When I was in the 7^th grade one of my responsibilities was checking the fence so our milk cow, Josephine, would not get out. We had about 1½ acres and lived just inside the city limits. Dad had built a small milk barn and fenced off the back half of the place for the cow’s pasture.

          At first I checked the fence every day – but soon discovered it didn’t need to be done that often… as spring turned into summer I eventually forgot to check it at all.

          Sure enough, the day came when Josephine got out! The weeds had grown up along the fence; as she leaned against the fence to get at the weeds, eventually the fence gave way!

          Mom helped me catch the cow… and then said, “Wait until your dad gets home!” That was a lousy wait! Guess who got punished… and guess who learned more about responsibility!

          Let me assure you. It is a lot more fun to see your dad come home when you have been obedient – when the grass was mowed, the garden hoed or the grade card was good! Oh, the joy of obedience!

This is a well-known scripture. Probably every pastor you have had has preached on this at one time or another.  I certainly have. We usually use this at a very serious time in our nation as a call to prayer.  And God certainly honors us for being obedient.

In reality, this was a happy time! Solomon had just completed building the Temple. His father, David, had wanted to build the temple; however, God would not let him because he had killed many people in battle. David did the next best thing and began stockpiling the goods that Solomon would need to build the Temple.

In addition to being inspired to build the Temple by his father, Solomon had a personal goal to build. Additionally, God had laid it on his heart.

When we are doing God’s will, God is committed to our success. Proverbs 3:5, 6 states, Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. The NIV footnote states, “He will remove the obstacles from your pathway and bring you to your appointed goal.”

When God spoke to Solomon it was a very happy, exciting time! They had just finished a long celebration as they dedicated the Temple. Solomon “sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the Lord had done for David and Solomon and for His people Israel.”

When Solomon went to bed that night he had a big grin on his face! His joy was complete!

God then spoke to him in a dream or a vision. Verse 12: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a temple for sacrifices.”

Since God understands the thoughts and intentions of our heart, He knows when we get off course. Quite often God sends problems our way to wake us up. If we do not respond, then He sends judgment.

The joy of obedience! If we obey God, He will be our constant friend and companion. If we disobey God He will be our disciplinarian. He will still be with us, and still love us, but celebration and blessings are more fun than correction and discipline!  

Compare David’s words in the 23^rd Psalm with the 51^st Psalm. We go from “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” To: “Against You and You only have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge.”

Jonah, on the other hand, never did get it right! He ran from God, refusing to preach in Nineveh! God tracked him down, banned him to three days in the belly of a huge fish, saved his life and sent him to Nineveh. After preaching a successful revival, Jonah sat on a hillside over looking the town, pouting because God did not destroy his enemy!

Sometimes we get weary in doing well. John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets. He preached very powerful sermons as he introduced Jesus to the world. What an honor!

However, after his arrest, Satan wore him down with discouragement. His faith began to waver. Finally he sent his disciples to Jesus to see if this indeed was the Messiah. Jesus did not condemn him, but sent a good report!

Remember our friend Peter? When Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He was he responded, “You are the Christ – the Son of the Living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you… for this was not revealed to you by man, but by My Father in heaven.”

Unfortunately, shortly after that, Peter rebuked Jesus for saying He would suffer. Jesus responded to Peter, “Get thee behind Me, Satan!”

Peter is also famous for walking on the water – until fear stepped in.

Peter denied Jesus 3 times – But! Peter also knew how to repent!

Judas did not have the inner strength to repent of his sin. He committed suicide!

James was right when he wrote, “We all stumble in many ways.” (James 3:2)

What did Jesus teach?

"The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."  Matthew 23:11, 12

How well did Jesus apply this principle?  Read Mark 11:1-11.

          The Triumphal entry into Jerusalem: Jesus rode in on a colt, signifying that He was a king – the Messiah. He allowed people to worship Him. Is this humility? Absolutely, for He was the Son of God in human flesh! He was doing this to fulfill scripture and to offer us hope!

          This sent the religious leaders in a mad frenzy, for by being loving, kind and good, He had commanded the love and respect that they tried to demand!

          But the next day Jesus appears to change characters – actually, He was still walking in obedience to His Father. He took a rope, made a whip out of it and cleansed the Temple of those who had desecrated the House of God by making it a den of thieves! He was righteously indignant!

          May God give each of us this holy boldness!

Jesus was happy to be a servant. Look at Mark 10:46-52 – the healing of blind Bartimaeus. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was coming by, he began to shout to Jesus to help him.

The crowds told him to shut up! They rebuked a hopeless man who was reaching for help!

Jesus asked, “WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?”

If we are walking in humility and obedience this morning, that is the question that God is asking us!  What do we want Him to do for us?

          The secret to spiritual success is obedience! Samuel told King Saul, “To obey is better than sacrifice!”  1 Samuel 15:22

If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all His commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God.  Deuteronomy 28:1-2

John Kenneth Galbraith, in his autobiography, A Life in Our Times, illustrates the devotion of Emily Gloria Wilson, his family's housekeeper:

It had been a wearying day, and I asked Emily to hold all telephone calls while I had a nap. Shortly thereafter the phone rang. Lyndon Johnson was calling from the White House.

"Get me Ken Galbraith. This is Lyndon Johnson."

"He is sleeping, Mr. President. He said not to disturb him."

"Well, wake him up. I want to talk to him."

"No, Mr. President. I work for him, not you.”

When I called the President back, he could scarcely control his pleasure. "Tell that woman I want her here in the White House." 

John Kenneth Galbraith, A Life in Our Times, 

Houghton Mifflin, Reader's Digest, December, 1981.

   Obedience is not for our personal benefit, but for the benefit of the entire world. Ephesians 3:10-12 states, “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, and according to His eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.