Blessings flow from obedience.

Why is it important for children to obey their parents? While there could be many reasons, the first that comes to mind is protection. There are many dangers that parents are aware of that their children may likely not be. As older and wiser gatekeepers, parents steer their children in the way that would keep them most safe and unharmed – protected. The same is true of our Heavenly Father. He knows the beginning from the end. He knows the dangers and pitfalls. Because we trust Him, we must learn to obey.

Now, of course, our flesh does not always want to obey. But God speaks to those who are listening and willing to obey. There are two components of obedience for you to consider:

1. The first component is in laying down sin. Obey what God has said to do in His written Word that He has already laid out long ago. The Bible instructs us what is pleasing to the Lord and what dishonors Him. If we don't lay down sin, it clouds our view and muddles what we can actually hear.
2. The second component of obedience is obeying new instructions by the Holy Spirit. This means that we not only practice what the written Word has told us but also follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit through our own lives when we are asked to do something. There is instruction from the written Word of God (known as Logos), e.g., do not commit adultery, do not overeat, do not conform to the customs of this world, etc. Likewise, there is instruction through the Spirit of God (known as a Rhema word), e.g., don't go to Sarah's house tonight, do not take that job, etc. Both Logos and Rhema are the Word of God, but the former is God's Word recorded in the Bible, while the latter is the Word of God spoken to us through the Holy Spirit whispering to our hearts.

We must practice obedience in both ways. We must follow what both the written Word of God and the spoken Word of God prompted in our hearts. To be clear, there is never a time when the prompting of the Holy Spirit would instruct something contradictory to the written Word of God. Discerning the voice of God will always parallel the written Word of God. This is a critical component of understanding how to hear and obey. Test the voice against the Scriptures. God speaks the way He writes. If what you hear does not align with God's Word, it is likely a lying spirit, a tactic of the enemy to keep you confused.

Points to Ponder:

• What has the Lord been calling you to do that you were afraid of?
• What areas in your life have you reaped the benefits of obedience? Suffered the consequences of disobedience?
• Write out Numbers 6:24-26 on an index card that you keep in your purse or bathroom mirror.