Procrastination

Hebrews 10: 35 - 36, Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: NKJV

As children of God, we must learn how to obey both God's voice and His commandments. We're told in Hebrews 5 that even Jesus learned obedience through the things that He suffered. Why do you suppose obedience is so important to God? Today's scripture gives us one of the most important reasons. Our heavenly Father works His good pleasure in our lives through the principle of faith. Therefore, God has given us His Word in "seed" form. If we place our faith in His Word and obey His will, God has promised to bless us with His promises.

If we ignore God's Word or His will for our lives, then He can't release His promises to us. This principle brings us to the point of today's devotion: has the Lord instructed you to obey Him in an area, and you, for whatever reason, have put off doing it? All Words from God have a season; and some of them have a small window of opportunity to be obeyed? Consequently, if we should procrastinate past the season that was given for a particular Word from the Lord, we will have allowed unbelief to cause us to miss our harvest of blessing from that Word.

Do you have remorse or regret in your life over past opportunities when God told you to obey, but you ignored His voice? I certainly have; and many in the Bible did as well. Nevertheless, through much suffering, I have come to realize that obedience is far better than living with heartache and regret. When the Lord instructs us to obey Him, and it seems hard at the time, remember that God desires to bring a blessing or harvest in your life; however, He must have your cooperation. Even so, He loves to challenge us in the areas of our lives where the flesh nature is most dominate. As He instructs us, and we step out in faith, His Word goes to work in our hearts to cut away the power of our flesh nature that has kept us from living in the blessings of the Lord. 

Let me leave you today with an example of procrastination that turned into quick obedience through much longsuffering. Abram, the father of the faith was instructed by the Lord to leave his father's house and all his kindred and go to a land that God would show him. Abram left as God commanded; however, he brought Lot, his nephew with him. This is called partial-obedience for those who keep score. Nevertheless, in God's eyes, it is still unbelief and disobedience. After twenty-four years, Abraham left Lot behind and walked on with God. As a result, approximately one year later, Sarah gave birth to Isaac, the son of PROMISE. 

In Genesis 22, after these things had transpired, God tested Abraham's obedience once more. God told Abraham to take his only son and offer him on a mountain that He would show him. The Bible tells us that after God spoke to Abraham and gave him specific instructions, he got up EARLY the next day and obeyed. Abraham learned through much suffering the cost of disobedience. However, he also learned the blessing of obedience. As Christians, we must come to the place in our walk of faith where we understand the blessing of obedience, and we arise quickly. If the Lord is prompting you to obey, and you haven't, ask Him right now to give you the power to submit so that you will receive His promises. 

Learning Faithfulness,

Pastor Asa Dockery