100%

Wk 15 Day 6

1 Samuel 15-16; 1 Chronicles 5; Matthew 1

 

1 Samuel 15:20-22

²⁰ “But I did obey the LORD,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. ²¹ The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”

²² But Samuel replied:

   “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
   as much as in obeying the LORD?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
  and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

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A very common story of Saul and his partial obedience to the Lord’s call to wipe out ALL the Amalekites.

.. There will be times when we sometimes say “But I did obey the Lord…” just as Saul said.  However, did he really obey the Lord to it’s fullest?  Obedience is 100% action towards what was called for you to do.  Partial obedience does not count; better to not do it at all.

.. "The best of what was devoted to God” is not a qualifier for which ones we don’t destroy or even to keep for ourselves or “the ministry”.   When God calls us to destroy all, He means ALL – even the ones we think can be used for “His ministry”.  On the lighter side, we know that God is able to replenish was was seemingly lost by its destruction.

.. OBEDIENCE IS THE KEY.  TOTAL SURRENDER REGARDLESS OF THE COST.

>>>

.. 100% is what counts of my obedience to the Lord.  Whatever God has called me to do, to destroy, or to turn away from, I must always give it a hundred percent and even more, if I am able to do so.  I need to be careful to really do it to its fullest because that is what God is pleased with. 

.. Ministry – 100%.  Personal life – 100%.  Relationships – 100%.  Relationship with the Lord – 100%.  etc.

>>>>

Lord, please forgive me for the times when I only gave less than 100%,  thinking that it was enough and leaving behind a small percentage of what I thought is “necessary” or “of use”.  I pray that you reveal that to me today and daily of which ones of these I selectively leave out which could cause me to not give you the best (the 100%) of my obedience to You.  Forgive me for slacking off and for letting things just go the way they are without correcting or taking action to make things right before you.  I pray that You will empower me as I know you would.  Help me to grab hold to You at all times.  Glory to You Lord!  In Jesus’ name, amen.