Obligation?

Obligation or True Passion

I want to be honest with you today. I want to share a story that happened just recently. I did not think about it. I did not dwell on it. It was not until the Spirit showed it to me, that I even saw it at all.

My Son Elijah came down with a cold or flu like symptoms. Coughing, runny nose, etc. Sunday morning came and I looked at my Wife and said, you know, why do you not just stay home with the kids, I have to go, but why do you not just stay home, relax, and take care of Eli and Maya. So what happened? She became offended. Now here I am, thinking I'm being nice, and telling her she should just skip Church this week for the kid's sake, and to not infect anyone at Church, and she became offended..

"I can just go into the Nursery. I can watch the service from the TV that is in there." Well, if you really want to I guess that would be fine. I asked her if she was sure. She decided to just stay home. I guess that all my trying to be nice, gave her the feeling that I did not want her there. This was not the case at all. However, this is how she seemed to take it.

So there I am at Church, I go outside after my duties, and I get this in my Spirit. "You know why she became offended?" "Uh, nope. Doesn't make any sense to me. So why?"

"Because she does not see going to Church as an obligation."

Wait. Do I? Think about that statement.  "Because she does not see going to Church as an obligation." I sad, "I have to be there." Do I see going to Church as an obligation? Do you? Do you see reading the Bible, as an obligation? Do you see Tithing and Giving, merely as an obligation? You see, it was not her feelings that were out of place, it was mine. I was the one looking at being in a place, where I can fellowship with my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Hear a Word from God, seeing the lost Saved. See the Hand of God move in amazing ways, as an OBLIGATION.

As long as you do, you can NEVER get the most out of anything. Seriously. As long as you see going to Church, Tithing and Giving, Reading the Word, doing God's Will, as a mere obligation, you cannot ever be Blessed in the way God wants to Bless you. You will miss a great deal.

{1 John 3:1}

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."

Have I forgotten this? I am a Son of the Living God???? I am a Prince of Heaven. I am a coheir with Jesus Himself? God is my Daddy? Have I forgotten who I am NOW? I'm not of the Flesh. I'm not of the Devil. I died with Christ and have been resurrected with Him. I am not someone who is at the whim of Man. I am protected by, provided by, loved by, the God of all of Creation. Yet I see going to Church as an Obligation?? When did this happen?

Have I allowed my freedom to corrupt me? As we were warned about in..

{Galatians 5:13}

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."

You see, going to Church, Reading the Word, Tithing and Giving, are not obligations. They are opportunities.

By going to Church and reading His Word, we learn about the Spirit. We learn about Him. We learn about His ways. We can learn from one another, lean on one another, comfort and celebrate with one another. If you go to Church or read The Word, only because you see it as an obligation, you will get little out of it. You are OF GOD. You are not there, or reading, some boring Sermon. You should be there being FILLED with the Spirit, and Truth. Equipping yourself for the things you will face.

{1 John 4:6-8}

"We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

When you give your Tithes and Offerings, keep this in mind..

{2 Corinthians 9:7}

"Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

God Himself told us this..

{Malachi 3:10}

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

By Tithing and Giving, you are giving God the opportunity to Bless you. To touch your Fiances, and "pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." If you do so, out of obligation, chances are, you will give your Tithe only. That was, is, and always will be, ten percent by the way. You will give $10.00 for every Hundred you make. So let's say your Tithe is $150.00. You give $150.00. You met your obligation. Now do not get me wrong, God will bless your finances and that ninety percent will go farther than the hundred percent ever will. However, let's say you give $200.00 That extra $50.00 is an offering. A gift. That is an opportunity for God to "pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Why? Because that ten percent is your obligation. But the extra came from your heart.

You see, we need to believe Jesus. I mean REALLY believe Jesus. He told us not to worry about anything. Our needs will be met. He told us this..

{Matthew 6:33}

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

The only way you can feed your Spirit, and grow in Faith, is by reading God's Word, going to Church, and Praying to our Father. It is only through Faith that we can ever hope to please Him. The Word tells us...

{Hebrews 11:6}

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

If you are walking in the flesh, you are not walking in the Spirit. Your flesh will rebel against the Spirit, and anything Holy. You will see anything Spiritual, reading, going to Church, Praying, paying Tithes and giving Offerings, as obligations. Things you are told you have to do. How do you over come this? You must learn to walk in the Spirit. You must learn to see Spiritual Things as opportunities and not obligations. You must have true passion to "seek first the Kingdom of God." It takes true passions to put yourself in a place of opportunity to receive all that God has for you.

Ever wonder why Saturday seems to have been turned into Sinday? Ever wonder what prevents you from receiving all God has for you? Ever wonder why your Faith never seems to grow? The answer is a simple one. You are walking more in the Flesh, than you ever, walk in the Spirit. We will discuss this next time.

Stop seeing going to Church as an obligation. Stop seeing paying your Tithes and giving Offerings as obligations. Stop seeing reading God's Word, and even Praying to God, as obligations. Start seeing Spiritual things as opportunities. Grow in Faith, spend time with God. Before you know it, you can have true passion, and with passion, you will always keep yourself in a place of opportunity.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord..