To Obey is better than Sacrifice. It’s a beautiful gem in the Old Testament which can sometimes be missed! And, when we read something in the bible about sacrificing animals, it’s all too easy to disregard it as out of date because of what Jesus did on the cross.

Jesus’ death and resurrection means we don’t need to sacrifice animals in the Temple. But it doesn’t lessen the importance of obedience for us Christians.

But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices  or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice… 1 Samuel 15:22 (New Living Translation)

Put really simply, animal sacrifice made God pleased in the Old Testament times. But, despite that, obedience was what mattered above and beyond that. Actually that theme reappears elsewhere in the Old Testament – when God gets fed up with people doing what their duty is, rather than simply obeying God.

Obedience almost sounds like a dirty word these days, outside of the Armed Forces where soldiers are taught to obey the commands of those senior to them. And that obedience is even more important for us as Christians.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that giving to the poor, fighting for social injustices is what God wants from you. It is good to care for the people we meet. In the book of James, the author – of the same name – tells us that pure religion is exactly that of caring for orphans and widows.

More important that any of that, though, is being obedient to God. He desires our hearts over our hands.

Just a thought…

Andy B

This video will always be best enjoyed on our website: https://www.berrybunch.org/Articles/665783/S05E089_Obedience_v.aspx 

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David, of the David's Daily Dose blog, and I were chatting around two pieces of scripture we had commented on.

One was Romans 5 and the other Hebrews 12 and how they link together and he challenged me to write something on these two, so here it is!

Hebrews 12:1-2 (New Living Translation)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God’s throne.

and

Romans 5:3-5 (New Living Translation)
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

So run the race, and keep your eye on the prize!
Just a thought…

Andy B

This video will always be best enjoyed on our website: https://www.berrybunch.org/Articles/665784/S05E088_Keep_your.aspx

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There’s a line in the film Kung Fu Panda. The Master is speaking with his trainee. The trainee feels fierce and tough and hard. He’s talking about how he can make all sorts of things happen, like where a tree can grow.

The Master simply replies that while he can have power to  choose where a tree may grow, he can’t control what will grow – if a peach seed is planted, then a peach tree can grow.

All the power and skill in the world can not change make those sorts of choices.

Life throws things at us all the time. And when things do not go as planned there are a couple of choices we can make. And, make no mistake, they are choices - no matter how we feel about them.

We can choose to stamp our feet and get angry about what has unfolded before us. Or we can choose to accept what we can not do, and deal with what we can.

Hence the phrase When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade.

There is one more thing that we can do, however, that will seek to mitigate these insurmountable and unexpected issues.

In our home we call it “front loading”. Simply put it means getting done what you can, when you can, with what you have. Another way would be to say ‘don’t leave everything until the last minute’.

We can’t control a whole range of things, but we can work diligently when that is possible.

So, if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Don’t wait for them to become oranges. And, if you prefer orange aid to lemonade go buy some oranges ‘cos all the squeezing in the world of those lemons will not change their flavour.

Just a thought…

Andy B

This video will always be best enjoyed on our website: https://www.berrybunch.org/Articles/665439/S05E087_Lemonade_and.aspx

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