Obedience Is the Price

The question which the lawyer put to Christ was one of vital consequence. The Pharisees who had prompted the lawyer to ask this question were expecting the Lord Jesus to answer it in such a way that they could find something against Him whereby they might accuse and condemn Him before the people. The self-possession of Christ, the wisdom and authority by which He spake, was something they could not interpret.

When this question was asked by the lawyer, Christ knew that the suggestion came from His bitterest enemies, who were setting a trap to catch Him in His words. The Lord Jesus responded to the question by placing the burden upon the lawyer to answer his own question before that crowd. “What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live” (Luke 10:26-28). Obedience to the commandments of God is the price of eternal life.

There is a very broad and deep work to be accomplished in fallen humanity. This is the true interpretation of genuine conversion. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The answer to this question, as given by the lawyer, comprehends the entire duty of man, who is seeking eternal life. The lawyer was unable to evade the question so directly and pointedly expressed as to the conditions of eternal life. He understood its bearings, and the necessity of answering the demands of the law in loving God supremely, and his neighbor as himself. He knew he had not done either of these, and the conviction of his neglect to obey the first four commandments and the last six commandments plainly specified in the words of the holy oracles of God was impressed by the Holy Spirit upon his heart. He saw himself weighed in the balances of the sanctuary and found wanting. He did not serve God supremely, because he had not loved Him supremely, with his whole heart, with all his soul, and all his strength, and with all his mind. Lacking decidedly in this requirement of Jehovah’s law, he failed decidedly to love his neighbor as himself.

Thus, before the multitude he himself had given in concise words the gospel conditions of eternal life for every member of the human family, who are standing before God today.—Manuscript 45, July 26, 1900, “What Is the Chaff to Wheat?
The Upward Look p. 221
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray that God will direction in our lives. LS
—-A woman who used to attend our church was diagnosed with metastatic cancer to the brain. Please pray for her as she begins her treatment next week. Vicki
—-I wrote back in April about my Mama who broke her neck and went into the hospital/rehab center in Hawaii. She’s 88 years old. Praise report! She’s now walking assisted and her cervical 2 bone has healed enough wheee she doesn’t need a neck brace. The sad part, she can never go home to my dad and is still isolated because of the covid 19. Nobody can visit and her dementia has gone full blown because of what happened and doesn’t know me or my siblings or husband. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise? This way she’s in her little world and not suffering too much? I want to THANK those who prayed for my Mama Barbara! Connie
—-Please help me pray for one of my nephews, who is far away from home and family and is sick. Pray that he will feel better so he can come home. Thank you. Dora
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Dear Friends,
In this day and time when times are hard, it is good to remember how God has watched over us in the past. Some years ago, Eileen and I went shopping for a new blender. The one that I had just is not strong enough to make some of the recipes that I wanted to make. As we looked at all of the blenders, we found one that had all metal parts [a rarity in this day and age]and the capabilities that we needed. It was more than twice the price of a regular blender, so I had to put it on lay away.
Each week, I paid money on that blender and looked forward to the day when it would be paid for and I could take it home. Finally, that day arrived!
Carefully, Ron put the box on the bottom shelf of the shopping cart as it was in a larger cardboard box that had been used to store it in the lay away department. When the rest of our shopping was done, we loaded our items into the van and drove home. Ronnie Jay and Ron unloaded our purchases while I made dinner.
Suddenly, Eileen asked, “Didn’t you bring in the blender?” We all stopped what we were doing. We had not put the blender in the van. It was still on the bottom shelf of the cart! Our hearts sank! Surely someone would have seen the package and stolen it by then. Thievery abounds. The store was extra crowded and parking lot full. Surely someone was even at that moment going home with a free blender in their car.
With foreboding in my heart, I called the store. Eileen went to her room and prayed. We were all praying. When someone answered, I began my story, “We just got back from your store and somehow when we unloaded the cart we left our lay away….”
He interrupted, “Was it in a cardboard box that had once held boxes of training pants?” With hope in my heart, I told him that it was! “It’s here,” he said. We were so thankful that God had kept our blender from getting stolen!
Think of it! The great King of the Universe, He, Who upholds “all things by the word of his power,” is interested in every aspect of the lives of all those whom He has redeemed. “I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.” Ps 116:1,2 “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Ps 107:1
Even though life is short and full of trials, God shows in a multitude of ways His great love for us. Indeed, He loves us with an everlasting love and draws us to Himself with His loving kindness. (Jer 31:3) David assures us, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.” Ps 103:13-18
May we daily rejoice as we see evidence of our Dear Saviour’s love and care. May we “bless the LORD at all times: [and let His] praise… continually be in [our] mouth.” May we always recognize the blessings and goodness of God and “bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore” is my prayer. Ps 34:1;115:18
Rose