Deuteronomy 8:1 tells us to obey God's commands. We do this by obeying God with...
OUR MIND By learning about him and his Word, the Bible
OUR WILL By committing ourselves completely to him
OUR BODY By using our energy and talents according to his rules, not ours
OUR MONEY By remembering that all the money and other nice things we have come from God and really belong to him, not us
OUR HEART By loving him more than anything else
OUR FUTURE By deciding to spend our lives doing things for God and other people
This is derived from the girls application study Bible. I use this Bible quite often because it is easy to understand. I will probably never use big words or if I do I will break them down so what I write will be an easy read for baby Christians.
However, I also want to reach many who are further along and this is how I would further the study of obedience.
Our mind: We can learn about God's character and rely on His Word which gives us hope. As we mature we should do more than just read about God, but really take the time to meditate on His Word and soak it all up. Allow it to penetrate our souls! Then we can renew our thoughts and think about all the things above. Thinking about how we can be more Christlike.
Our will: Our will is generally to be successful and enjoy the things of this world. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, but there is so much more to life. Our will should consist of listening to the prompts of the Holy Spirit which will lead us to follow God's will. This is how we become truly successful and learn to live life to the fullest.
Our body: Yes, we were made to use our gifts and talents to serve the Lord. We were made on purpose for a purpose His purpose. This is why we should take care of ourselves by eating right, staying active, and getting the proper rest. I am speaking to the choir here! If we don't work on staying "fit" we aren't going to be able to help anyone. Who wants to listen to someone who is hangry, lazy, and sluggish? Ouch this is who I am more than I care to admit. Our body is a temple and we (definitely me) should start treating it as such.
Our money: The money we receive comes from God. He planned for you to have that job and has His hand over your finances. So, don't be greedy and help others when you can. You already know I am going to talk about tithing. Tithing is very important because with the ten percent you give back God can do so much more with it than we ever could. I know there are times you think I don't have enough to tithe. Believe me when I say this. God knows of the sacrifice you make and a small sacrifice is worth more than those who give out of an abundance. (see also Luke 21:1-4)
Our heart: God knows our heart and everything it holds. We should always turn our hearts toward Him and love Him more than anyone else. If you have been saved you know the feeling you had when you first fell in love with Him. Our love for Him should always grow stronger and stronger throughout our life. We should have a heart like David and say create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Our future: For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. We should always be thankful for everything God has done in our life and for what He is going to do. If we will apply all the above and do our best to live out our purpose according to His plans He will guide us along the smooth path that leads us to places we never imagined. Your future awaits. Are you ready to step into it? I believe if we all do our part to live like this we can become the united children of God and change the world.