The Devotional – 1444 – What, Obedience Too?

The Devotional – 1444 – What, Obedience Too?

Proverbs 4:14-17 – Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away (robbed) unless they make someone else fall.

Comments and challenges

Most all of us are affected at bed time by the things we eat. Chocolate and other items of caffeine, sugar and tomato sauces just to name a few. From the fidgets to the eyes wide open, we toss and turn the whole night through… hmm! Sounds like a song! So I am thinking that the song writer and singer was not missing his lost love, he just had too many chocolate bars before going to bed.

Of course this is the lighter side of the matter of staying awake when sleep is needed. There is a darker side (as you well know) in that if you harbor sin in your mind, evil will not let you rest. Even when the sin is accomplished evil remains active so that any resting period thereafter will be affected by fitful expressions of despair.

In Proverbs 4:13 Solomon says: Take firm hold of instruction and do not let go; keep her, for she is your life. Did you get that? Far too many times we read the instructions in the Holy Word of God, but as soon as we walk away from the instruction; Satan’s demonic forces are there to destroy us and we lose the our hold on the truth we just read.

Now we know that the unbelieving person has little chance to grab hold of truth from the Holy Word of God because Satan’s demonic force snatch it from the unbelieving immediately, (The parable of the sower Matthew 13:18-23). But believe it also, the same problem can affect the believer when that believer is failing to take a firm hold of instruction and let’s go of it.

Solomon say too that the pathway of the just is like the shinning sun (light) that shines brighter unto the perfect day. There is so much here in these words; for example there is not a day on this planet that is perfect. The Holy Word of God is perfect and yet when we take it in to our imperfect realm of life we become a TARGET for the enemy!

Therefore it is critical, if we wish to have a good night of sleep we must be… steadfast, unmovable and always abounding in the work of the God. What is the work of God? John 6:29 – This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He Sent. What? Did you think it might be something else? 

Taking strong hold of instruction and believing it is “mandatory” for every believer if we are to be ever increasing in LIGHT to the perfect day. Is the mandate easy, well was it EASY for Christ to leave a Perfect Day in heaven and abide in the imperfect days on this earth? Philippians 2:5-8 says that He learned obedience, “without sinning” this is an impossible task for us even when we take hold of instruction.

If we are to be light bearers and rejoice as we ought over knowing and sharing Christ with others, than taking hold of instruction is not an option. For us who believe, God has supplied ample protection through “obedience to His Word” notice.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 – For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (of the flesh) but mighty in God (the Spirit) for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.