The Upward Look
© Copyright 2009, Max D. Hutto,

“According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood.”
   1 Peter 1:2a NASB ©

While God provides salvation through the foreknowledge of the Father, the sanctifying work of the Spirit, and the cleansing power of Son’s blood, the believer’s task is to obey Jesus Christ. Over and over in Scripture we find that God’s people must obey His commands. Salvation is provided by God, but carries with it the expectation of obedience to God by those who are saved. Placing one’s trust in Jesus as personal Savior and Lord is the first step in a life of obedience. The believer is called to live a life of following Jesus, obeying His Word. As the hymn writer John Sammis said, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

Lord Jesus, I do trust You, and I do want to obey You. Teach me from Your Word, the Bible, how to follow You each day.

* (footnotes & credits)

NASB ©
The Bible quotes marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977,
by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA. (used with permission)

HCSB ©
The Bible quotes marked HCSB are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible,
© Copyright 2000 by Holman Bible Publishers (used with permission).

NIV ©
The Bible quotes marked NIV are from the New International Version,
© Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, by The International Bible Society. (used with permission)