Deuteronomy 10:12-22
The secret of rest and victory lies in ceasing to struggle against
the requirements of God.
Here is a question which should come with searching power to the heart of every child of God; what does the Lord require of me? Surely such a question ought to constrain us honestly to make this inquiry: Lord, what will You have me to do?
(Handfuls on Purpose - James Smith)
He is our Creator and every good thing comes from Him. For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb (Psalm 139:13). What do we have that we have not received from Him? Therefore we should be joyful always; pray continually; and give thanks "in all circumstances," for this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus (1Thessalonians 5:16-18).
He is our Redeemer. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. We were bought at a price, therefore we are to glorify God in our body and our spirit, which are His. We belong to Him. He only, shall we serve (Matthew 4:10). For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14). In Christ we are new creations. God has reconciled us to Himself through Christ Jesus and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. God made Him who was sinless, to be sin for us, so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God. ( 2 Corinthians 5:17-20).
What are some of these requirements...
A Reverent Fear of Our Holy God. Fear the Lord your God, not as a slave who fears his master because of the lash, but as a loving son or daughter fears to grieve or dishonor their father. God is our Father, but He is also Judge and we each, as His children, will give account for everything whether good or bad (Hebrews 12:13) This has not to do with our salvation but rather what rewards will be given or with-held according to our heart and our ability with the gifts He has given us.
An Obedient Walk. "To walk in all His ways" (Deuteronomy 10:12). What does this mean? Colossians 1:10 tells us we are to ask God to fill us with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Why? in order that we might live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way. How? By bearing fruit in every good work, and growing in our knowledge of God. By doing this we will be strengthened with all power according to His glorious might. Why? So that we can have great endurance and patience in every test and trial, and joyfully give thanks to the Father for giving us His Son and His Spirit. Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God (2 Corinthians 7:1).
An Affectionate Heart. He who looks upon the heart requires truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6).
Jesus said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (A neighbor is anyone you have contact with). On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:38-40). Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (John 13:34).
A Forgiving Heart. In Matthew 6:5-14 after teaching His disciples how to pray Jesus ends with this...(v.14) "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but... if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Check back at the top under fear of God re- we must give account of everything whether good or bad. We often need God's help in order to forgive and to keep forgiving. He is waiting to hear our cry so He can help us.
A Whole-Hearted Service. We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men (Ephesians 6:7). Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly... and whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him (Colossians 3:12-17). Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men... it is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24).
A Submissive Will. A submissive will is a will surrendered to God. It is a desire to do His will rather than our own. When Jesus separates the sheep from the goats it will be those who do the will of God who Jesus will recognize as His own (Matthew 7:21). What does it mean to do the will of God? It means to have compassion on others and do for them what you would have someone do for you or your loved ones if they were in desperate need (Matthew25:31-46). It means to obey Christ's teachings. Everything in the New Testament (Covenant) comes from the teachings of Christ Jesus. Before Jesus ascended back to heaven He told His disciples He would send the Holy Spirit who would bring to their minds all that Jesus had previously taught them. Jesus also taught the apostle Paul. Therefore everything in the New Testament comes from the teachings of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament teaches about Jesus Christ in types and shadows and prophecies. Jesus, Himself gave evidence to this when He said, "Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and the enter His glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself (Luke 24:26-27).
A submissive will desires to do God's will by obeying His Word and trusting Him to work things out for our benefit and His glory. God wills that we grow in grace and knowledge of His Word and to put it into practice in our daily lives with the help of the Holy Spirit. In John 17:17 in Jesus' high priestly prayer Jesus prays that all God's children would be sanctified by the truth. His Word is truth. We need both the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to enable us to live godly lives in Christ Jesus. We need to be in God's Word and reliant on the Holy Spirit daily in order to walk in the will of God. We need also to be in a spirit of prayer for opportunities God may bring across our path. And we need to be prepared to give an answer to any who ask us, what is the reason for our hope, and to do this in gentleness and respect ... (1 Peter 3:15).
A Tenacious Faith. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible (Hebrews 11:24-27).
For Christ's love compels us... He died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again (2 Corinthians 5:14:15).
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). We fix our eyes on Christ Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith...(Hebrews 12:1-3).
May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen (Hebrews 13:20-21).
~Annie~
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