THE BLESSING OF OBEDIENCE

THE BLESSING OF OBEDIENCE

LIVING THE ABUNDANT LIFE – Part 2

Vernon Zook May 4, 2025

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. – Joshua 1:8 (NLT)

Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. – John 13:17 (NIV)

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and you don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. – James 1:22-25 (NLT)

SEVERAL KEY INSTRUCTIONS TO OBEY

1. We and .

If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life…Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey…And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. – Deuteronomy 6:3-5 (NLT)

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:36b-40 (NLT)

(Jesus) “If you love me, obey my commandments.” – John 14:15 (NLT)

2. We give back to God – .

“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” – Malachi 3:8-12 (NLT)

3. We obey for our lives.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. – Romans 8:28 (NLT)