I have a great burden for the state of our churches in the age we are living.  It is easy to have that distant look at many different churches and denominations to form the perception of great things happening.  While you can see the number in attendance climbing, I have to ask about the overall health of the body.  And the same is true about that small and steady church, what is the health of the body?

As I was preparing to speak an end of the year message at my local church, I was led to the simple topic of obedience.  We are called to live a life of obedience.  This is for both the individual as well as the entire body as a whole.  On this occasion, I was led to look at the difference between obedience to the way of God and the will of God.

The passage of the rich young ruler came to mind as I was just beginning to write this blog.  In Matthew 19:16-26 we see this young man approach Jesus asking a question that many of us are still asking today, “what must I do to enter heaven?” To summarize Jesus’s words into my own, he states, “be obedient to the ways of God.”  Knowing there was more, the young man had a burning deep within, much like what we feel.  Therefore Jesus continued speaking to the young man by stating something like this, “you are to be obedient to the will of God.”

Like the rich young ruler, we are called to be obedient to the will of God.  The “ways of God” are those things that are elementary.  They are the expected things.  Purity is expected.  Then we are called to be obedient to His will.  This meaning that we are called to listen to the voice of God.  Life is in His voice!  How can we know the will of God for our own life or for our church if we are not taking the time to listen?  Read the rest of the passage in Matthew.  More is expected from the church than just being a good church.  The church must function out of the voice of God!  And, it is possible!

My desire is to only function from that place of listening; to be living a faith-full life by being obedient to the will of God.