Obedience – Brian Friedl https://brianfriedl.com Making Your Life's Mission Possible Fri, 10 Apr 2020 10:50:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.3.17 64732294 God’s Plan https://brianfriedl.com/gods-plan/ Fri, 10 Apr 2020 10:50:37 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/gods-plan/

Good Friday

Jesus knew what was entailed in His mission. Three times he asked His Father if there was another way, but was left with the reality that suffering through the cross was the way.


Not only would He endure the cross, but worse yet, separation from the Father. He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our sins. The punishment that brought us peace was upon him. By His wounds we are healed.


No doubt, Good Friday was confusing for the disciples. They were still clinging to the idea that He was headed to Jerusalem to become its physical king.


This was despite the fact that He had told them plainly that He would be handed over to the chief priests, suffer, die, and be raised 3 days later.


There are times in life, like now, where God’s plan seems confusing and doesn’t make sense. We can rest easy knowing that our Father in Heaven is not bound by this world or our expectations.


He has unlimited power and has our best interest in mind. He cares for our greatest needs first and has already solved our biggest problem.
His plan may not always make sense to us, but we know our eternity is secure in Him!


#mpwarrior

#hehasuscovered

#goodfriday

]]> 1799 OBEDIENCE: Simple But Not Easy https://brianfriedl.com/obedience-simple-but-not-easy/ Mon, 10 Feb 2020 12:19:14 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/obedience-simple-but-not-easy/

Hard Daily

Obedience is simple but not always easy. I remember hearing a voice telling me that I needed to quit me job one day.

Sounds simple until you hear that I had 18 kids at home at the time and this was a well paying job at a Fortune 500 company.

To make it even more interesting, 9 of these kids were recently added to our family so we were still adjusting.

How will everyone get fed? How will we afford food, clothing, etc? Questions flooded my head like a tsunami.

The act of saying, “Yes I will.” was the simple part. Living in that daily decision over the next year and a half was the hard part.

Moses and Aaron said, “Yes, we will.” What they endured going forward was so tough!

They learned to trust the Lord in all things and millions of peoples’ lives have been changed forever as a result.

What ever God is asking you to do today, say “Yes, I will.”, and then be ready to cling to Him as you’re provider.

Watch Him work as He changes lives through you through your simple act of obedience and the daily decision to fight the good fight for Him.

#MPWarrior

#SimpleObedience

#HardDaily

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]]> 1750 Shake The Dust If Needed https://brianfriedl.com/shake-the-dust-if-needed/ Tue, 21 Jan 2020 14:05:02 +0000 https://brianfriedl.com/shake-the-dust-if-needed/

The Numbers Are His

Sometimes, in ministry circles, people bring a business mindset. This mindset can drowned out the voice of the Holy Spirit.

As a Pastor, I remember feeling the unspoken and constant pressure of “Are your numbers growing quickly?”

Over time, this question began to reshape my mind toward keeping people happy rather than listening to God’s leading.

The reality is, there will be some who listen and embrace the gospel and there will be some who reject it.

The knowledge of when to shake the dust off your feet comes from insight given by the Holy Spirit.

True joy comes from obeying the Holy Spirit and walking in a manner worthy of the calling. The results and numbers are up to God.

Seek God. Listen and obey His leading. He has the power to draw the hearts of His people. Be faithful and obedient in what you have been given.

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#ListenAndObey

#ShakeTheDustOffWhenNecessary

#FilledWithJoyAndTheHolySpirit

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]]> 1733 Cliffhanger Of Love https://brianfriedl.com/cliffhanger-of-love/ https://brianfriedl.com/cliffhanger-of-love/#comments Fri, 14 Apr 2017 12:51:08 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/cliffhanger-of-love/ I’ve had my share of long and frustrating days that seem to drag on forever as I seek to love, serve, and disciple some pretty ungrateful sinners.   Yet, I can not begin to comprehend how Jesus was feeling as He endured the most unbearable, longest and darkest day in history. 

What made it long, dark, and unbearable?  Here’s a quick list:

1. Judas’ betraying kiss

2. Peter’s still impulsive behavior after years of teaching 

3. Disciples all abandon Him

4. Three Jewish trials

5. Peter denies Him

6. Three Roman trials

7. Jesus is beaten/scourged beyond recognition

8. Via Dolorosa – the way to the cross

9. Crucifixion and even more pain and mocking

10. Separation from His Father 

All who had put their hope in Him must have been in shock to watch the One who had healed so many now cling to the cross that would take His life.  To watch Him experience this physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual pain must have been gut wrenching.  Hearing Him cry out to God and asking why He was forsaken, breaks my heart even now. 

Their mind had simply cast out Jesus’ previous instruction that He must die.  Like Peter, their minds were focused on the things of man and not God.  One could say this was the ultimate cliff hanger, unhappy ending and disappointment.  

For the hope of the resurrection and demonstration of Christ’s love was not fully experienced or understood. They simply new that He had died.  

Reflection

Looking back with 20-20 vision(God’s word), we can confidently, experience the powerful love demonstrated at the cross.

Spend some time today reading:

Matthew 26:36-27:61

Mark 14:43-15:47

Luke 22:40-23:56

John 18:1-19:42

Spend some time meditating:

The price paid

The pain/separation endured

What your response is today as a result

Prayer

Father, You have withheld nothing from us. Your love was on display that all may see and yet at first they did not.  Help us to know the depths of the price paid this day, that Your love may dwell richly in us for You and for Your people.  May it move us to action today to reach those is need even in this hour.  We pray this in the victorious Savior, Jesus, Amen!

]]> https://brianfriedl.com/cliffhanger-of-love/feed/ 1 1241 Surprise! https://brianfriedl.com/surprise/ Sat, 24 Dec 2016 11:00:15 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/?p=963
What an incredible night to be a shepherd! It was a night like no other. CCould you imagine keeping watch and when an angel appears, followed by a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God?
The long awaited messiah has finally been born! No wonder there was such a great magnitude of praise.  Let’s keep that praise going! Wonder what it’s sounded like walking through Bethlehem and hearing the praises? 

Through Jesus there is peace. By faith in Him, we are reconciled and God looks at us and is pleased. God looks at you and sees His son with whom He is pleased. Unmerited favor at its finest!

Take time to praise God for the gift of the Messiah. For in Him, you and I have life!

Pray that those suffering persecution for the name of Jesus would be caught up in the same praise as angels minister to and preserve them. 

@brianfriedl 

#truthtalk4life

]]> 963 A Heart Of Obedience https://brianfriedl.com/a-heart-of-obedience/ https://brianfriedl.com/a-heart-of-obedience/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2016 12:20:28 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/a-heart-of-obedience/
There is a stinging truth that our pride often prevents us from seeing the depths of wickedness in our hearts. We make light of our sin and the sacrifice that was made to atone for it. We think of ourselves more highly than we ought. 
Sometimes we even intentionally sin ignoring the magnitude of the Lord’s sacrifice reducing the cross to an unlimited get out of jail free card. It is true that where sin abounds grace abounds all the more; however, Paul said in Romans:

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be…”  ~ Romans 6:1-2a NASB

God sees our heart for what it is and longs for it to be pure like His. He desires our heart to overflow with righteousness and justice out of a love and devotion for Him.  Our hearts were designed to love and worship Him!  

What sin in your life continues to promise life but keeps delivering death?   

Confess that sin before God today, turn from to Your Father in heaven, and know that what He has provided in Christ is all you need. 

Pray today that the minds of our brothers and sisters as well as ours would be rightly fixed on Jesus Christ, that we would humbly see our hearts as they truly are, and that we would realize our desperate need for Him. For He is our love, He is our justice, and He is our righteousness. 
@brianfriedl 

#truthtalk4life

]]> https://brianfriedl.com/a-heart-of-obedience/feed/ 2 942 Free From The Law  https://brianfriedl.com/free-from-the-law/ https://brianfriedl.com/free-from-the-law/#comments Sat, 09 Jul 2016 09:53:09 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/free-from-the-law/   
As I travel around the country, I am amazed at the number of people who I talk to that are genuinely striving to keep the 10 commandments apart from Christ.  Though they have heard the gospel and received its truth, they have run back to a law-keeping mindset and have convinced themselves if they work hard enough they can do it. 

To me, this is like buying a brand new sports car and taking the tires and rims off and trying to push it by ourselves wherever we go.  Those that are stronger may get it to rock back and forth a little but quickly find out it’s not going anywhere.  We need something else.  Without wheels there’s no movement. Without Jesus there’s no power to move and grow spiritually. 

The 10 commandments were designed to point out our sin and ultimately our need of a Savior.  We cannot reduce the Christian life to 10 rules to follow.  We will fail and it will again reveal that we need a Savior.   The law brings bondage because it points out our sin and our inability to keep it.  Jesus brings freedom as He satisfied the law fully with His finished work at the cross.  

The ironic part is that when our desire is to seek to know Jesus and walk with Him, the end result is obedience.  Yet when our desire is to keep the 10 commandments, our eyes wander from Christ and the result is disobedience.  

Personal Reflection

Where are you at this morning with your relationship with God?  Are you trying to keep the 10 to show Him you’re good? Or are you seeking to know Him and follow Him?  Don’t just answer this question without thinking.  Look for evidence in your life that confirms what you believe to be true about your relationship.  Confess where necessary and redirect your attention to knowing and following Christ.

Prayer Focus

Gracious Father, we confess that we struggle with our flesh in this area.  We know that It requires less sacrifice to just try to keep some rules rather than surrender to you.  We praise you for your perfect plan to mature us and draw us to you.  Pierce our hearts with your truth and give us a desire above all else to know and follow you.  Let your love for us cause us to love you more than anything within our grasp.  Thank you for truly setting us free in Christ, Amen!

]]> https://brianfriedl.com/free-from-the-law/feed/ 3 749 How To Change The World https://brianfriedl.com/how-to-change-the-world/ https://brianfriedl.com/how-to-change-the-world/#comments Mon, 09 May 2016 13:56:38 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/how-to-change-the-world/   
 Oh, that our nation would experience  such promises from the LORD!   A nation led continually, with desires satisfied, even in the most scorched places.  Prosperity and abundance that even our bones would be fat with marrow.  Rather than hunger and scarcity there would be nutrishment as in a flourishing garden.  It would be as an ever-flowing spring of life that never runs dry. 
What would it take to get there?  This chapter of Issiah reveals that the people of God we’re doing the “right things” on the outside, yet their worship was shallow. There focus was turned to themselves rather than to their God.  When we turn to ourselves, our compassion is lost, we bring to God our list of things we have done looking for justification and yet we find none.  We have no rest and carry a yoke that is unbearable.  Have we forgotten that we were blessed to be a blessing?

Personal Reflection

Our nation’s healing will be a byproduct of  us knowing, living, and speaking the truth. This includes seeking after the LORD above all else, loving and obeying Him.  Have you noticed how quickly this country has taken a downturn in the last 4 years?  It seems to be decelerating at an increasing rate.  This is more than some political agenda.  It is a problem with sin.  Read Romans 1 for more details. I believe God is giving us over to our desires. 

What if I told you that I believe all of this could change in the matter of less than a year.  If we as Christians would sincerely confess to God the sins that we are struggling with, and pursue Him with all our passion and might, change would be inevitable and wides spread.  If we all, in love and unity, spent our time seeking ways to repair and restore communities, prayed for one another, and funded one another’s efforts, we could change the world!  For all would know we are Christians by our love!  Find one person to invest deeply in and commit to investing for one year.  Listen to them, pray for them, pour hope into them.  WARNING: this may require less time in front of the  TV.  Let’s ditch the comfort and make a difference. Let’s live again!

Prayer Focus

LORD God, we humbly come before you confessing that we have not worshipped you from the deepest depths of our heart.  That on the outside we are rock star believers yet on the inside we are desperately paralyzed waiting for you to do some miracle.  Father, rekindle the passion and fire that you started in us that we may not walk past the hand in need with a clear conscience.  Let our love be yours for all those in need.  Give us endless energy to fight hunger, loneliness, depression, abuse and all the other ailments of this fallen world.  Equip us with the hope of your truth. May we Know, Live, and Speak it boldly for your glory now and forevermore, in the power of Jesus’ Name, Amen!

#thepoweroflove #changeiscloserthanyouthink. #truthtalk4life

@brianfriedl

]]> https://brianfriedl.com/how-to-change-the-world/feed/ 3 658 Do I Need A King? https://brianfriedl.com/do-i-need-a-king/ https://brianfriedl.com/do-i-need-a-king/#comments Wed, 27 Apr 2016 14:14:52 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/do-i-need-a-king/   
The people of Israel wanted a king like all the other nations; someone to lead them into prosperity and victory.  Someone who even looked the part.  God gave them Saul, comely and a head taller than the rest.  Philistines had their giant and so did Israel. 

Three truths hit me as I studied his passage this morning. 

We Have A King Already

Who has been leading the Israelites thus far?  God has led them out of the bondage of Egypt, declaring, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt”. He provided manna, water and later meat as well.  He is led them to the Promise Land.  He protected them from Pharoah’s elite army of chariots, guiding them every step of the way.  What king in all of history has done such things? Only one and you already have Him!

A King Apart From God Is Rejection Of God

God chose to give them their hearts desire.  Why would he do that?  Sometimes stubbornness can only be conquered by self-realization. A person may have to see the failure of their choices to see their rejection of and need for God. God is not anxious because He is sovereign.  While we have free will, He is still sovereign.  Know this, there is one throne in our lives and it is meant for God.  Any other king means rejection of God. 

Our Greatest Threat Of Wanting A King

We may compare this example to the upcoming elections in some ways.  We are all wanting the “best” president.  We invest emotions and argue point along with the best of them.  When it’s all said and done rulers are overseen by our God.  We should not desire a president more than we desire our God to be king. Traffic on this going to be sad or

Furthermore, an external ruler is chosen infrequently, the greater threat is the tendency for us to take the throne as king of our lives.  We think we can do it better than anyone else, including at times, God Himself.  If we are to live the life God has purposed for us, we must abdicate our throne and be overjoyed to have Him sit it, calling all the shots as our King of kings. 

Personal Reflection

Feeling convicted yet?  I am.  Today’s reflection is short and sweet…surrender.  Take time today to confess any part of your life where you have not welcomed God as king over.  Rejoice that we have a King above all kings!

Prayer Focus

King of kings, we humbly ask for forgiveness as we continue to try to sit in your seat.  We praise you for your mercy and patience as you show us your lovingkindness and just rule.  May you be fully King of our hearts today and may we serve you with all of our hearts, now and forevermore in Christ Jesus, Amen!

#KingOfKings #OneKingOnTheThrone #TruthTalk4Life

@brianfriedl

]]> https://brianfriedl.com/do-i-need-a-king/feed/ 1 629 Turn Aside And See https://brianfriedl.com/turn-aside-and-see/ https://brianfriedl.com/turn-aside-and-see/#comments Mon, 11 Apr 2016 12:49:33 +0000 http://brianfriedl.com/turn-aside-and-see/ God has a way of getting our attention. Whether that is through trial or miracle, He is always giving us an opportunity to acknowledge Him.

Moses had a choice in that moment.  He could have, in fear, moved onward and not turned aside. Or assumed he was seeing things.  Notice that he had to leave his path and look to what the Lord was showing him.  Said another way, he had to surrender his plan to investigate what the LORD was up to.

Personal Reflection

Think back to when you first surrendered your life to God through Christ.  How did He get your attention?  In what way did you turn aside from your journey to see what God was doing?

If not kept in check, our flesh naturally returns to charting our own course and once again leaving God on the sideline.  You don’t need a burning bush to return to Him.  May this simple reminder be a light to you today.   Turn aside, and look to what He is showing you today and brace yourself for an amazing mission!

Prayer Focus

LORD and Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob may we turn aside today to see what you are showing us. May we not make excuses but freely embrace the mission you have for us.  For our course cannot compare to what you have marked it for us.  Let us obey you out of love in the Name of Christ, Amen!

@brianfriedl

#turnaside

#eyesonGod

#truthtalk4life

]]> https://brianfriedl.com/turn-aside-and-see/feed/ 1 604