04/08/2026
๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฌ ๐ช๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ฆ | ๐๐จ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ง ๐ฎ, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ
๐๐จ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ฆ. ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐
๐ Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:1โ23
๐๏ธ Preached by: Major Minerva B. Ruiz
"If you love Me, keep My commandments." โ John 14:15
One of the greatest tests of our faith is obedience. It is easy to attend church, sing worship songs, pray, and participate in religious activities, but God desires something far greater than outward expressions of faith. He desires a heart that obeys Him completely.
Through the life of King Saul, we are reminded that God gives clear instructions through His Word, the Holy Spirit, godly counsel, and biblical principles. Our responsibility is not to question, modify, or improve God's commandsโbut to obey them.
Saul won the battle, but he failed God's test. Although he obeyed some of God's commands, he chose to ignore others. This teaches us a powerful truth:
๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐๐ก ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐จ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐๐จ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐.
Delayed obedience, selective obedience, and modified obedience are all forms of disobedience because they place our own will above God's.
The danger of disobedience is that it often leads us to justify ourselves with excuses instead of repentance. Saul repeatedly claimed that he had obeyed the Lord, yet his actions revealed otherwise. In the end, his disobedience cost him his position as king and his relationship with Samuel, the prophet of God.
The greatest issue in Saul's life was not merely sparing King Agag or keeping the best livestockโit was the condition of his heart. He chose his own desires over God's command.
As believers, we are challenged to examine ourselves:
โข Is there any area of our lives that we have not fully surrendered to God?
โข Are there things we continue to hold on to that hinder our complete obedience?
โข Do we often make excuses instead of responding in faith?
God is not asking us to be perfect. He is asking for complete submission.
Before God asks for what is in our hands, He first asks for what is in our hearts. True worship begins with a surrendered life, and the greatest act of worship is obedience.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Godโthis is your true and proper worship."
โ Romans 12:1
๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ฑ'๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ป.
