A Lesson in Christmas Story
God is looking for an OBEDIENT people. When God finds them, His Kingdom will come, His will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. During this Christmas time, the Holy Spirit will have us learn and meditate upon the obedience of Joseph.
JOSEPH'S OBEDIENCE
Joseph is engaged to the love of his life
He found out she is pregnant not by him!
*He made a decision to break up with her in his heart
*God through an angel tells him not to do so
Joseph OBEYED and heed God's voice
Joseph ended up being the father of Jesus, the father of God, the greatest honor he did not deserve but got it because He obeyed God's voice.
Our obedience to God blesses us and the whole world. "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Genesis 22:18 Obedience to God costs. You do it not because it is comfortable but for the sake of love you do it; paying the price of dying to your own flesh, your own desires, your own opinions etc...
*3 Most people once they make a decision in their heart to break up with someone, they do it. Once you make up your mind, "I want this, I want that...", absolutely you do it... but there are those wise ones who bind themselves to obeying God no matter what. They are GOD'S BOND SERVANTS. BOND SERVANTS BIND THEMSELVES IN OBEDIENCE TO THEIR MASTER... It's called "OBEDIENCE UNTO DEATH". (Philippians 2:8). True obedience is not something we do because it suits us but because it pleases God. So we must say, "Whatever pleases you Lord, I will do it. I must forget me and do whatever you want even if it is uncomfortable for me. I must get the Me out of the way!"
*4 But you say, "Well, if God appears to me and commands me to obey, then I will do it!" The truth is that we meet God every day. Everyday we meet Jesus. Everyday voices speak to us but one voice of truth! The wise will only seek to hear ONE VOICE... GOD'S VOICE. God is not many voices. God is not a man of many words... God speaks THE WORD! "My sheep hear My voice and follow Me, a stranger they will not follow." Oftentimes, even Christians follow a stranger... they follow voices ... but God says, "Follow My voice only!" So we must stop hearing many voices we hear in our mind, we must not go by our own understanding, we must pray and discern Him and only follow Him. God is not very pushy. God does not push you to do it right away, God gives you time to pray, and check with godly counsel from where He planted you. God gives you time to check with His Word.
But you say, "Well, no angels have visited me yet. If they do, I will obey!" But the truth is that God's voice speaks to us in many ways individually, (we must make sure it is God not the devil). In the body of Christ for example, we must remember it is important to submit to spiritual authority. If we do not submit to godly authority whom God established and whom we see, how can we obey God whom we do not see?
EVERYDAY, WE MAKE A CHOICE TO OBEY GOD OR TO DISOBEY HIM. WHAT CHOICE ARE YOU MAKING THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON? ARE YOU GOING TO BE LIKE JOSEPH OR WILL YOU BE LIKE SAUL IN 1 Samuel 15?
Imagine...what would have happened
if Joseph had broken up with Mary
If Joseph had not obeyed the angel to take his family to flee to Egypt
If baby Jesus had stayed in Bethlehem
If Joseph had not heed the voice of the Lord at all
Without obedience there is peril, with obedience we LIVE and God's plans prosper!
Those who will serve God in these last days
The people whom God is looking for right now are the people who are OBEDIENT. When it comes to being used by God mightily, God will only use the obedient. God never uses disobedient children. God is not looking for strong powerful Christians. God is not looking for prophets, apostles and talented people though it is good that they serve God. God is not looking for people gifted, but He is looking for disciples... AN OBEDIENT PEOPLE. BECAUSE WHEN HE FINDS OBEDIENT PEOPLE, THOUGH THEY BE WEAK, THOUGH THEY BE UNLEARNED & NOT KNOWING MUCH, HE WILL TRAIN THEM and they will be used like Moses, like Joseph to do great and mighty things...
Obedient people will be close to Jesus because He too was obedient to the Father, obedient to the point of death.
- "Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Phil 2:8
- “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22
Let's ask the Holy Spirit to teach us: Holy Spirit, teach us to OBEY God! Teach us unconditional OBEDIENCE! Meditation scripture: Matthew 2
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