Category Archives: Obedience

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September 21, 2026

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Bible Stories, Fear & Doubt, Holy Spirit, Obedience, Salvation: A New You, Temptation & Sin

MY ENEMY

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. [Romans 7:21-23 (NLT)]

 The Christian life is a battle against Satan. [Zac Poonen]

One of my favorite psalms is Psalm 139 but, as I read it this morning, I got annoyed with David. Near the end of this beautiful psalm praising God for His omniscience, omnipresence, and intensely personal involvement in his life, David mentions hating his enemies (something he and other psalmists frequently did in Psalms). David certainly had his share of enemies. Along with the Philistines, Moabites, Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites, his enemies included Goliath, King Saul, Absalom (the son who tried to overthrow the kingdom), Ahithophel (the counselor who defected to Absalom), and Adonijah (who tried to wrest the crown from Solomon). Looking at Israel’s history, I understand why David and the other psalmists mentioned enemies so frequently, but I’m not running for my life, fighting a rebellion, or fending off Assyrians and Babylonians, so why do I care about their enemies?

Perhaps I’m naïve but, when I asked my husband the names of our enemies, we couldn’t think of anyone who qualified! We’ve had competitors, rivals, opponents, and some very annoying and exasperating people in our lives, but we’ve never thought of them as enemies. So, what do these Psalms mentioning enemies mean to us today?

Looking again at David’s history, however, I see a greater enemy than Saul or the Philistines: David himself. Although courageous, he could be deceitful. He lied to Ahimelech, pretended to be insane to King Achish, and, after taking refuge with the Philistines, double-crossed them. Short-tempered, he nearly killed everyone in Nabal’s household because of the man’s rudeness. Prone to despair, there were many times he felt God abandoned him. Lustful and impulsive, despite seven wives (and numerous concubines), David took another man’s wife and killed her husband to cover his crime. He was an inattentive father who ignored Absalom and failed to punish Amnon for raping Tamar. A reckless man of pride and ambition, David failed to follow God’s directions concerning the Ark and the census. While loyal to his friends, he could be ruthless to his enemies. Nathan’s words in 2 Samuel tell us that many of David’s trials were the result of his own sins. “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you.” [12:11] Considered a man after God’s heart, we like to think of David as the ideal man but, like any man or woman, he had his dark side.

David had flesh and blood enemies but, when he listened to Satan rather than God, he became his own worst enemy! Today’s verse tells us the Apostle Paul fought with this same enemy. Satan, of course, didn’t stop with David and Paul; he’s always out and about hunting for prey. Rather than spears, missiles, drones, or ransomware, his weapons are things like pride, deceit, fear, anger, hate, doubt, lust, insecurity, self-pity, unforgiveness, recklessness, impatience, jealousy, arrogance, materialism, and lack of faith.

Like David and Paul, I don’t have to look far to see my real enemy and, like them, I want him destroyed! No matter where we are in our walk with Jesus, sin remains in us. The good news, however, is that we are not defenseless. Christ’s followers don’t have to live like unbelievers! By faith, we have the Spirit of God and no longer need be controlled by our sinful nature. We have the power to declare war on our enemy and “put to death” the behavior and attitudes we know to be wrong! Rather than serving our own worldly desires, we choose to serve God by minding His Holy Spirit. We do this because of our love for Christ and our gratitude for all He’s done and will do for us in the future. With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can defeat our enemy!

We must have a spirit of power towards the enemy, a spirit of love towards men, and a spirit of self-control towards ourselves. [Watchman Nee]

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.  For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. [Romans 8:12-14 (NLT)]

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September 10, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, God's Word: The Bible, Obedience, Temptation & Sin

THE HACKER

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. [1 Peter 5:8-9b (NLT)]

lion

During a seminar on cybersecurity, the speaker asked us how we protect ourselves from cyberattacks. One woman proudly told us how Microsoft had recently saved her from a hacking attempt. After a message popped up telling her to call them, she gave them remote access to her computer. She was pleased to report that it only cost her $700 to get her computer working again! Until the speaker told her, she didn’t know that a criminal had her $700 and credit card information and probably installed malware on her computer! While she never would have allowed a complete stranger into her home, she unwittingly opened the door to a criminal and welcomed him into her life.

Following the seminar, I couldn’t help but think about Satan. Scripture describes him as a serpent, lion, liar, thief, and tempter with adjectives like prowling, cunning, and crafty. Those same words describe a cybercriminal as well. Both Satan and the hacker want to take over our lives and they can do it without our even realizing it’s been done.

The cybersecurity specialist spoke of maintaining the security of the devices and networks we use. Since new hacking techniques are developed continually, once secured doesn’t mean forever secure; software needs to be updated to stay current with new threats. Once saved doesn’t mean safe from sin, either. We must keep updating our soul’s software with regular prayer, Bible study, and church.

Where we use our devices as well as what sites we visit and the sort of data we transmit and receive affects their safety; in the same way, where we go and what we put into our minds affects our souls. We claim we’d never venture into high-crime areas or the shady part of town but, sometimes, that’s exactly what we do both with our computers and phones as well as our friends and media choices! When the speaker reminded us about the importance of backing up data, I thought of the value of Christian friends who have our backs and both encourage and support us in times of trouble—times when we’re most vulnerable to Satan’s attack.

Multifactor authentication (MFA) was another security feature discussed. Just as a website can use MFA to make sure it is us, we should use MFA to make sure those great ideas we get have come from God rather than the enemy. Checking to see if those great ideas match up with God’s word and Jesus’ actions can keep us out of trouble!

Good cyber-security habits include malware protection, virtual private networks, cloud storage, secure routers, password protection, MFA, and common sense. None of those, however, will protect us if we fail to use them.

Whether Satan or cybercriminal, the weakest link in both cases is us. While outside consultants regularly try to hack into our bank, their security software always stops them. Unfortunately, in every test, someone (who clearly knows better) was conned into replying, hyperlinking, or opening an attachment. When Satan comes trolling, how often do we err by ignoring God’s guidelines, not examining the source of the message, going somewhere we shouldn’t, or letting curiosity get the best of us? We’ve been given the best protection money can’t buy, but God’s armor won’t defend us from the enemy if we don’t put it on!

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. [Ephesians 6:10-12 (NLT)]

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August 13, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Knowing Him, Obedience, Trusting God, Wisdom & Guidance

COUNTING THE COST

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. [Luke 14:26-27 (CSB)]

How can Jesus, who told us to love our enemies and do good to them, tell us to hate our families? Do we have to despise our relatives if we want to be His disciples? Jesus, however, used “hate” idiomatically. Demanding unrivaled loyalty, He used hyperbole to contrast ultimate devotion to Him with all other attachments. In comparison to our love for Jesus, we are to love our family less than we love Him. Christ is to be first and foremost in our hearts and minds and we are to love Him more than anything else in our lives.

In a similar way, Jesus stressed exclusive service when speaking of money in Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13. Love for one master necessitates “hating” (loving less) the rival. To be His disciple, Jesus demands total commitment; we must be willing to give up everything for Him, even if that means the things and people we love—as well as our lives.

While we may have given up a few bad habits or unsavory friends when we accepted Christ, Christian apologist Nabeel Qureshi gave up far more. When this Pakistani American gave up his Muslim faith, he gave up his loving family, too. I cannot begin to comprehend the difficulty of Qureshi’s choice to follow Christ and the pain experienced by both parents and son. When I read his story, I understood what Jesus meant when He said to count the cost before we pick up that cross to follow Him. For Qureshi, that price was family and many friends!

After getting the disciples’ attention with his shocking statement about hating one’s family, Jesus followed with a parable about a man who undertook a project without counting the cost and then couldn’t finish what he began. Never one to mince words, Jesus warned His disciples there was a cost to following Him. He told them they’d be hated, persecuted, banned from their synagogues, and even killed. [John 15:18-16:4] The Apostles gave up more than their families; they gave up friends, jobs, financial security, safety, and even their lives.

Consider the Apostle Paul. Originally known as Saul of Tarsus, he came from a family of Pharisees. An active leader in persecuting the followers of Christ, he may have been a member of the Sanhedrin at the time; if not, Saul was well on his way to becoming part of the high council. He probably was everything a devout Jewish family wanted in a good son, that is until he became the Christian evangelist we know as Paul! Think of what it cost Paul emotionally, financially, and physically to follow Jesus!

Because I was raised in a family of believers, married a believer, and live in a country where I am free to worship, I’ve never had to choose between Jesus and my family, livelihood, or life. Christ’s followers in countries like Afghanistan, North Korea, Somalia, Libya, Yemen, Nigeria, and Pakistan are not so blessed. They face surveillance, discrimination, persecution, violence, imprisonment, torture, and even death for following Christ! They know what it means to carry a cross, because they carry one every day! Any burden I carry for Jesus is but a trifle compared to the challenges they face daily. I can’t help but wonder if my commitment to the Lord is as great as theirs. Have I truly died to self? Have you?

How could I betray my family after all they had done for me? By becoming a Christian, not only would I lose all connection with the Muslim community around me, my family would lose their honor as well. My decision would not only destroy me, it would also destroy my family, the ones who loved me most and sacrificed so much for me. I began mourning the impact of the decision I knew I had to make.… “But Jesus,” I said, “accepting you would be like dying. I will have to give up everything.” [Nabeel Qureshi]

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. [Luke 9:23-24 (NLT)]

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July 27, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Challenges & Difficulty, Fear & Doubt, Obedience, Prayer, Today: Make it Count

BURNING BUSH MOMENTS

But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” [Exodus 3: 11 (NLT)]

Things were going well for Moses in Midian: he was happily married, with a family, and tending his father-in-law’s sheep. Then God interrupted his comfortable life with a burning bush and a major task: free the Israelites. Moses reacted the way most of us would by questioning God. Who am I to do this? Who do I say sent me? What if they don’t believe me? He then told God he simply wasn’t up to the task. Not one to be thwarted, God responded to all of Moses’ concerns. He would be with him, provide the words, the proof, and even Aaron to do the talking. In short, God promised to provide and so Moses obeyed.

God sends all of us burning bush moments that interrupt our comfortable lives. While they’re not likely to involve an actual burning bush or freeing a nation from slavery, they are important to the people involved. Several years ago, I had a burning bush moment and, like Moses, I questioned my ability to respond.

My mother-in-law had suffered a mild cardiac episode and we were in a treatment room in the local ER. Treatment had started, she was resting comfortably, and we were waiting for a hospital room to become available. Suddenly, a young man on a gurney was wheeled past our room. Surrounded by paramedics, an automated CPR machine was pumping on his chest. As doctors and nurses sped past, I said a quick prayer for him. Not much later, I saw a young woman being consoled by a nurse. There was no doubt in my mind that this woman had been married to the man brought in by the EMTs. Clearly, the outcome had not been good and, while she’d started the day as a wife, she was ending it as a widow. This tearful woman was being given papers, directions to somewhere in the hospital, and some small solace before the nurse turned away. It was a busy night in the ER and other patients called. Sitting there, alone in her grief, she looked frightened and lost. Did she need someone to be with her? Did she need someone like me? Without a doubt, I felt God’s call; this was a burning bush moment.

Like Moses, I had questions and excuses. This was way out of my comfort zone. After all, I’m not a grief counselor, what would I say? What if she rebuffed my offer of help? What if she’s not Christian? What if I misread the situation? What if I got sucked into all sorts of family drama? Unlike Moses, however, I didn’t trust God’s call or His provision. I was so busy arguing with Him, I didn’t let Him answer my questions or ease my doubt. While busy thinking about me and pondering various difficult scenarios in my mind, the opportunity passed. When next I looked out the door, the sobbing woman was gone.

Rather than thinking about her, I was thinking about me! Hesitant to get involved, I thought of all the reasons I wasn’t qualified when I should have prayed for God’s guidance and trusted in His provision. Yes, I may have been rebuffed and told to mind my own business, but I’m a big girl and could have handled that. Like Moses, I didn’t know what I’d say but, rather than trust the Spirit for my words, I was overthinking the situation. This woman probably didn’t need relevant Bible verses; she just needed compassion and I have plenty of that. Along with my prayers, I had arms that could hold her, a shoulder on which she could cry, and tissues for her tears.

It’s my regret that I failed God and one of His children that night. I was reminded of my failure when, like that man, my son-in-law was brought into the ER by paramedics doing CPR. Because her mother was on a mission trip, my 21-year-old granddaughter was alone when told of her father’s death. Fortunately, a nurse stayed with her until a family friend arrived. I thank God for this compassionate woman who did what I should have done years ago.

Since that night several years ago, God has called me out of my comfort zone and my response has been better and quicker. Nevertheless, I know He’s not done with me yet; another burning bush might be right around the corner. Keep your eyes open; there may be a burning bush in your path today, as well. How will you respond?

 Beware of despairing about yourself; you are commanded to put your trust in God, and not yourself. [St. Augustine]

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. [Psalm 143:10 (NLT)]

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. [Romans 12:2 (NLT)]

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July 6, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Challenges & Difficulty, Obedience, Trusting God

SEND ME!

Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” [Isaiah 6:8 (NLT)]

But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. [Jonah 1:3a (NLT)]

I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do. [Helen Keller]

Isaiah heard the Lord ask, “Whom shall I send as a messenger to this people?” and responded, “Here I am. Send me.” When God commissioned him to be His messenger/prophet, Isaiah was acting as a scribe and had a family. Nevertheless, without hesitation, his was an unqualified, “Send me!”  Isaiah didn’t know exactly what God wanted him to do or how he was supposed to do it. Even after God told him that the people wouldn’t listen, Isaiah never wavered. Many of Scripture’s heroes, however, weren’t as eager to do God’s work.

When Jonah was told to go to the enemy nation of Nineveh and preach God’s judgment, he ran in the other direction. It was only after he’d spent time soaking in the gastric juices of a sea creature for three days and nights that he finally submitted to God. Like Jonah, Moses was given a task by God—bring the Israelites out of captivity into the Promised Land. The Lord was clear about the assignment but Moses was equally clear in his protests. Rather than run away, he listed all the reasons he wasn’t qualified. Although God resolved every one of his concerns, Moses was still reluctant. Even though he finally accepted God’s call, he complained about his task for the next forty years. Gideon also was given a task by God—rescue Israel from the Midianites. Like Moses, he protested that he was incapable and then dared to question (not once but three times) God’s promise to help him. Eventually, all three men obeyed God’s call, but not without questions, protest, and complaint.

When God calls us to do something out of our comfort zone, we’re caught between wanting to obey the Lord but not wanting to endure whatever challenge, difficulty, or hardship might be involved. Like Noah, are there are places we won’t go? Are there people we won’t touch, jobs we won’t do, or restrictions on the time we’ll give Him? Like Moses and Gideon, we’re likely to list our inadequacies—we’re not smart enough, strong enough, talented enough, good enough, young enough, or old enough—before adding that surely someone else could do it far better! Perhaps, we respond this way because we forget that we don’t have to do God’s work under our own power. Rather than calling the qualified, God qualifies those He calls!

When in the army, after the drill sergeant says, “I need three volunteers,” he simply points to three of his men and says, “You, you, and you!” Since it’s the army, obedience follows without argument or stipulations. Well, we’re in God’s army now and, as Commander-in-Chief, He’s not looking for excuses, limitations, exemptions, exceptions, or even questions when He calls us to action. Isaiah eagerly said, “Here I am, Send me!” When Jesus was in the garden that last night, after praying, “I want your will to be done, not mine,” He went to the cross without hesitation or complaint. How will we respond the next time God calls us? Hopefully, we’ll say, “Yes, your will be done, Lord; your will be done!”

Rest in this – it is His business to lead, command, impel, send, call or whatever you want to call it. It is your business to obey, follow, move, respond, or what have you. [Jim Elliot]

It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. [2 Corinthians 3:5 (NLT)]

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March 30, 2026

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Bible Stories, Challenges & Difficulty, Fear & Doubt, Holidays & Holy Days, Obedience, Prayer, Temptation & Sin

HIS WILL BE DONE

Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. Being in anguish, he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. [Luke 22:41-44 (CSB)]

I am never afraid of exaggeration, when I speak of what my Lord endured. All hell was distilled into that cup, of which our God and Savior Jesus Christ was made to drink. [Charles Spurgeon]

Although the common position for prayer was standing, Jesus fell to His knees that night in the garden of Gethsemane. Luke describes Him as praying so intensely that His sweat dropped like blood. Having used the word hósei, meaning “as if it were, like, as, as though, or much like,” Luke may have meant Jesus sweat so profusely that it dripped from Him like blood. Nevertheless, Luke was a doctor who paid great attention to detail; he may have described hematidrosis, a rare medical condition in which the capillaries rupture causing blood to seep into the sweat glands and then out onto the skin. It’s caused by high blood pressure, a bleeding disorder, or extreme distress or fear, such as facing abuse, torture or death on the cross! Whether Jesus’ sweat poured off his body as if it were blood or He literally sweat blood, the Lord’s prayer was so intense that an angel came and strengthened Him.

In Jesus’ prayer that Thursday night, we clearly see His two natures—that He was both fully human and fully divine. While the divine and human natures were united in Jesus, the two wills were not. As fully God, Jesus was in sync with His Father’s plan and walked willing to the cross to suffer and die, to bear our sins, and to redeem us from the gates of hell. On the other hand, Jesus also had a man’s will—a will like ours—one that could be tempted—a will that freely chooses whether or not to walk in obedience to God. We can be sure that Satan was attacking Jesus with false promises, doubt, and fear that night.

By beginning His prayer with, “Father, if you are willing,” Jesus acknowledged both His Father’s right to determine the answer to His prayer and His power to do so. Jesus then asked, “take this cup away from me.” The cup He wanted taken away was the horror that lay ahead for Him—not just suffering on the cross, but death itself. Fully man, Jesus must have trembled at what being the sacrificial lamb who bore the sins of the world would entail. As this fully human man grappled with being obedient to God’s horrific plan of torture and death, Jesus may have sweat real blood.

When Satan tempted another sinless man in another garden long ago, Adam said, “My will be done,” and sin entered the world. In Gethsemane, Satan tempted the second sinless man to say the same thing. Had the enemy been successful, the lamb of God would not have taken away the sins of the world. But, instead of saying “My will be done,” Jesus prayed these beautiful words: “Not my will, but yours, be done.” Like any man, Jesus would have preferred avoiding the physical, emotional, and spiritual agony awaiting Him; nevertheless, His words were ones of complete and unqualified submission to God’s will. Could we have done the same? Thank you, Jesus!

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. [John 6:38 (CSB)]

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