom is my delight. And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Be ye doers of the word, and this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Have a blessed weekend.