This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis [ts@godspeak.net]

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                              Obey Me

Child of Mine, I want you to be hungry for My presence and to pursue
it passionately, but I want you to do so within the confines of what
I have commanded in My word. Have I not said in My word that you are 
to obey Me because you love Me? [John 14:15, John 15:14] I want you to
walk in that type of obedience as you pursue Me.

There is a misunderstanding circulating among some of My children that 
if you have a passionate hunger for Me, you should press in with all
of your might and not be restricted by any of the parameters that I
have given you in My word. But dear one, that is not quite accurate.
I want you to press into Me with all of your heart, but I want you to
do so in ways that you know are pleasing to Me. I want you to honor 
and obey the precincts that I have given you as you pursue Me.

Let Me give you an example. I have told you to love and honor your 
spouse and your family, treating them as I would treat My own? [Eph 
5:22 to Eph 6:4] So if you constantly neglect them to pursue Me, then 
you are disobeying Me. That does not please Me, for disobedience is 
like the sin of witchcraft to Me [1 Sam 1:23]. So if you regularly 
run off to worship meetings without taking care of your family's 
physical and emotional needs, then you are disobeying My command, 
and I will not be so easily found of you. Yes, if you neglect them to
pursue Me, you are walking in direct disobedience, and it will not be 
easy for you to find Me. But dear one, if you will honor your family 
the way I ask you to, then when you press into Me, I will indeed meet 
you.

Have I not said that you must walk in holiness before Me? If you walk
regularly in sin or unrighteousness, then you are disobeying Me, and I 
will not be so easily found by you. If you walk in the ways of the world 
by lying, cheating complaining, backbiting, gossiping, slandering, or 
carrying unforgiveness and bitterness in your heart; it will not be so 
easy for you to find Me when you come looking to enter into My very 
presence. 

I am a holy God, and I have commanded you to be holy [Lev 19:2] and 
to walk in My ways [Deut 5:33]. Do not think that you can embrace
sin and unrighteousness with one hand and embrace Me with the other. 
It does not work that way.

Do not think you can walk in the world's ways on some days and then
walk in Mine on other days. That type of lifestyle will not allow you
to draw into the close place of intimacy that I have prepared for you. 
You must walk in My ways at all times, and you must live a lifestyle 
that honors and pleases Me always.

If you seek Me with all of your heart, you will indeed find Me. But if
you hold on to sin and unrighteousness as you pursue Me, you can not 
know the pleasure of abiding in My very presence. If you choose to 
disobey and rebel against My commands, and if you choose not to walk 
in My ways, then do not think that you will be able to enter easily 
into the glory of My throne room. For I say to you that you must chose 
to obey Me because you love Me. Likewise, you must never choose to 
pursue Me in ways that you know go against what I have commanded you 
in My word. Disobedience and rebellion will never please Me. You cannot
draw close to Me that way.

I want you to live and abide close to Me, dear one, and I want you to 
live in My presence. But you must walk in obedience in order to do this.
Pursue Me with all of your heart, dear one. But pursue Me according to 
My ways!