Obeying God in your heart
It is not hard to obey when we love the one whom we obey.
Saint Ignatius
I have acted like I represented God , while in my heart I misrepresented Him.
God wants to help you obey Him not out of a sense of duty, but because you actually want to.
1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
God wants you to obey Him for no other reason than there is nothing He wants more than you. He wants you to have life and have it to the full.
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
I believe when you in your heart know how much God willingly wants nothing more than you, you will be more willing to want nothing more than you want God.
John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
If you have wanted something or someone more than God, God does not want to condemn you. He wants to help you turn back to wanting nothing more than you want Him to the same extent He wants nothing more than He wants you.
1 John 3:23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
Deuteronomy 4:30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him.
Deuteronomy 30:2 and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today,
Genesis 22:15-16
The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”
Numbers 15:40 Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God.
Deuteronomy 11:13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—
Deuteronomy 13:4 It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
Deuteronomy 30:10 if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
1 Kings 8:61 And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.”
Isaiah 50:10 Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God.
Matthew 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Luke 11:28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
John 8:51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”
John 8:55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.
John 14:23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
John 15:20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
John 17:6 I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.
Acts 5:29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!
Acts 5:32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Romans 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
Romans 6:17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.
Romans 15:18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done—
Galatians 5:7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Ephesians 6:5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
Ephesians 6:6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
Colossians 3:2 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.
Hebrews 5:9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him
1 Peter 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
1 John 2:4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.