“I was thinking back to when I was taking our dog, Benjamin, to obedience classes. While I was teaching him commands, I realized they were pretty basic—nothing too difficult, like ‘sit,’ ‘lay down,’ ‘stay,’ or ‘come.’ But even though the commands were simple, teaching them required a lot of persistence, consistency, and loads of patience. I knew that if I wanted Benjamin to learn these basic commands, I had to put in the time. Amen.
At the same time, I often think about how we, too, have basic commands from the Lord that we are called to live by. You would think they wouldn’t be that hard to follow, right? But how many of us know they’re not always as easy as they seem, even though they are straightforward. Commands like ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart’ (Matthew 22:37, Luke 10:27, Deuteronomy 6:5), ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ (Mark 12:31), or ‘Do not lie’ (Colossians 3:9-10). We’re told not to steal (Leviticus 19:11-12), not to commit adultery (Exodus 20:14), and not to be jealous (Proverbs 6:34-35). We’re called to be kind, caring, loving, and unselfish, to lend a helping hand. These things seem basic, right? But they’re not always easy to live by. Amen.
Yet somehow, we end up lying about the silliest things. We don’t help or lend a hand when someone is in need. We might cheat on our taxes or take things that aren’t ours—even something as small as office supplies that don’t belong to us. It seems simple, but somehow, it’s so hard at times. Loving others, turning the other cheek, overcoming evil with good—these are not easy tasks. Amen.
But just like when I was training Benjamin, we need to be consistent in doing good. We need to be obedient to the Lord and sensitive to His voice when He calls us. When He speaks, we need to respond and obey. Amen. When we do this, other things in our lives start to fall into place, and obedience to His commands becomes easier. Just as Benjamin wants to please us, we should want to please our Father. So we listen, stay focused, and try not to get distracted. As we practice obedience, just like our dog, we can live a happy, blessed, and obedient life. It won’t be so hard anymore—we’ll naturally respond in the right way, making life better for everyone.
The simple things can be hard, but they can be mastered if we are obedient. The Word says, ‘If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land’ (Leviticus 25:19, Deuteronomy 11:27, Isaiah 1:19-20). Amen. For it is in His name, Jesus’ name that I do ask and pray. Amen and Amen.
Be blessed today, my dear sweet friends, and remember, wherever you go and whatever you do, Be a light for our Father. Much love to you all, Mandi!”
KINGDOM MINISTRIES 
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