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Disobedience 10 Jul 2018

1 Samuel 15:22+23

22 (To which,) Samuel said:
Is Yahweh pleased by burnt offerings and sacrifices
or by obedience to Yahweh's voice?
Truly, obedience is better than sacrifice,
submissiveness than the fat of rams.
23 Rebellion is a sin of sorcery,
presumption a crime of idolatry!
'Since you have rejected Yahweh's word,
he has rejected you as king.'

Sorcery

From the Webster dictionary:
Definition of sorcery
1: the use of power gained from the assistance or control of evil spirits
especially for divining : necromancy
2: magic

Difference between prayer and magic/witchcraft

There are some important differences:
1: Prayer is directed to God to whom we owe love and respect.
2: Witchcraft does not take responsibility. We do not like to act or work ourselves.
3: There is no intention to obey God and that is disobedience.

Les us assume I speak to my father:
"please solve my problem" and I have no intention
to do the related work that I could do myself
and without willingness to hear what my father wants to say to me.

How would my father respond? Perhaps: you lazy son do not bother me. (And in his annoyance he might say "Go to hell".)

What God may expect when we pray:

• An open mind. Seeking His mind.
• Willingness to participate in a possible solution.
• Obedience where we know what God wants us to do.

In other words: Faith, Faithfulness, Trust, Courage, Relationship.
Perhaps named 'True Love'.

A Warning about prayer

When we pray with no willingness to hear and obey God: then we are disobedient.
And worse: the one who hears will be the Devil who will be very happy and will misguide us further.

What is the difference of such a prayer with 'magic' or 'sorcery'?