CG Notes - Meeting the King; Obedience

We are familiar with people strolling in after service starts.

People who are late for cg, people who are lazy to queue for the cg,
People who just wanna get blessed and not serve.

They are there to meet the king, yet they themselves think they are the kings and queens over there. There is no fear of the Lord.

What do we do when we meet the King?
You make sure you look presentable,
You make sure you are there EARLY because God is WAITING for you!

You come in excited, eager to meet the king.

When King Saul asked Samuel to gather the sons, only young David was left outside, tending to the sheep. Yet King Saul insisted, they waited till everyone was there, including young David.

David was out there, working, while everyone else was comfortable.
He was in the fields, the bible said he looked 'ruddy', in 1 Samuel,
Yet when he came before the king, he was handsome and his eyes sparkled.

Here's one of the few instances in the bible where God made mention on appearance,
How you carry yourself, your countenance. Your attitude.

Here is a youth, getting messy, sweaty and dirty out tending to the fields,
Everyone else was comfortable and convenient.

Yet when the King called for him, he left what he was doing and ran towards the King.
He's probably wiped his sweat, cleaned his face, touched up, while approaching King Saul,
So much so that when he arrived, he was noticed as handsome and had sparkles in his eyes.

Here is a young man, knowing he's there to meet the king.
And yet look at his attitude, totally dedicated, totally excited and eager.
He didnt drag his feet. HE RESPECTED THE KING'S TIME!

Similarly, do we drag our feet to church, cg meetings, etc?
Do we go to the "King's palace" with a black face and a lousy attitude?
Do we GOSSIP in the King's palace? Hurl vulgarities? Look totally sloppy and unbothered.
Even your armpit hair is so long you could sweep the floor as you walk.

If we being human, know how to be urgent and professional in going for interviews with bosses of corporate bodies, how much more, the king of kings?

Dont make God wait for you.
And certainly dont arrange to meet God and FLY AEROPLANE.
Dont become overly familiar with God.
Afterall, He is still your King, He is still your Lord, inasmuch as He is, your friend.
So give Him that respect. Honor Him and He will honor you.

How we treat others is how we treat God.
Likewise with how we talk/act/etc..
No wonder some of us fly aeroplane on others,
Because in the very core of our being,
That is how we are.

There was once God spoke through Samuel to King Saul, as he was preparing to launch a massive attack on the enemy, to wait for Samuel to travel to a designated place to offer burnt offerings to God, wait for him to return, and THEN begin the attack.

However, after several days, Samuel never returned..YET. But King Saul insisted, why not he just do it instead? In those days, only the priest, or the ones God has chosen, as a custom, he would have to offer burnt offerings to God before they go to war, so that they will have the victory.

Did King Saul wait? Yes.
But he didnt wait long enough. He went ahead and offered burnt offerings HIMSELF.
When Samuel finally came back, he called him a fool, 'what have you done?'
He obeyed, but he obeyed HALFWAY, he was, DOUBLE-MINDED.

If that wasnt enough, God's orders were to wipe out everyone in the enemy territory, including the women and the children, how ruthless right? But the issue here, was that King Saul, failed to obey.

To God, what needs to be done, will be done. No matter what the cost, no excuses.

But the reason as to..why women and children, only God Himself understands as God is sovereign. Not only did King Saul became 'clever' and offer the sacrifices himself, he didnt wipe everyone out. He keep the King alive! How pathetic! Of all the enemy he had to keep the KING alive! He also took all the loot, the cattle, etc.

When Samuel confronted him again, King Saul said he did what the Lord asked him to.!
What a load of crap.

The fact of the matter is, he disobeyed.
And if that wasnt audacious enough, he tried to JUSTIFY HIS MISTAKES by saying, ohhh, Im keeping them so that I can give God a bigger offering!

How many times do we try to justify our mistakes or make excuses?

Oh, I cant come for prayer meeting because I was stuck at a party.
Oh, I was late for cg/service because I was eating with my friends.

What a load of nonsense.
These are things under your control.

If you follow God, then FOLLOW Him.
The fact of the matter remains, you are LATE.

If ps kong were to decide to meet your cg one day for fellowship,
But you have a party, Im sure you will either not go at all,
Or even if you did, you'll bother to leave early.
You'll be eager, excited, etc.
How much more with God?

Jesus said, Id rather you be hot or cold, dont be lukewarm, if not I will spit you out of my mouth.
Dont put one leg into the kingdom of God and one leg into the world.

You love God, but you're not willing to give up your sinful lifestyle.
One foot, you are attending bible study. Another foot, you are hurling vulgarities,
Blowing your tempter, etc.

One foot, you enjoy church and prayer. Another foot, you have alcohol, drugs, porn, etc.
In church, you serve around. Outside church, you sleep around, fool around, etc.
So on and so forth.

You're not willing to surrender FULLY, give up your past FULLY and follow Him to the new way of life.

God is saying, dont be lukewarm, either you're 100% for Me, or if you wanna be lukewarm, then Id rather you be cold and against Me instead!

Just imagine, if your spouse says "I love you..but I cant forget my love for my ex", how would you feel? You would rather he/she not marry you in the first place right? That is how God would feel towards you!

"Obedience is greater than sacrifice".

What does it mean,
Everything that you want to do,
Everything that you can do,
Everything that you have sacrificed and done for God,
Means NOTHING, if all you did was disobey.

David murdered, he committed adultery, yet not one word was spoken against him.
God still raised him as king. Calls him the one after God's own heart!
God used him, because God trusts him that when he says he will do something, he will do it!

Even though he has his weaknesses, but it doesnt matter, because when you love someone,
You will obey.

Yet for King Saul, did he murder or commit any serious offences? Not that I know of.
Yet God said "he did evil in the eyes of the Lord".

Not because of what he has done,
But because of the simple fact that he disobeyed!

Obedience is greater than sacrifice.

Thats why we believe, if you wanna do something, do it well.
Be excellent, be professional. Be committed. RADICALLY.

You can never be too radical for God.
The depth of your love, is measured by the width of your expression!

When you sing, you sing loud, you clap with energy, you dance before God,
Because He deserves it. Because He is worth it.
When you pray, pray! Dont murmur to yourself.

When you choose to live for God, then give your best!
When you surrender to God, surrender EVERYTHING!
God didnt die for you halfway!

When you go to church, bring your bible, take down notes.
Even if you're illiterate, at least show that you are interested!
That you can even be BOTHERED. Put your heart into it!

There are people who cant sing, yet they sing the best they know how.
And when they are sincere, to God, their voices are the most soothing.

Dont just come to God when you're down,
What about the times when you are happy?

If God is just another friend to you,
Then its time to reflect who do you worship.
God...or yourself?

You could even worship your problems.
Drown yourself with work, with school and choosing not to step out.

God says love Him wholeheartedly.
Obey.
God says love people fervently.
Obey.
God says forgive, and keep on forgiving.
Obey.
God says 'your body broken for others'.
Obey.
God says do not worry.
Obey.
God says give and it shall be given back to you.
Obey.

Just do it.

At the end of the day, your achievements, your great plans for a great zone camp, a great cg outreach, means NOTHING, if you went many rounds yet end up at the same place of :
"You never obeyed."

Dont try to make excuses, justify our wrongs, yes, sometimes it can make sense.
But of what value is it? You still disobeyed.

Imagine you ask your friend,

"Hey could you get me a cup of soya bean?"
He says, 'Ok'. And later comes back with a cup of sugar cane.
And you ask, "Huh? I thought I asked you get sugar cane? No more soya bean?"
And his ultimate answer is, "orh, no la, since sugar cane nearer, and since its nicer and cheaper, i got it for you lor, I can help you save money!"

Sometimes we are like that, we try to justify our actions, think its just a small deal, its okay.

Did he did anything wrong? No. In fact, he got an even better deal!
He helped his friend. He even had "better intentions" than his friend!
But like King Saul, he totally missed the point.

At the end of the day, its about "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"
Have we done did what God has asked us to do?

Dont try to 'help' God. He's almighty anyway. You think He really cannot do it without you?
He's just looking for a man a woman, a boy a girl, who's TOTALLY yielded to Him.
And whose heart is towards Him.
Why did God create Adam, to fellowship with him.
That was how it is, in the beginning. And this is what love is,

Love is obedience.

God will not fault you for not being at your best,
God will find fault with you for not trying enough.