how do I introduce my topic on obedience, how do I end it and what do I say ?

[ishameluvu]

I have to present it for an hour and forty five minute.I have got verses already ....but unsure of what to say in the beginning. I have got something like ' hi good evening everyone, welcome to wednesday prayer meeting the topic is on obedience. We will be reading three verses and then we wil go to our individual prayer so we can ask God to help us to be be obidient to him.

 

[Peace, Joy, and Hope SDA]

I have a story for you to help you think of your own. When I was a little girl my family went into the hills to view some newly captured mountain lions. We stood watching the first lion. I saw the tall big sliver stake it was chained to. I wanted to touch that stake. The lion finally went down the hill on the opposite side. I knew he couldn't see me as I couldn't see him. When my family started walking over to see another lion I thought it was the perfect opportunity to touch that stake. I'd just walk just close enough to the stake to touch it, and keep on going to where my family was headed. I was just one step from touching it when my parents called me away. I was an obedient child as I was afraid of the spanking I'd get if I wasn't. I turned around and then the thought hit me. Why did I always have to be so obedient? I could have pretended I didn't hear and touched the stake, and then came back. I knew if I turned back, I would for sure get in trouble. In my heart I was angry at myself. When I got back to my family, they hurried us into the car, and we went home. I didn't get to see the other lions and I was disappointed. That incident came up to me several times over the years. I finally said something about it recently in front of my younger brother. He looked at me like I was crazy. He said they saw me and the lion coming up after me. I was one step ahead of the lion as I walked out of the length of his chain. All of those years and I never knew. A little disobedience can prove to be fatal. I shudder to think of how many of the children today, are not instant to obey. Even as adults we make a little lie and think that's nothing important. We fudge with God presume that it doesn't really matter in the whole picture. We're basically good people and He won't care. God is not mocked and He does care. It's like a mouse squeezing into a crack that we can barely find. It won't matter. He's so tiny and sort of cute too. If it's allowed to remain it will chew holes in your food containers, bags, and boxes. It will leave it's reminders on the food and in it. It will drop on your clean dishes and in the cupboards. It finally has to be killed. It isn't so cute anymore. The whole kitchen has to be torn apart and everything washed or thrown away. There's plenty of things that are still good but they are tainted from the presence of the mouse. You take no chances. The kitchen is scrubbed from top to bottom. The crack is filled in after searching thoroughly for it and others. We can't go out and put a new door on our house and call it done. Many think once saved is always saved. The cherished sins were washed once and they are home free. When our home is secure and clean, then our home can be refilled with only the good clean things. That's what Romans 5 is trying to tell us. While we were sinners, ungodly, enemies, and without strength Jesus died for us. Romans 6 is because of Jesus death and resurrection we to can have new life in Him. He wants to come in and clean out the old man of self. It needs to die. Then Jesus begins by placing God's law of love to God and others in our hearts and minds. We think like God does toward sin. We feel like God does to sin. Our desire to go back is gone. A prayer that God loves to answer is found in Psalms 51. It can be prayed every day. God forgave David for getting his neighbor's wife pregnant, and having the husband murdered on the front line of battle. God is very willing to forgive us if we are willing to confess our sins and turn away from them. 1John 3:4 says sin is the transgression of the law. We in our own strength will fail every time. Jesus promises His strength. Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the whole armour of God. Then we are to stand defensively praying not only for ourselves but others that are also struggling. We can thank God for hearing us and answering our prayers. There is one last thing. God uses the same size measuring cup for our forgiveness as we use on others. May God bless and fill you with His Holy Spirit, as you open His Word to the truth. May they only hear His words and see His face.

 

[Manikant]

You have posed a question which seems easy to answer, but rather one gets to learn more by answering the question. I am thankful to you.

What is Obedience?
Obedience is another word for respect which we show by listening and carrying out the acts unquestioningly to the command of someone whom we respect. That respect may arise as a result of fear, duty, love, etc.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was Word. So it is God's Word we should respect. The Ten Commandments. Or the teachings of Jesus. That should be an order for us. We should strive to obey them.

Similarly, we should listen to our elders and obey. We should listen to our teachers and obey. We should obey to our superiors in our workplace.

Obedience is a part of discipline. A disciplined life is needed for one to succeed. In one sense, obedience removes chaos and disorder. It ensures the chain of command. Disobedience means rebellion, mutiny, disrespect. Obedience in an organization is a must. Whether it be a small workplace, a school, a business, a service utility, a charitable organization or an army. Where the superior is the head and face of the body, the one who obeys is the arms and legs of the body. For a body to function properly it is not enough that only the head works. The arms and legs should act accordingly to bring the results. The head is the commander, the arms and legs the executive.

Whereas it is permitted in a family to question before obeying - as this may be part of a learning process -- in the army this is taboo. There the rules are FIRST OBEY, THEN QUESTION.

A person who obeys today, commands respect tomorrow.
One should obey and carry out the orders cheerfully and sincerely.

It is God who give us everything, right from the intellect, the sharp mind to the athletic body. So also without His Grace, Everything becomes Nothing.
Even for obedience to God, we should pray for his Blessings. This removes the arrogance and false pride in us and we learn to become humble and modest.

God Bless.