To Obey or To Sacrifice

Many times we try to please God by deeds, by making promises we never fulfill or making useless sacrifices. The only thing that really pleases God is Faith followed by Obedience. That's probably the hardest thing in the whole Christian life. It's easy to say we believe, but if we don't do what we say, it's worthless, that's hypocrisy. And, if we consider Jesus' life, his toughest battle was against religious hypocrisy. He didn't have any problem with the ones called "sinners", actually, he was always reaching the "sinners", always ministering to the them. There are many examples of obedience and disobedience in the bible. Abraham, for example, he was called the "father of faith" because his faith was followed by obedience. Moses was another wonderful example; we see that he first tried to free God's people by his own strength. It didn't work, he ended up killing someone. God says in Zachariah 4:6. Then Moses fled to the desert where God made him the meekest person ever, according to Numbers 12:3. Then God calls him to deliver His people. Moses saw God's glory, he experienced God's power, he obtained God's favor. But, then came a time when he failed. In Exodus 17 says that the people had no water, God told Moses to "strike the rock", he did, and the water came out. After a while, we see in numbers 20, they had no water again, at this time God tell Moses to "speak to the rock", instead, Moses struck the rock, and the water came out. It's very interesting, because despite of Moses disobedience, the miracle happened, the water came out. That shows us that it's possible to see God's miracles even when we are in disobedience, but, as we see in Moses story, it will cost us something. To Moses, the cost was huge, he wasn't allowed to lead God's people into the promises land. That also show us the truth about what Jesus says in Mathew 7:22-23. Many people today think, because they can see "results" when they use their Gifts, they're right before God, and again, like Moses, we can see the results (water coming out) and yet be disobeying God. Another very good example we find in the Bible is King Saul, because his disobedience, he was rejected by God. See I Samuel 15:22-23. After that, Saul continued to be king for a long time, but, before God, he was no more. He lost the anointing of a king. This is very interesting, because David, even having the anointing of a king, he understood that was God who had to take Saul from the throne, as it is written in Romans 11: 29. It means that once we received a gift or a calling, we will die with them, and yet, if we didn't  know Jesus Christ, like Saul, we will be eternally separated from Him, in hell.
Conclusion: At the end, when we stand before Jesus Christ, it doesn't matter how much we worked, what we became, what we accomplished, if we didn't do what God planned for us to do, we will be among the ones who practiced lawlessness, like the ones who reject Jesus, like the ones never knew Him.