Scriptures: I Samuel 15:3,9 3Now go and smite Amalek, and UTTERLY DESTROY all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. 9But Saul and the people spared Agag (the king of the Amalekites), and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
Nugget: Saul chose to interpret God’s instruction according to his own wisdom. God said utterly destroy; Saul chose to utterly destroy the vile things, but “preserved” the good things – and later said (v 15) he spared those things to sacrifice unto the Lord. Partial obedience is still disobedience. Did God not know those things were “good” before he commanded they utterly be destroyed? Like Saul, our challenge is getting into reasoning – trying to adapt God’s instructions so that it makes sense for us. God help us be obedient, and not “pick and choose” what part of his instructions are “okay” for us.
Quote: “God will never advance your instructions beyond your last act of disobedience.” – Mike Murdock
From I&A