Jesus – Page 19 – Praying Pint

47. What does the LORD require of you

Deuteronomy 10:12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God,

Jeremiah 7:22-23  But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’

Micah 6:8  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Matthew 11:29-30  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

1 John 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Obey my voice! Serve God with all your heart and soul. Keep His commandments. Be no longer stubborn. Walk in the way that I command you. Walk humbly with God.

What does it mean to serve Him with all your heart and soul, to keep His commandments, to be no longer stubborn, and to walk humbly? I am certain it will require emptying oneself of what is more precious and consuming time in their heart, mind, and soul. During Christmas, we hear of how there was no room in the inn for Mary to give birth. It seems to ring true today with no room in our busyness for Jesus to reign fully. Making room would indicate that something has to be purposely moved out. What is consuming your heart and soul leaving no room for Jesus?

We can say we are doing all we can with the busyness of our life, family, job, etc…. By saying we are doing all we can means we have intentionally chosen to give our time (heart, soul, mind) to something else. We choose to believe we are doing what God wants for us to do. How can that be true if Jesus is not #1 in our heart? How can that be true if we give His word nothing more than a glance every once in a while?

In Joshua 22:5 It says, “Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” In Psalms 81:13 it says, “Oh, that my people would listen to me”. In Titus 2:11-12 it says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age”

There has been no other time in history where God’s word has been so readily available. There has never in history been so much neglect of His word than what is presently being done. Never in history has there been this much complacent behavior by those supposedly called by His name. Our lives should not and do not have to be like this. We aren’t forced into it. We choose it to be this way.

We can choose to not be this way. We can choose to repent, confess, return and commit to humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God. We can start by intentionally committing to reading His word each day. We can intentionally seek and desire for Him to lead us closer to Him through more understanding and knowledge of Him and what it means to give Him all our heart, mind, and soul.

38. The refining process – Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial

Numbers 2:7 For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.”

Job 23:10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my

Psalms 139:1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

Zachariah 14:9 And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”

1 Peter 1:6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

God knows our life inside out, what we think, what we do, where we go and He still loves us. In this love, He will not condone sin. He will not approve of that which is in our life that does not honor and glorify Him. He will not bless our sin. He will not lead us into sin.

He will test us. He will reprove our sin. He will expose our sin. He will discipline us for sin. He will convict our soul of sin. He will refine us. He will guide us. He will lead us to a choice of repentance and stand at our heart’s door ready to take us in His loving arms.

Do we see “testing”, “refining”, and “discipline” from God as a blessing? Can we recognize His calling us out of our sin? Are we able to hear His calling? If we hear His calling are we willing to open the door of our heart, soul, and mind and invite Him in? Do we live with anticipation of conviction, refining, confession, and forgiveness?

God has called us to holy humbleness service. This side of eternity our life is a blessed refining process resulting in praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

If we choose to be complacent in our walk with Him and neglect time in His word seeking knowledge and understanding, how are we to escape punishment and curse? Loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind is an intentional commitment that fully wants only to honor and glorify God in all that is thought, said, and done. This intentional commitment lives with anticipation of wanting and being refined. David said it like this: Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

35. Sin is crouching at your door

Numbers 33:55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell.

Exodus 23:33     They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

Deuteronomy 7:4     for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods.

Joshua 23:12-13     For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you,  know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the LORD your God has given you.

Psalms 106:34-36    They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them,  but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did.  They served their idols, which became a snare to them.

Genesis 4:7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; you are its object of desire, but you must master it.”

Romans 6:11  So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

Psalms 119:133    Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.

Romans 8:13     For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Romans 13:14    But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

I have taken most of this from an author on the internet but could not find his name to the article.

It helps to illustrate the force of sin and to suggest that, among other things, that we have to answer for every deed, however quickly it fades, however long forgotten. Its guilt is on our heads. Its consequences have to be experienced by us. We drink as we have brewed. As we make our beds, so we lie on them. There is no escape from the law of consequences.

Think how you would like it, if all your deeds from your childhood, all your follies, your vices, your evil thoughts, your evil impulses, and your evil actions, were all made visible and embodied there before you. They are there, though you do not see them yet. All around your door they sit, ready to meet you and to bay out condemnation as you go forth. They are there, and one day you will find out that they are. For this is the law, certain as the revolution of the stars and fixed as the pillars of the firmament: ‘Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.’ There is no seed which does not sprout, in the harvest of the moral life. Every deed germinates according to its kind. For all that a man does he has to carry the consequences, and every one shall bear his own burden. ‘If thou doest not well,’ it is not, as we fondly conceive it sometimes to be, a mere passing deflection from the rule of right, which is done and done with, but we have created, as out of our very own substance, a witness against ourselves whose voice can never be stifled. ‘If thou doest not well,’ thy sin takes permanent form and is fastened to thy door.

The records of memory are like those pages on which you write with sympathetic ink, which disappears when dry, and seems to leave the page blank. ‘Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’ Beware of the first step, for as sure as you are living, the first step taken will make the second seem to become necessary. The first drop will be followed by a bigger second, and the second, at a shorter interval, by a more copious third, until the drops become a shower, and the shower becomes a deluge. The river of evil is ever wider and deeper, and more tumultuous. The little sins get in at the window and open the front door for the full-grown housebreakers.

Can a man cast out sin from his nature by his own resolve? Can a man cleanse himself from every deed and thought he has had or done throughout his life? Does forgetting sins of the past remove the consequences for eternity? Can a man keep all the sin that is crouching at his door at bay? NO, he can’t.

Your sin is mightier than you. The old word of the Psalm is true about every one of us, ‘Our iniquities are stronger than we.’ And, blessed be His name! the hope of the Psalmist is the experience of the Christian: ‘As for my transgressions, Thou wilt purge them away.’ Christ will strengthen you to conquer; Christ will take away your guilt; Christ will bear, has borne your burden; Christ will cleanse your memory; Christ will purge your conscience. Trusting to Him, and by His power and life within us, we may conquer our evil. Trusting to Him, and for the sake of His blood shed for us all upon the cross, we are delivered from the burden, guilt, and power of our sins and of our sin. With your belief in Him, your hand in His, your trust in Him, your reliance in Him, and your will submitted to Him, sin can be removed as far as the east is from the west.

30. You did not choose me, but I chose you

Numbers 16:1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” When Moses heard it, he fell on his face, and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the Lord will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him.

16:28 And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord.” And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. And all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!” And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.

Acts 7:51    “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

Malachi 3:18    Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

Acts 7:39    Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt,

2 Timothy 2:19    But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

Psalms 65:4    Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!

Ephesians 2:13    But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ

John 15:16    You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

Certainly, there are true injustices that we should all take notice of and help correct. We can make a list of these all day long… hunger, poverty, abortion, slavery, pornography, abuse, etc….

However, there are other false claims of injustice as well. Do you ever notice how a person gets an idea of injustice or is offended and then easily convinces others of it? I wonder how many times we come to God with false claims of injustice. Do we complain about finances, health, relationships, employment, trials, and troubles because we see others who seem to be blessed in different ways than us? Do we call God unfair for His control, plans, and purposes in our life? Is this really any different from what Korah and followers did?

We are blessed because He has chosen to draw us to Him. We are to be satisfied with Him in control. We are to honor, praise, and have faith in His sovereignty.

Being chosen is no small blessing. In the right mindset, it is peace, rest, comfort, refuge, courage, strength, hope, and power because of who God is and His steadfast love for those called by His name.

Do not be pulled into dissatisfaction because of what someone else says or thinks or has. God is in control and no one will alter His plans and purposes. Stay close to Him. Cling to Him. Trust in Him. Rely on Him. Believe in Him. Have continually growing faith in Him. Humbly serve Him. Wait on Him. Listen to Him. Follow Him. Obey Him.

24. According to the riches of his grace

Numbers 14:17 And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”

Exodus 34:6-7     The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,  keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Psalms 103:8   The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Micah 7:18     Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.

Nahum 1:2-3    The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.  The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Romans 3:24-26     and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,  whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Ephesians 1:7-8     In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,  which he lavished upon us

It is hard to explain forgiveness of sin to those who do not believe in God, Sin, Judgment, Anger, Wrath, Redemption, and Salvation. As a believer we have had our heart and mind opened up to know God and the need of salvation. I wonder if we limit our understanding of what this means. God reached out, He called us, He demonstrated His love for us, He opened our understanding, knowledge, and wisdom, He showed us the need for redemption, He provided a sacrifice for our sin, He sent Jesus Christ His only son to die for us, He forgave us, He gave us new birth, He promised to never leave us or forsake us, He promised eternity with Him, He gives us peace, rest, joy, faith, hope, and love, He filled us with His Holy Spirit, He leads us, and He has plans and purposes for us.

We should never become complacent and neglectful of time with Him and His word. Commit to reading it everyday.

21. “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Numbers 11:23 And the Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

Genesis 18:14    Is anything too hard for the LORD?

Psalms 78:41    They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 50:2    Why, when I came, was there no man; why, when I called, was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert; their fish stink for lack of water and die of thirst.

Isaiah 59:1    Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;

Micah 2:7     Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Has the LORD grown impatient? Are these his deeds? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly?

Matthew 19:26    But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Luke 1:37     For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Ezekiel 24:14    I am the LORD. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord GOD.”

When God speaks do we trust what He says? Do we believe what He says? Do we cling to what He says? Do we listen to what He says? Do we rely on what He says? Are we changed because of what He says? Are we wanting to hear Him speak through His word? Are we living according to His word? Are our thoughts and actions in accordance with His word?

Many of the answers to these questions can be rooted in how we view God. We believe we are not good enough for Him to save us or work in our life. We put limits on God’s power, His love, His calling, His purpose, His judgment. These limits are rooted in our lack of understanding and knowledge of God and much by the influence of our culture. Our belief in who God is and what He can do, how He can do it, and if He is alive and present, get sidetracked and confused because of our belief, trust, faith, hope, and love needing to be grounded in His word are grounded instead by the words of man.

Man can do many things but there are always limits. Some things are possible but others are impossible. With God all things are possible. God can do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine. God is awesome in power and might. God is steadfast in His love for those called by Him. God is righteous and holy. God’s judgment is never wrong. God’s grace and mercy in and through Jesus Christ have given us new life. In this new life our sins, though they be red as scarlet, shall be white as snow. In Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven.

Because in God all things are possible we find in His word strength for today and hope for tomorrow. In trusting and relying on Him our days are never burdensome but rather filled with a never-ending reliance, fulfilling satisfaction of knowing we are in His loving hands. His word gives life, strength, hope, and purpose to those who seek and desire to know, understand and serve Him.

17. We have only done what was our duty

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

2Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Ephesians 3:1 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Luke 17:11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

Luke 17:9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

I read this in Compelling Truth and share it with you this Thanksgiving holiday time.

There are so many reasons to thank God, and yet it is a far too rare practice for many. Complaining and grumbling come all too easy for us. Rather than look at what is lacking in our lives, may we learn to thank God in everything realizing that God owes us nothing and yet has graciously given us all things in Jesus Christ. Jesus pointed out both the importance and the rarity of thanksgiving when only one of the ten lepers that He healed returned to thank Him. We would do well to imitate that one former leper. For in a spiritual sense, we are all born lepers with the disfiguring and alienating disease called sin. Yet, Christ voluntarily took on the punishment due our ingratitude, the bruises due our iniquities, and the stripes due our sins.

We have done and can do nothing to deserve these gifts. We are forever debtors to God and to His grace which reached its zenith in His sacrificing His only Son for our salvation. The eternal life that we have received through faith in Jesus deserves an eternity of gratitude.

3. Eager to maintain the unity

1Corinthians 1:10  I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

Ephesians 4:1-7     I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,  eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:31-32     Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Psalms 133:1    Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

1 Peter 3:8-9    Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

Romans 12:16     Live in harmony with one another.

1 Corinthians 6:7 Why, the very fact of your having lawsuits with one another at all is a defect (a defeat, an evidence of positive moral loss for you). Why not rather let yourselves suffer wrong and be deprived of what is your due? Why not rather be cheated (defrauded and robbed)?

I heard on the Back to the Bible radio “Unity is something you keep”. We are to be the light shinning in a dark world. We are to show hope, love, generosity, kindness, faith, peace, long-suffering, and patience. How is this shown when there is division amongst those who are to show the world what righteous, holy, humble, God honoring living looks like?

Division comes from an issue that is hammered out in pride not love. Division leads to gossip, rumors, and non-love actions. Division is a tool of Satan and the problem is most of the time he does not even have to use it because of a prideful spirit lodged within the person. Think about when the Israelites were in the wilderness and scripture tells us the people grumbled against God. You have to realize that there was a first person who spoke up and many who then followed. The same happens when division occurs. A person speaks up in a manner that does not reflect our calling in Christ and others follow.

Do you ever wonder why others follow? Does it have anything to do with their walk, or lack there of, with God? Does it have anything to do with there time, or lack there of, in Gods word?

Oh that we would take the path of humbleness, allowing our selves to be wronged, seeking unity in peace and love, finding a way to honor God in the circumstance, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. As far as is it is with you be at peace with all men.

6. What must we do

Mark 10:17 And as Jesus was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

John 6:28    Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

Acts 2:37     Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Acts 16:30    Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Romans 10:2-4    For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.  For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

John 6:27     Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.

We see this young rich man who went away sorrowful and disheartened. Why, because he could not give his all to follow Jesus. We see others who asked what must we do to be saved. We see the disciples asking what must we be doing to do the works of God.

The works we must do is to “Believe” and to believe is translated “Cling to, Rely on, and Trust in.” Sometimes I think believe means something less to people. It does not carry the weight of clinging total reliance and trust.

It is one thing to come to the knowledge of saving grace and another to live so that God is honored through continual reliance, obedience, and trust. When we give belief a lesser application we will find we are thinking we are better off than we are. We end up at a place where we think we are good enough and doing enough – we’re ok enough. In reality, we become dull to the Holy Spirit, blind and deaf, as though we were asleep. When we are to be spirit-filled we are spiritless. When we are to be reaching out to a lost world we are hiding. When we are to be listening and obeying we are deaf and doing what seems right to us. When we ought to be seeking God we are neglecting. When we are to be drinking the living water and bread of life from His word we are starving and dying from thirst. And don’t even know it!

We are called to active humble service to God, at His leading and at His timing. The word “Called” is better translated as summoned. When we see the word just as called it gives way to say yes or no. When we see the word as summoned by God there is no room for denying action on our part.

It is a choice to commit heart, mind, and soul to God every single day. It is a choice to be led by Him. It is a choice to listen and obey Him.

Thinking you are ok enough leads to being asleep and deaf to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

What must you do?

“Whom shall I send”

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost”

Exodus 3:4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “ Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Genesis 22:1     After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Genesis 22:11     But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Genesis 46:2     And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.”

1 Samuel 3:4    Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!”

1 Samuel 3:10    And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

Acts 9:4    And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?

Acts 10:3    About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.”

Isaiah 6:8     And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Mat 4:18  While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matthew 9:9     As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

Mark 2:14    And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

John 1:43  The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”

There was a Call from God and the reply was “here am I”. There is a call from Jesus was “come follow me” and the response was “they followed”. These calls came as these men were in their normal everyday activities. Their responses would indicate a willingness and even possibly wanting to hear from God. I am not so sure any of them were sitting around and had a conscious thought “if God calls to me I am going to say here am I”. I think they were more inclined to believe there was a living God and they had reverence in their heart for Him in such a way that their ears, eyes, heart, mind, and soul were open.

Here I am – I don’t know what you want but I want you to know I am listening.

Here I am – I know you are God or from God

Here I am – I want to hear what you say

Here I am – I am willing to do what you ask

Here I am – I am willing to go where you send me

Here I am – I want to do what you ask of me

Here I am – lead me, I want to follow you

Here I am – use me

I wonder if our ears are able to hear God calling. I wonder if we are seeking to hear God speak into our life. I wonder if we are willing to be led. I wonder if we would follow. I wonder if we want to be used by God for His glory and honor.

It is so easy to get caught up so tight in life and things of this world that we have closed our ears and are deaf to God’s calling. Is our heart so hardened that His call and love falls on a heart of stone and deaf ears?

Many, me included, had hearts hard as stone and were not giving a single conscious thought about God when His word broke through the heart of stone and brought understanding and knowledge of the need for forgiveness and salvation. What we see many times as a heart of stone no man could change, God, in a moment, softens their heart to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When we think there is no possible way fora lost sinner’s soul to respond “here am I,, save me” God does the impossible work in their heart and mind so that they see the need. They are changed in that moment of confession and trust in Jesus Christ. Never to be the same again. At least we hope not.

It is an intentional walk with God each day to have our ears open to hear His word come alive into our life. It is an intentional heart and mind that seeks and desires to hear and be lead by God.

Be intentional in reverence, listening, following, and obeying His call into your life each day.