document.open(); document.writeln(""); document.writeln("Total obedience
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\'€œBut I did obey the Lord,\'€ Saul said. \'€œI went on the"); document.writeln("mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought"); document.writeln("back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the"); document.writeln("best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your"); document.writeln("God at Gilgal.\'€ But Samuel replied: \'€œDoes the Lord delight in burnt offerings"); document.writeln("and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice,"); document.writeln("and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of"); document.writeln("divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected"); document.writeln("the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.\'€ 1

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One of the most common ways we step outside of the will of God is"); document.writeln("by partial obedience, doing most of what He asks, but reserving certain areas.

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King Saul fell into this trap. After God commanded the"); document.writeln("Israelites to completely destroy the Amalekites and their possessions, they"); document.writeln("spared the best cattle and the leader, Agag. When Samuel arrived, Saul"); document.writeln("announced that he had fulfilled the command. But when questioned, he blamed the"); document.writeln("people, even though he was the king, and no important decision was made without"); document.writeln("his approval. Then Saul gave an explanation: the animals had been kept for"); document.writeln("sacrifice to the Lord. Saul seemed pious, but Samuel was not fooled and pointed"); document.writeln("to his action for what it really was: rebellion.

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We can do the same. Our reasons for half-hearted obedience"); document.writeln("may seem logical to us, and we may even believe that we honor God. But the Lord"); document.writeln("does not judge our obedience by our intentions or justifications.

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Have you been justifying a decision that does not quite align"); document.writeln("with what God wants? Partial obedience may seem like a reasonable compromise,"); document.writeln("but it prevents us from experiencing the fullness of walking in the will of the Lord.

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(Read all of 1 Samuel 15)

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Suggested Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I ask Your"); document.writeln("forgiveness because I have often justified my partial obedience. Please examine"); document.writeln("my heart and allow me to see if there are still areas in my life where I am"); document.writeln("obeying my way and not the way You want. Beloved Father, lead me through Your"); document.writeln("Holy Spirit and Your Word to align my obedience according to Your will. In the name"); document.writeln("of Jesus I pray, Amen.

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1.      1"); document.writeln("Samuel 15:20-23 (NIV).

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The Encounter for today was written by: Rosina N.

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This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online.

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