Let Love Echo In Your Obedience To God | The Odyssey Online
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We Must Obey God Out Of Love, Not Out Of Obligation

Lean into Love.

Kalisa Ann DeShields
Feb 16, 2019
Liberty University
54
We Must Obey God Out Of Love, Not Out Of Obligation
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1 John 4:7 – "Beloved, let us unselfishly love and seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves others is born of God and knows God."

There is a big difference between obeying God out of love and obeying God out of obligation. When we obey God out of obligation, we are just checking off boxes to say that we did something. This is often what happens in the church. We are so focused on religion when God is focused on relationship.

The thing about obeying God out of love is that our hearts actually respond to it. No longer are we obeying because we have to - we are obeying because we want to. When our hearts respond to obeying God, so do our actions and relationships. The love that we obey God with is the love that He spreads to our friendships, relationships, and lives.

Our worship of God is our obedience to Him and to His word. Our obedience to God when we do it in love is telling God that we love Him because He is I Am. We reverence Him and are constantly in awe of everything that He is doing in our lives.

So today, sons and daughters, practice obeying God out of love and a heart of worship. When you do, your love for God will expand to every area of your life.

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