1 Samuel 15:22 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.

One of the biggest differences between living now and living in the times before Jesus was born is the fact that men had to offer sacrifices for their sins. Could you imagine having to kill an innocent animal just so that something innocent could take your place?

God would much rather we obey Him than sin and have to have something or someone innocent pay for our sins…
Someone willing has already done that for you; they died for you…

1 John 2:3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.

How can you tell when you have learned something? You know how to do it… Ok that is a bit obvious but that is the same for so many things in life, including knowing God and knowing about Him.

When we know about Him we don’t always want to do what we know is right; but when we do know Christ, then we want to be able to do what is right and that means keeping His commandments, following His rules and trying to please Him.

That is also how others can tell if we know God – it is very easy to spot the truth…

Proverbs 19:17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.

Have you ever thought about who you affect by doing something to others? First you affect yourself. Then you affect them. Then you affect the people around you… But you also affect God!

God always watches us and sees what we do to others. He does not like it when we are not nice to others; but when we are nice to others, we will see that God will be pleased with us and will show us that He is happy with the way we are now living. But when we are horrible to others we should not look for a reward from God!