Obedience is better than sacrifice 1 Samuel 15:22

I am sure that I am not the only person that struggles with doing what God tells me to do. Am I? Hello? Is anyone out there? LOL.

Well, if I am then this post will be a bore to you, however if you look deep down inside of yourself and tell the truth, you will admit that somethings God tells us to do are much easier than other things. It is easy to do the things that WE want to do and sometimes because of God's grace he will give us assignments that are fun and have instant fulfillment. 

But what about the assignments that cost us time and money - both of which are sometimes in short supply for most of us at the time the request is made.  And if the truth really be told some of us are so overbooked that we would gladly give money than give time because our time is our more valuable to us.

This scripture is one of my favorite in the bible and I find myself reminding myself of its truth often.  I really like it in the Message bible, where it says:

Not doing what God tells you
      is far worse than fooling around in the occult.

Now most of us would never play with occult practices as we know better, but how often do we not do what God clearly directs us to do? Or how often do we not move because we don't understand the authority of  the messenger that God used to give the assignment? This way of life is just as dangerous as playing with the occult. We tend to forget that we are God's spokespersons on the Earth in many situations. There are so many people that haven't learned to recognize his voice yet and if we are not in position to deliver his word, what will happen to them?

I live in Sacramento and have lived there for almost 3 years. I moved there when I got married with full confidence that my husband and I would move back to Stockton after the first year so that I could fully serve in ministry at Victory in Praise church as I was used to doing during my single years.

I often ask God, on that long drive home (45 minutes to be exact) after bible study or leadership meetings, "Why am I still living in Sacramento? I am not affecting any change there, I am not making a difference to anyone there."

 I am a teacher and the director of the adult teaching staff. Our sole responsibility is to make sure all new members of the church get through 3 classes and are prepared for ministry. That seems easier than it really is (chuckle out loud). My Bishop, Rufus K. Turner, made it very clear how important these sessions are and that my group is to do what ever is needed to get people through the process even if that means teaching the classes in the member's home at THEIR convenience.


Over the past month I have had the pleasure of doing just that - teaching new members sessions in Sacramento to members that live there and whose schedule limits their time in Stockton. Now was it a press to fit in the session? Yes! After commuting and teaching other classes and working a full time job all week, by the time the appointment came on Thursday I was tired but I made a commitment and this was important.


and as I taught the final session this week I got an opportunity to see God's word take root in someone and they made the immediate change that the word was requiring.  My obedience allowed God to have his way in someone's life and at the end of the day, that is what all of this is all about.