If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land.; But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Isaiah 1:19-20

 Rebellion, it’s everywhere these days. From that child who disobeys their parent’s instructions to those adults who break the laws of the land. Rebellion comes from a dangerous thought that you believe you know what’s better for yourself, regardless of what you’ve been told or instructed. In time, that rebellious person will face a painful punishment, either physically, emotionally or financially. If you are reading this, I’m sure you’ve experienced this for yourself.

 From the creation of man and woman in Genesis, mankind has been rebelling against God’s instructions and biblical guidelines forever. Today’s passage in Isaiah makes it clear that obedience will result in God’s blessings, and rebellion will have severe consequences. Why then do we still continue to break God’s commandments? Pride, and love of self are the primary culprits. So how can you live a full-filled life, yet live within the confines of God’s standards?

 Jesus said, “And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:12

 For some of you reading this, “humbleness” equates to weakness. But the truth is, as a child of God, your strength comes from the Lord (Isaiah 40:31). When you dedicate your life to pleasing Him, through a humbled spirit, He exalts you in the process, blessing your life in good times, even in those difficult moments too! As you trust God with every area of your life, He transforms your mind, which aligns with His perfect will for your life and humbleness becomes routine. It’s a process, sometimes a lengthy process, but the more you yield to His ways, the easier that transformation becomes and over time you’ll see yourself putting God first and blessings follow.

 Dr. Charles Stanley used to say “Obey God, and leave the consequences to Him.” Are you ready to yield to His will?