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.