Friday, January 8, 2016

Do I have to DAD???

Famous words of a child who has to clean their room. Then I try to entice her with: "I'm cleaning my room and will be done in a few minutes." Be the example, right? It's a struggle each week in our house.  I have to step up the parenting then by saying, "When you disobey your parents, you disobey God." after the 'I don't want to' or the 'do I have to' replies.  It's a responsibility that we are trying to get our children to understand. It's a task that has to be completed and at a young age once this is accomplished, we can move on to bigger responsibilities.  It's a tough lesson for a child to learn at times.

Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica these very words towards the end of his letter:
"Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus." (1 Thess. 4:1-2)

As the teachings of Jesus were passed down to the church, Paul, who did the teaching, is pleading with them to "be responsible" as they walk on earth. The responsibility is to please God by obeying His commands.  Believers in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ should be responsible.  Follow His commands.  Turn against a world of sin.  Turning against a world that loves sin more than the Lord. 1 John even records a believer's responsibility with instruction about walking the Light and responsibility when we sin.  

Are we the child who refuses responsibility (pleasing the Lord by following His commands) to the Lord because we are saying, "Do I have to GOD?" because deep down we just don't want to do it.  Not only are we to obey the Lord, we are to EXCEL in it as Paul writes.  Walk Worthy!  Sleepy Disciple