October 5 Obedience Brings a Blessing

Luke 5.1 – 11.

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, (this is the Sea of Galilee) with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. (This is a small request from God.) Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."  (This request seems unreasonable because you don’t catch fish in the Sea of Galilee in the middle of the day.)

5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" (This is a dramatic request from Peter.) 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. (Jesus had called them earlier but apparently they were still fishing and following Jesus part time.)

1.              Obeying God in small things is key to receiving greater blessing,
   
2.               Our obedience benefits others.
3.            Obedience may require doing something that seems unreasonable.
4. 4.       We will never be disappointed when we obey God.
   
5. 5.       Our obedience allows God to demonstrate His power in our lives.
   
6. 6.       Obeying God always results in a deeper understanding of God’s working.
   
7. 7.       Obedience to God will result in dramatic changes in our lives.
   

 Isaiah 48.17 – 19

This is what the Lord says--our Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel "I am the Lord your God,who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.

18 If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

19 Your descendants would have been like the sand, your children like its numberless grains; their name would never be cut off nor destroyed from before me."

 This passage says that God teaches us what is best for us. 

• Is following God always best for us?
• Are we naturally drawn to what we believe is good for us? Verse 18.
• How do we come to believe-really believe-that following God is totally in our best interest? 
• Describe a time in the last few days when you experienced "peace like a river."

Deuteronomy 11.26 - 28.

6. See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse-- 27 the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; 28 the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.

 

• What is the blessing? What is the curse?
• Do you think outsiders see Christianity this way – that it is all about God wanting to bless us?
• How could we communicate to outsiders that Christianity is all about a God who wants to bless us?

 Psalm 62.1, 5.

     My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.

     Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.

• Describe what resting in God feels like for you?
• Good principles to follow

       1.       Trust God with you life and leave the consequences to Him.

       2.       Learn to wait on the Lord.

       3.       Learn to meditate on God’s Word.

       4.       Learn to listen to the Holy Spirit.

      5.       Be willing to walk away when the path is uncertain.

      6.       Be willing to experience conflict.

      7.       Accept God’s discipline with Thanksgiving.

 How can we pray for one another this week?

Dear Father in Heaven,

I ask Your forgiveness for my self-sufficiency and for all the times I hear Your commands yet fail to obey them.  I purpose to align my life with Your principles and to obey Your Word.  Please help me in this pursuit and convict me when I stray.

Amen.