WHAT GOD REQUIRE OF YOU - PART 1
No matter how ready or passionate we are to receive from God, or to appropriate His words, God is more ready and willing to give than we are to receive. This is because the works for all we will ever have need of has been done! Finished from the Foundation of the world! Heb.4:3
God is frustrated, mocked and in pain when we fail to receive and His words fail or experiences delay in fulfillment!
In as much as he wants to give and we seem ready, wanting to receive, God often sees that His children fails His expectations with respect to the requirements of their person or what to do and on how to receive from Him. Ps.50:16-17, 2Pet.3:11
Therefore, it's sad that No one is asking himself, what am I doing, not doing right or why I'm I not getting what I desire (not deserve)? All we do is sit idly- justifying ourselves, murmuring and blaming God. This is our deception! - Num.14:1-4, 11,22,27
It takes an observant believer to Discern the ways, moves and patterns of God so as to maximize His benefits. Only Moses knew the ways of God, but all Israel knew His acts. Dan.9:2-3, Ps.40:7-9
"He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel" Psalm 103:7
The pains and frustration of God on this matter are clearly revealed in scripture by the tone of His voice.
"Cry out, Spare not, Lift up your voice like a Trumpet, Show my people their sins, yet they seek me daily, fasting .. as a nation that forsook not the ordinance of their God" Isa.58:1-3
The truth is that God and His blessings are available for those who wills and are available for Him. Isa.1:18-21, Ps.25:12-14.
"Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed" 1 Samuel 2:30
To bring us out of frustrations, for us to receive when we need of all that God has and has spoken, God has decided to make His heart known by revealing His demands as well as His requisites from us now and forever to guide us.
WHAT GOD REQUIRE OF MAN?
"And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? Deut.10:12-13
The word Require means:
Demand as useful, just, or proper, Consider obligatory; request and expect Or have need of or want.
Hence, A requirement is something that is indispensable and obligatory for the accomplishment of a task.
Following the Bible, God's Requirements from us include:
#1- FEAR THE LORD:
Micah 6:6-8, Exo.18:21, 1Pet.2:17
The simplest biblical definition of the fear of God is "to hate evil", this is the whole duty of man. Prov.8:13
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" Eccl.12:13
That on the Priority list of God's requirements from man is the fear of God will come as a surprise to many Christians who are used to giving and offerings.
The fear of God is also called reverence for God. It is having a proper regard for God, His things, His instructions and commandments. It's dealing with God with uttermost respect, high esteem and keeping Him exalted above all.
Fearing God is living life by putting God, His word and His ways in the right perspective in all our actions and inaction. It is always living with a bias towards obeying God. When people say there's God, it's drawing our attention to God's standard for us, in relation to God and our fellows. One's attitude and character to God, His things and His commandment are the real determiner of how much he/she fears or reverences God.
"But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God" Neh.5:15, Luke 23:40.
In summary, the wise preacher summarized the fear of the Lord means to hate evil: pride, arrogancy, the evil way and the froward mouth. Prov.8:13, Prov.16:6, Ps.34:11-14
EVIDENCES OF GODLY FEAR
The following are some indices of Godly fear in man.1. Obeying God - Gen.22:12, 2. Honouring God- John 8:48, Daniel 1:8
3. Loving God above all- John 5:42, 1John 2:5
4. Not Doing one's pleasure, but God's- Isaiah 58:13
BENEFITS OF GODLY FEAR
There's much to benefitted, when we fear God.
1. Divine presence and direction -Psm.25:12-14, John 8:29; 48-49
2. Access to generational covenants- Ps.25:14,
3. Satisfaction with favour/blessing - Job 1:9, Prov.19:23, Eccl.8:12, Ps 34:7&9-10
4. Divine exaltation - Exo.18:21
5. Prolongs life- Prov.14:27, Prov.10:27, Prov.19:23
6. Assurance of God's blessing and increase to children's children - Ps.115:13-14
CONCLUSION
Sitting at the top of God's requirements from man is "to fear God"- (Please, follow through on the next series to get the complete message). Our duty and righteousness before God now is to perform this for our own good. The times of ignorance God always wink at, but in the light of His revelation now commands us to repent.
You will not and cannot experience the true fear of God unless you establish a relationship with God through Christ Jesus whom God appointed as His mediator.
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