The Discipline of True Obedience

We do have a tendency to jump into things without thinking does what I am planning to do really serve the Lord, I know I do that just about all the time. We lack a true discipline to obedience away from impulse to a reasoned approach to service to God and others.

Chambers reminds us in Utmost today that it is not Christ as Savior; but Christ as worldview, Christ as accountability standard, that we should be looking to. How many times do I think of Christ as my Savior and the Lord of my life, but then not follow through to be Christ-like in my intentionality, in my activity? Too many to bear counting.

I fall short at that level each and every day. I will continue to look for the transformation I spoke of earlier. And I will continue to try to get a little closer to His standard each and every day as I do.

Transformation

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Romans 12:2 (NASB)

If you are reading the word of God, is it transforming your life? The Bible isn't a book to read for head knowledge only; it should be read for heart knowledge as well. It should make you think differently, see things differently, see others differently. If it is only an academic exercise, you have entered into a sad, sad state of affairs in your life. Because you are so close to the truth, but you are not letting it set you free.

Oswald Chambers speaks in today's devotional in My Utmost for His Highest about becoming bitter and sour as a result of hoarding God's blessings. I think the same can happen if you do not treat God's word as transformational. Bitter and sour, blimp-like. The Bible is inerrant; it is true in what it says, in the claims it makes. It is authoritative, it is the last word on any topic on which it speaks. It is inerrant in that it cannot fail to be transforming, in what it does, in the effect it has on God's people.

Be a child of God and let it transform you. As Chambers said, be the sweetest person on earth. Be salt and light.

I think of the movie, Transformers and how cool it was to see the sudden changes that would come over those robots. Don't be a robot, but be transformed. Be a transformer of others. Make sure you are a different person coming out of the Bible than you were going in.