Bible in One Year:
Monday, October 26, 2009
(1 Sam 14 - 1 Sam 16)

Memorise: "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied" (1 Pet 1:2)

Read: 1 Peter 1:1-5
1 ¶ Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Before God can use the stubborn ones, He would have to break them. If you are too proud, God cannot use you except you are broken. Believers who have not enrolled in God's school of brokenness will constitute a problem both to God and His church. Some believers are still finding it difficult to accept God's simple injunction on tithing. The reason some tithe is because they are earning little. The moment God gives them a major financial increase - probably in the region of millions, they will contest the doctrine on tithing. How many Christians obey Ephesians 5:20? It reads, "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ". Complaining is very rife among believers. If you are fond of complaining or grumbling, you will find it an uphill task to give God thanks, especially in unpleasant situations. The flesh is what stands between us and total compliance with God's Word. 

After His water baptism, the Heavens opened to Jesus but immediately He had to go and sit for His examination. Philippians 2:8 says, "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross". Our Lord Jesus Christ passed His examination with distinction. He learnt obedience through the awesome power of God available to Him. If you can satisfy Heaven's conditions, you too can access that awesome power. God wants you to be perfect because to earn God's commendation - "I am pleased with you", you have to be extra good. God is a perfectionist per excellence. One thing you can be sure of perfectionists is that they are so difficult to satisfy. For your obedience to be complete, you must totally submit to God's will in everything - how you live daily, what you say, do and think, and even how you will die. When God says sit, you will not stand. You will strictly adhere to His instructions . While ministering, some ministers cook up things just to impress the congregation. Do not pretend to have the gift or graces you do not have. Do not say 'God said' when it is not God. Jesus is our perfect example in obedience because even up to how He would die, He submitted to Heaven's programme. To what extent is your obedience? If you do not learn the lessons in obedience, you may never pass the examination Satan will bring your way. 

ACTION POINT:
Pray for a fresh release of the Spirit of obedience upon the Body of Christ.