Stop begging and start obeying!

Have you ever felt like all you do with God is ask?

God, bless my marriage, bless my children, bless my job. Bless my pastor, bless my finances, and most of all, bless my food.

I think we so often loose focus on what God really wants. The Lord does say “Ask and you shall receive”, but He is also a relational God. He desires to be close to his children.

Think of it this way. If mom says “Timmy it's time to clean your room now” and Timmy smiles and says “I love you Mom” and walks away, but doesn't clean his room. Later he says, “Mom, can I have a new toy car?”. Knowing Timmy did in fact not clean his room, what do you think mom's response will be?

“Sure my son, you have been a good boy, so here it is”… No way!

It's a no-brainer, isn't it? If she's a good mother, she will ask him something like, “Did you clean your room like I asked?”, followed by Timmy's (hopefully) honest response of “Ummm... Noooo...”, followed by mom saying something like “I'm sorry Timmy, I love you and want to give you a new toy car, but unless you obey me when I ask you to do something, I cannot give you your reward.”

So it makes sense when we look at it like that, but when we put it in the context of God it seems like nonsense!

God says, “Jacob, it's time to clean your heart now”, and I smile and say “I love you God” and walk away, but don’t clean my heart. Later I say, “God, can I have a new car?”. Knowing I did in fact not clean my heart, what do you think God’s response will be?

“Sure my son, you have been a good man, so here it is!”… No way!

If He is a good God, He will ask me something like, “Did you clean your heart like I asked?”, followed by my (hopefully) honest response of “Ummm… Noooo…”, followed by God saying something like “I’m sorry Jacob, I love you and want to give you a new car, but unless you obey me when I ask you to do something, I cannot give you your reward.”

What a sobering thought!!!

1 Kings 2:3 says:

“Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn.”

Furthermore, John 14:15 says:

“If you love me, keep my commandments.”

Finally, 1 Samuel 15:22b says:

“To obey is better than sacrifice.”

The key to prosperity in life… I am not talking about financial prosperity, I am talking about full life prosperity… is obedience to our Father!

Be bold, and ask of the Father what you need, but before you do, make sure you have – and are striving to – obey what He has asked of you.