Has God not said what He wants from us?

The Lord desires faithfulness that results in right living.  

The prophet, Micah, was enraged by the social injustices he saw happening in his day.  He spoke against these injustices and pointed out the wickedness he saw in the heart of men.  Political leaders wrote policies that destroyed any hope the poor had. Religious leaders abused their office by letting money influence their words.  They preached to itchy ears what they wanted to hear and condemned the poor because they didn’t have an offering to give. The people of God also stood on a false sense of security that God would be with them no matter what they did.  They believed they could live anyway they wanted, as long as they brought offerings and showed up for Sabbath to be counted present.

As I read through the book of Micah I see so much of our world today.  All of these issues are still very prevalent among us. Men still walk in crooked business practices and justify their actions.  Preachers still abuse their office through exploitation. And, many believers think Sunday morning is a formality.  

 

Has God not said what He wants from us?

O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do what is right, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and not defiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:21-27

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” then you are doing well. James 2:8

So speak and act as those who are going to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgement is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement. What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? James 2:12

I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.Galatians 5:16-17

Ladies, this is a maturing faith walk with the Lord, where we let the word work in our hearts.  This faith will produce the fruits of the Spirit in our lives that will be evident for all to see.  Let us all reach towards this mark in our walk and put aside things that easily hold us back from becoming doers of the word. 

 

Father, thank You! You have made it so plain for us to see what it is that You desire of us.  We thank You for Your word and we gaze upon our Savior, Jesus, because He makes it possible for us to fulfill Your law.  Jesus, help us to have your mind and see our world  as You see it.  We desire to live right, love mercy and walk humbly with You. We invite Holy Spirit to govern our minds and guide our hearts.  We willfully surrender to You, in Your name we pray, amen.

If God says do it. Just obey.

“Go to the city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come before me.” However, Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence. Jonah 1:2-3

Out of all 12 prophets God called, Jonah was the only one who rejected his call and foolishly tried to run away from God.  He put himself in danger, he caused his shipmates to lose their cargo and almost caused them their lives. 

 

Have you tried to avoid a place you know God has called you to as a coaching family?  Are you rebelling and refusing to move because the city isn’t your most desirable location? Have you decided to stay in your current city letting your coach go on alone?

When we try to avoid the path God has set before us, our individual decisions effect those around us and the entire community.  

Ladies, there was a time when I only wanted my coach to apply for jobs in cities where all of the criteria on my checklist were met.  I would go down the list: good schools, diverse demographics, churches, grocery stores, big box stores, malls, parks, coffee shops, things for kids to do, restaurants, recreation, and close proximity to a metro area, etc.  I was only interested in going where I would be comfortable. When the city didn’t hit all of the marks, I didn’t want to go. I wasn’t thinking about God’s purpose for our lives and I wasn’t yielding to His plans for us.  

God challenged me in this area. He asked me, “If I only allowed My people to stay in places where they felt most comfortable, how will others ever see Me?” Hearing these words from God changed me. I no longer considered my checklist and I now pray for God to send us to places where we can be salt and light for Him.

Jonah’s story teaches us to live a surrendered life to God’s purpose and plans.  To Jonah’s surprise, when he finally went to Nineveh and preached to the people, they believed God’s message. They humbled themselves with fasting and sackcloth.  Even the king of Nineveh participated and ordered the whole city to do the same. When God saw their repentance he relented and did not destroy them.  

Ladies, never underestimate how God wants to use your family. He can use you to bring a message of hope to a wicked city like Nineveh. I believe the places God decides we should go are never really about us, instead, it is about the people there and how God wants us to serve them. I pray we all accept that we are called to be God’s servants. I pray we are willing vessels ready for any assignment. 

When we fail to serve God in our works, I believe we are to blame for the conditions in our communities. Don't run from the Nineveh assignments, run to them carrying your light!

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.” Luke 11:33

Father, thank You for the Nineveh assignments You have for us.  Thank You for using us to be salt and light in this world.  Father, I pray we let our light shine so men can see You.  In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

"Do you know who I am?"

The pride of your heart has deceived you… Obadiah 1:3

Recently, I read a story about a star college athlete who showed up at the NFL combine and was told to go home because of a confrontation he had at the hospital during his physical examinations.  This player exchanged coarse words with a male nurse while waiting to be served.  He was frustrated because of the long wait time and wanted the nurse to give him preferential treatment.  When the nurse refused, the player vainly shouts, “Do you know who I am?” 

As I pondered these words from Obadiah, my mind went back to this story.  Obadiah was sent to prophesy to the Edomites.  These people were proud of their wealth and riches, which they had obtained by robbing others. Their confidence was in their military skills, friends and allies.  They lived in a strong fortress. They thought they were secure and no enemy could come to them.  They were deceived. And, God sent Obadiah to warn them about their false sense of security.

 
Thinking back over our coaching journey I remember a time when the pride of our hearts deceived us. When my coach began his career he quickly moved up the ranks.  By his 3^rd job we were pretty sure it would only be a matter of time before he was coaching at a Power 5 school.  He would always talk about all the relationships he had and all the people who knew him.  His confidence was in his skills, friends and network.  We were flying high and never imagined the detour our journey would take. When his 3^rd job came to an end instead of moving up the ranks, we went down by our standards.  It was such a disbelief.  No one we trusted could help us.  Nothing we tried changed our fate.

By his 4^th job, I knew the Lord took us there to deal with the issues in our heart.  

“Though you seem to soar like an eagle and make your nest among the stars, even from there I will bring you down. The Lord declares.¨ Obadiah 1:4

Ladies, the bible has a lot to say about pride and having a haughty spirit.  Whenever we stray from the truths in God’s word, there are always consequences.  I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to show you if there is any hidden thing in your heart that would cause you to have a false sense of security in anything other than God.  

Here are a few more scriptures to help you:

The human heart is most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? Jeremiah 17:9

For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Galatians 6:3

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. James 4:6

“Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches.” Jeremiah 9:23

For all that is in the world-the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions-is not from the Father but is from the world. Romans 12:16

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before the fall.” Proverbs 16:18

Father thank You for Your word, for it is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.  Thank You for dealing with the issues of our hearts.  Thank You for making us over and reprogramming our minds, in Jesus' name I pray, amen.