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Psalm 119:2 – Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. (NLT)
As a child and teen, I fought my parents' rules tooth and nail, only realizing later how much obeying them had profited me.
Forty-seven years later, I can still see the rules hanging in a frame on my bedroom wall. I can't remember them all, but one in particular stands out: "No sassing." My father meant, "Don't talk back." The others I can't remember exactly, but they related to God's moral standards. As a nine-year-old child, these rules were cumbersome. Some didn't make any sense, and others I just wanted to break for the heck of it — maybe because I wanted to be a bad preacher's kid instead of a compliant one, but more than likely because of the sinful bent that I was born with. Little did I know that obeying the rules would usher in the blessing of my parents, God, and others.
In Psalm 119, the longest psalm in the Bible, the writer maintains that joy is the fruit of obeying God's laws. He follows this verse with more than 170 others that also proclaim the benefits of obeying the directions found in God's Word.
While God won't force my obedience, He will discourage disobedience with discipline. My parents couldn't make me obey them, even though they tried. My ability to do what I wanted was birthed in me by what God created in the first humans: free will. God wants me to obey Him just as my parents reached for the same goal. In the end, it was my choice. I've paid for disobeying God — and also for not obeying my parents.
Peace and happiness are the fruits of obeying God. My life would have been much easier had I obeyed my parents, but I couldn't see that then. Obeying God's commands puts me at peace with my Creator. This naturally leads to a happiness that I won't discover anywhere else.
My relationship with my parents was always better when I did what they told me. I've discovered that the same thing happens with me and God. If I want others to know that I'm His follower, I have to act like His child. Obeying Him keeps my body — His temple — holy and clean and propels me forward in my spiritual growth.
Don't let Satan fool you into thinking that going your own way will make you happier.
Prayer: Father, thank You for giving us the treasure of Your Word. Amen.
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Thursday, September 21, 2023 – Worldwide — International Day of Prayer for Peace — Pray for our brothers and sisters in so many countries in the world where they are being persecuted, imprisoned, and killed for their faith. Pray that their faith will stand strong in the face of adversity.
Broken friendship-CB: "September 21,2023. Please pray for the restoration of a lifelong friendship. Their friendship has..." 
Please pray for Shawn: "September 21, 2023. Shawn has struggled to breathe for many years and is in the hospital again..." 
Mrs--a former devotional writer: "September 21,2023. I humbly request healing prayers, I am having some very serious health problems..." 
Been there, done that too!
Great message Martin, especially for today’s youth.
I knew it was you Martin, after only thirteen words!
Thanks Martin for sharing this devotional message with us. Blessing.
Thanks for the reminder of the blessings we receive when we’re obedient.
Dear Martin Wiles,
True words, well-spoken.
Keep writing.
Hi Martin, A good word picture of the scripture,”Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.”
It’s always an ongoing choice isn’t it?
Thanks.
We raised five children. For awhile we had 4 in their teen years. It was hard being the task master and rule enforcer. One of our children was most “interesting” in a free-will way. However, they were raised up through church guidance and all accepted the Lord as their Saviour along the way. We have much to be thankful for and we couldn’t have done it without Him. Thank you for your writing.
Good morning Martin! Thanks for your candid account of your childhood. I think many of us can relate to these experiences of assertiveness. Sometimes it takes the passage of time to soften our rebellious hearts. I think the world today presents challenges for us all at all ages. May the New Year bring continued hope for better things as Michelle Obama said in her address. We cannot be motivated by anger and fear. Fervent prayer for Peace is required.
Amen. Thanks for sharing. It would be good for us if we could learn things earlier but glad that we do eventually get there.
Hi Martin,
I enjoyed you devotion, obeying God’s commands does indeed out us at ease with Him.