After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph were careful to follow the required Jewish Ceremonies. They demonstrated how obedience can be worship. Matthew 2: 21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. 22 Then it was time for their purification …
God provided a divine warning in a dream to Joseph. This was the second dream of Joseph that Scripture tells us about. In Joseph’s first dream, an angel explained how Mary was pregnant and instructed Joseph to marry her immediately. Joseph quickly obeyed. Now Jesus has been born, and the wise men from the east …
Joseph moved forward in obedience despite the shame it would bring. If Joseph married the pregnant Mary, the community would assume the baby was his. But God had instructed him to do so, and he did. When Mary came back from visiting her cousin Elizabeth for three months, it was evident to Joseph that she …
Jesus began His teaching by urging His disciples to abide in Him like a branch does to a vine. Then He tells of the joy of obedience. He asks the disciples to remain in His love. They can do this by being obedient to His commands. A result of this obedience will be overflowing joy. …
Being great in the Kingdom of God is part of His plan for every believer. But what does it mean to be great in God’s Kingdom? Matthew 5: 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone …
A new beginning requires an ending, as we can see in the lives of Peter, James, and John, when Jesus called them to be His disciples. When Jesus called Peter, his decision to follow Him wasn’t merely an addition to his life; it was a radical reorientation that required him to leave behind his entire …
Fishing for humanity is one of the greatest gifts the Lord can give us. I am always amazed that the Lord involves us in His work, especially fishing for people. Jesus loved being around fishermen and fishing. Peter may have been an experienced fisherman, but Jesus was more knowledgeable about fishing because He made them. …
Jesus gave Simon Peter a call to go deeper. Luke 5: 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” [1] Remember, Peter is a professional fisherman and knows his trade. He knows that the best time to catch …
God’s words demonstrate the connection between faith and obedience in many ways. One example is the story of Abraham, where God instructed him to circumcise all the males in his household. We read in Genesis 17: 10 This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised. 11 You …
In the end, Abram received no benefits from disobedience. At first glance, what happened to Abram wasn’t so bad. After all, God seems to have forgiven him, and he gained a lot of wealth from the incident. Genesis 12: 16 Then Pharaoh gave Abram many gifts because of her (Sarai)—sheep, goats, cattle, male and female donkeys, …