Blessings in Obedience

Sometimes it takes us a while to learn obedience. Especially when we feel the Lord leading us into something or somewhere that is out of our comfort zone. It has taken me making some mistakes along the way but I have learned to obey God no matter how crazy of an idea He gives me.

This morning, we were getting ready for The Buzz. You know, setting up props, checking sound, rehearsing lines one more time. It's usually a little hectic but always fun as we work. As I was getting all the kid's take home papers ready, Pastor Josh played the video testimony of Paul and Sandy May for me. Oh-my-lan-ta! Major snotting and tissue usage. The tears I shed were of thankfulness. I'm so proud of Paul and Sandy and their sweet little girl, Adele. They have given themselves wholeheartedly to Jesus. They are serving Him in ways that I am sure they never dreamed of one year ago. I'm so thankful that they were delivered and healed from many hurts and disappointments in life. And it started with JCFC being obedient to God's voice.

We had this idea for some park ministry outreaches. That in itself may not seem "out of the box" but God was giving specific direction for what we were to do during the program and WHERE we were supposed to do it. Because of a Super Saturday flier, the May's came to check it out and their lives were radically changed in just a few weeks. As I watched that video, I was not only thankful for what has happened to the Mays but for a pastor who totally believes that we need to do children's ministry with EXCELLENCE. No second best for our kids! I'm thankful for a team of people who help us every week get the job done. I'm thankful for God's Word that teaches that there are blessings for obedience.

Deuteronomy chapter 28 begins with the blessings for obedience.
1 If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:
3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
7 The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
8 The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.
9 The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. 11 The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you.
12 The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. 13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. 14 Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.

I can't help but wonder what would have happened to the May family if we had not been obedient. When you feel like God is directing you, DON'T hesitate...it may be a matter of life or death...literally.