obedience Archives - Page 30 of 49 - Plain Bible Teaching

Andy Sochor July 21, 2012

Where is Your King that He May Save You? (7/21)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Hosea 8-14.

“It is your destruction, O Israel, that you are against Me, against your help. Where now is your king that he may save you in all your cities, and your judges of whom you requested, ‘Give me a king and princes?’ I gave you a king in My anger and took him away in My wrath” (Hosea 13:9-11).

God’s people had a chronic history of rejecting Him and looking for other sources of aid, strength, and protection. This passage mentions one of these sources: a king. We find a few reminders here showing us why they were to put their trust in God and not in a human ruler.
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Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: God, government, obedience

Andy Sochor July 20, 2012

Loyalty Rather Than Sacrifice (7/20)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Hosea 1-7.

“What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud and like the dew which goes away early. Therefore I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; and the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth. For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:4-6).

As the wise man said, “Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man?” (Proverbs 20:6). It is one thing to claim to be loyal to the Lord. It is quite another to actually be loyal.
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Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: obedience, sacrifice, sin

Andy Sochor July 17, 2012

“Let Us Eat and Drink, For Tomorrow We May Die” (7/17)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Isaiah 18-22.

Judgment was coming against the people of God. Yet instead of this warning being met with careful self-examination and repentance, the people ignored it and acted as if nothing was wrong and nothing would happen.

“Therefore in that day the Lord God of hosts called you to weeping, to wailing, to shaving the head and to wearing sackcloth. Instead, there is gaiety and gladness, killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.’ But the Lord of hosts revealed Himself to me, ‘Surely this iniquity shall not be forgiven you until you die,’ says the Lord God of hosts” (Isaiah 22:12-14).

Interestingly, these people recognized the brevity and uncertainty of life. They knew that though they were here today, they could be gone tomorrow. Yet their response to this reality was feasting and revelry as if there was no more to look forward to past this life.
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Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: death, judgment, obedience, repentance

Andy Sochor July 10, 2012

The Parable of the Vineyard (7/10)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Isaiah 5-8.

“Let me sing now for my well-beloved a song of my beloved concerning His vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill. He dug it all around, removed its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine. And He built a tower in the middle of it and also hewed out a wine vat in it; then He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only worthless ones.

“‘And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between Me and My vineyard. What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones? So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground. I will lay it waste; it will not be pruned or hoed, but briars and thorns will come up. I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it.’

“For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress” (Isaiah 5:1-7).

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: obedience, punishment, salvation, word of God

Andy Sochor July 9, 2012

Let Us Reason Together (7/9)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Isaiah 1-4.

At the time when Isaiah prophesied, the people of Judah had become so sinful and corrupt that God would not even accept their sacrifices or hear their prayers (Isaiah 1:2-4, 10-15). Yet God was willing to offer them a chance at reconciliation. So He extended an invitation to them.

“‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.’ Truly, the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 1:18-20).

The invitation began with God calling the people to “reason together” with Him. He wanted them to understand their current state, His offer, and the conditions attached to that offer.
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Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: forgiveness, obedience, sin

Andy Sochor July 8, 2012

It Is Not for You to Burn Incense to the Lord (7/8)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from 2 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 26.

Much of Uzziah’s reign over Judah was marked by faithfulness and success. Yet this success eventually led the king to sin against God by assuming a role that He had not given him.

“But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the Lord his God, for he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.

“Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of the Lord, valiant men. They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, ‘It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the Lord God.’

“But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense” (2 Chronicles 26:16-19).

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: authority, obedience, pride

Andy Sochor July 5, 2012

Joash Did What Was Right All the Days of Jehoiada (7/5)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from 2 Kings 12-13; 2 Chronicles 24.

Joash became king when he was just seven years old. Understandably, he needed help from a faithful, God-fearing man at the beginning of his reign in order to rule properly. He received the guidance he needed from Jehoiada.