When The Door Slams
As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them. James 4:16-17
It is never a minor thing to know God's will and not do it. God calls this sin. We can make excuses for our lack of obedience: "I'm just not ready yet," or "I'll do it later!" or "I don't think it will make a difference," or "I can't afford to!" We rationalize, we procrastinate; we want to be notice; yet, in God's, eyes, rationalization and procrastination are nothing more than disobedience. At times we deceive ourselves into thinking that if others see the good intentions will equal obedient actions.
They do not. A good intention without corresponding activity is disobedience. When we encounter God and He gives us a direction, it is not enough to write down the date in our spiritual journal, or even to tell our friends and church of our "decision." God's call is not to "make a decision" but to obey!
Think about this: Deciding to obey is not equal to obeying (Matt. 21:28-32)! Loudly affirming the necessity of obedience is not the same as obeying (Luke 6:46-49). Making commitments, even publicly, is not the same as obeying our Lord. Substituting our own good works is not the same as obeying.
God told King Saul to wait until the prophet Samuel arrived. Instead of waiting, Saul took matters into his own hands and offered a sacrifice. Saul discovered, to his deep dismay, that other acts of supposed piety do not take the place of obeying a clear command from God (1 Sam.15:22-23). As with Saul, God expects you to obey everything exactly as He tells you. Only obedience satisfies God's desire for obedience!
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness. Never Rest Ministries
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