Date: 01/16/2023

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to Him be the Glory, Power, and Dominion forever and ever and to the Holy Ghost that is yet abiding in the body. This month’s key phrase is from the 2023 Proclamation: Being Obedient is the Key. Saints and friends this week’s message is on the Benefits of Being Obedient. Obedience to God is the most important way for us to go through our lives. It it is our way of showing our love to God and maintaining a relationship with Him; there are benefits when we are obedient to God.

Some of the Benefits of Being Obedient are: You’ll Find Happiness: “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Proverbs 29:18). You’ll Be Blessed: “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: …” ( Deuteronomy 11:26-27). God blesses those who are faithful to Him. He promises you a blessing if you obey His commandments. You’ll Have Peace: “Mark the perfect man and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace” (Psalm 37:37). Jesus said He was leaving us with peace. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). Therefore, if you’re born again in the Spirit of God then you have peace. It’s up to you to decide whether you will walk in it. God Will Hear Your Prayers: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer” (Psalm 66:18-19). I don’t know about you, but I don’t want anything hindering my prayers! I want God to hear them directly and answer them when I need Him to. You’ll Gain Wisdom: “He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly” (Proverbs 2:7). Living correctly teaches us through experience. Sometimes we must live the principles of the Bible to understand why they work. As we begin to let go of sin and grab onto the righteousness of Christ, we’ll begin to have revelations as to why God commands the actions He does.

You’ll Have A Long Life: “My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:  For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee” (Proverbs 3:1-2) Saints and friends don’t sabotage your future making deadly mistakes in the present time. You’ll Be Perfected: “Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (1 John 2:5). The only thing I want is to grow in God’s goodness and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. God will allow that to happen when we obey His commandments. You’ll Be Safe: “ Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety” (Leviticus 25:18). The Bible tells us repeatedly to not be afraid. If you’re following the commandments of God, there’s no reason to be afraid of anything. “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me” (Psalm 56:11)?  You’ll Be Known As A Friend Of God: “The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness” (Proverbs 15:14). You Can Enjoy God’s Presence More: “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). In closing, we cannot have an effective and equipped relationship with God if we do not consistently spend time with Him. Therefore, today invite God into your home and worship Him through your obedience to Him. Next week’s message will embrace the Blessings of Being Obedient. Until then, remember, “…with God all things are possible”.

In His Service,

Bishop Dr. Calvin Worthem

General Chief Overseer/Senior Bishop