Do you want to know a secret? I have something to confess. I have an agenda…

There is an agenda for me to pastor our church. There is an agenda for this email. There is an agenda if I ever had coffee, lunch or dinner with you.

My agenda is to “bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name.” (Romans 1:5) In other words, I want you to make God look good by obeying Him in faith. So, my primary concern is NOT really you. It’s God. And what I want you to do is to willingly obey God to make much of Him.

Why would obeying God make much of Him? Imagine if my children were misbehaving, insolent, and disobedient. That would not bring honor to me, their father. That would bring shame to my name. In the same way, when we obey God in faith (not legalistically out of fear), God is honored.

Of course, when we honor God by obeying Him, we also reap the benefit. When God is honored, we are honored. Just like if our earthly father were to become famous, our status would also elevate, when God our Father is honored, our joy will also increase.

But what would be considered “obedience of faith” that would make God look good? Any obedience that comes from our faith. It could be taking a day off our busy schedule to worship God once a week. It could be abstaining from gossip and slander. It could be being kind to our parents. It could be helping those in need around us. It could be supporting the local church via tithes and offering. It could be abstaining from sexual temptation. It could be admitting our fault and making peace.

I hope you are not offended by my “agenda.” But it’s really not my agenda. It’s God’s agenda to give you maximum joy. And I sincerely hope that you will be obedient to God for His name sake and for your own joy!

And to do that, you might have to make a really tough decision. Make it!

PH