What does the Lord require?

     He has showed 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?
     Micah 6:8 (RSV)

     The people of Micah's day took advantage of one another, used dishonest business practices, perverted justice. The prophets and priests of his day relaxed the law of God, and yet prophesied that all was well with the nation. People worshipped idols of everykind.
     As a result of this, God sent Micah to confront the people, and warn them of impending judgement. God,'s message is set forth as an indictment against His people, showing them the charges against them, and the resulting consequences that they faced. God invited the people to show, if they could, any instances in which He may have treated them unfairly, or wronged them (6:3-5).
      The response of the people was the typical response of all generations of people when confronted with sin and judgement. They thought if they could offer more sacrifices,go through rituals, that they would be ok. Somehow we think that God will be pleased with external shows of religion, church attendance, prayer. reading the Bible or devotion books, taking part in religious rituals, all the while ignoring the heart of the matter. God desires truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6), There can be no fellowship with Him as long as we persist in living for ourselves, not caring how we treat God or one another.
     The people needed to repent. A change of heart was needed. God had shown them what was good. The Apostle Paul said that the law was holy and good (Romans 7:12). The whole of the law can be summed up as loving God with all the heart soul mind and strength, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Instead, the law had been perverted. Justice had been perverted. The teachers twisted the law to suit themselves, judges turned a blind eye to it, and the prophets prophesied for good to those with money, and bad to those without. They needed to return to justice, to show mercy, to walk humbly with God. All their sacrifices, festivals, assemblies, songs and worship meant nothing to God while they lived for themselves. He desired justice, and righteousness (Amos 5:21-24).
     The message is timeless. We can learn from it today as well. All the religious activities that we can do are abhorant in the eyes of God as long as our hearts are not right. We can participate in worship, pray, sing, read our bibles and call ourselves Christians, but if within our hearts we have not cast off pride and humbly submitted ourselves to Christ, we are only deceived. To walk humbly with God is a lifesyle that involves laying down our lives for the interests of His kingdom. God is a God of love, a love that includes justice and mercy, and as such, he demands that we show the same kind of love to those around us.
     Jesus gave us a very simple interpretation of the law in the golden rule, to treat others as we would have them treat us. We all desire to be treated fairly, and honestly. We all desire to be loved. That is how we are called to treat others.
    

Old time religion.

I love to read the accounts of mighty moves of God in times past. I have read about men such as Jonathan Edwards, David Brainard, John Wesley, Charles Finney, Dwight Moody, Evan Roberts, and the list goes on. I read the accounts of the great awakenings in America, that took place in the days of Edwards, and later in the days of Finney. I read about John Wesley, and how he would preach outside, attracting crowds of thousands without advertising. It is exciting to read about the Welsh revival, and the Azuza street revival that occured around the same time in America. I mention all this because these things stir something within me. I long to see God move in a similar way today. I long to see churches filled with people who are not just there for a service, but who are there to actually encounter the living God! People prayed down the Holy Ghost. There was a deep, very real conviction of sin. People experienced true repentance, and were very soundly converted. There was a public confession of sin, and restitution was made for past wrongs. All of these things come about when God is present, and working. Many of these preachers did not prepare sermons, they followed the leading of the Holy Spirit, letting Him do the work. They emphasised repentance, submission to Christ, obedience in everything, holiness of heart and life, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of prayer. I desire to see these things happen  again. I don't want to be content with how we so often do church in the same old regular way. God has so much more to offer, if only we will earnestly seek Him. We tend to allow things to grow stale without realizing it. That is the lesson of the wineskins, doing things the same way, letting tradition dictate, rather than the Spirit of God. Instead we need to abandon ourselves for His sake, letting Him have His way in everything. We are in desperate need of a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit. We need His presence and power. We need life breathed back into our churches once again. Jesus must be all!

True repentance is thorough.

     O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee? O Judah what shall I do unto thee? For your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that goeth early away. 
     -Hosea 6:4 (ASV)

     Throughout their history, God's chosen people Israel, have experienced seasons of backsliding, times of judgement and conviction followed by repentance, only to plunge back into sin once again. The Prophet Hosea called the nation to return to the Lord, to come to Him for healing and reviving, so that they could live before Him once again (vs 1-3).
     God desired to revive them. He desired to bless and prosper them spiritually. He did not desire to punish them. God desired that they would turn back to Him with a whole hearted repentance. He also knew their hearts, that their repentance was shallow and insincere, it was not of the kind that would last. He asks "what shall I do to you?" He desired to restore them but could not.
     Far to often people make half hearted commitments to Christ. They feel some conviction, or get into trouble and come to Him with half hearted confessions, and empty promises. What God desires is a thorough repentance. A deep breaking up of the hard packed soil of the heart. A broken and contrite heart is a heart that grieves for the hurt caused to God by sin. It grieves that God has been offended. It is ashamed of  its sinful actions. There is no making of excuses. A heart broken over sin will turn from sin. It will seek to avoid sin at all costs. It cannot bear the thought of grieving God any longer. This takes deep conviction by the Holy Spirit. It also involves a deep soul searching, and rooting out of sin in the heart. This is what is meant by breaking up the fallow ground (Hosea 10:12). Sinful actions have a root that must be removed. The hardened soil of the heart must be plowed up so that the word of God can be planted and allowed to bear fruit. True evangelical repentance is one that lasts. The life is changed. There is no turning back. It is true that the possibility of sin remains, but one who slips gets up quickly and continues to follow Christ whole heartedly.
     Sadly many modern day evangelists admit that out of every conversion, only about two percent remain faithful. What went wrong with the rest? Most blame lack of follow up, which might account for some. I think we live in a microwave society, where everything is done quickly. We settle for hasty prayers and slipping up embarrassed hands while every head is bowed and all eyes are closed, without allowing the Holy Spirit to do a complete work deep within the hearts of lost or backslidden individuals. Decisions are made based on emotion, decisions that will never last. When the feeling is over, the old life is returned to. We live in an age when nobody wants to confront sin. We are afraid to hurt others, or appear judgemental. What good will our silence, in the name of tolerance be, on the day of judgement, as our friends and families slip into an eternal hell. It is through conviction of sin that God leads an individual to repentance. The Prophets of old confronted Israel. Nathan the Prophet confronted David. John the Baptist confronted the people of his day, Jesus confronted individuals with their sin, Peter confronted three thousand souls on the day of pentecost, and urged them to repent. If we desire to see souls saved we can do no less.

Rend your hearts.

     Here is an excerpt from Matthew Henry's comments on Joel 2:12,13.

     Our fasting and weeping are worth nothing if we do not with them turn to God as our God. When we are fully convinced that it is our duty and interest to keep in with Him, and are heartily sorry we have ever turned the back upon Him, and thereupon by a fixed resolution, make His glory our end, His will our rule, and His favour our felicity, then we return to the Lord our God.
     When the heart is rent for sin, and rent from it, then it is prepared to turn entirely to God, and be devoted entirely to Him, and He will have it all or none.

Work out your salvation.

     Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in His sight.
     -2 Peter 3:14 (ASV)

     Now unto Him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of His glory without blemish in exceeding  joy,
     -Jude 24 (ASV)

     So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for His good pleasure.
     Philippians 2:12,13 (ASV)

     We have been called to live lives of holiness, lives that reflect the very character of Christ. At one time we all walked in rebellion against God, spiritually dead, our hearts and lives stained with sin. through repentance toward God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and made new.
     We are called to walk in newness of life. Many people think that salvation means we can live however we please without incurring God's wrath. In reality, salvation is a life changing experience. The very Spirit of God takes possession of our hearts, and begins to direct our lives. It is up to us to walk by the Spirit, following Him in obedience to His leading. The Holy Spirit will always lead us in the truth of God's word. As we allow Him to lead us, we will become more Christ-like in our lives. We are to be diligent. This means that we take great care, make every effort, to live our lives in a way that pleases Christ. There is no room for a half hearted commitment, we must be serious with God.
     When we are dirty we take a shower and get cleaned up. Now we want to stay clean so we try not to get dirty right away. In a similar way we are cleansed by the blood of Christ. God desires us to be clean, pure in heart. It is His will for us to live our lives in conformity to His will. He does not want us to plunge back into the sinful lives that He just cleansed us from. He leads us, we follow and obey. He supplies all that we need to walk in holiness before Him. It is up to us to step out in obedient faith. The grace of God will never lead us where the grace of God cannot keep us.

The faith of a child

     And they were bringing children to Him, so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, "Permit the children to come to me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."
     -Mark 10:13-15 NASB

    " Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
       -Matthew 18:4 NASB

    
    

The God of creation.

     For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlines and unrighteousness of men who supress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 
     Romans 1:18-20 (NASB)

     Over the course of the last one hundred fifty years or so, biblical doctrines have been attacked and eroded. While it is true that error has always been around, I am thinking more of the attacks on the biblical accounts by the use of higher criticism by theologians, attacks on the inspiration and authority of the bible by many pastors and denominations today, and in particular the attack on the biblical account of creation by Darwin, which still continues today.
     I have seen polls where christians are asked what they believe. The results are quite shocking. Many do not believe in the sinlessness of Christ, His virgin birth, His deity, and His humanity. Others do not believe the account of the flood, or the accounts of the miracles found in the scriptures. We live in a time when people believe what they want to believe, and reject what they don't like, without considering the implications. Once again, it is true that heresies have always been around, but we live in an age when almost anything seems to go in christianity.
     Many individuals reject the biblical account of creation, choosing to believe in evolution, or the big bang theory. They believe that the biblical account is too far fetched, and feel that it is better explained by scientific means. The amazing thing is that many of these individuals consider themselves to be christians.
     There are some doctrinal differences between denominations, that are not that important to the spiritual life of a believer, but the doctrine of creation is not one of them. The above verses tell us that God has revealed Himself to mankind through creation. What is known about God, His invisible attributes, eternal power, and divine nature are clearly seen. Deep within the heart, individuals know. The text tells us that these things are clearly seen, so man is without excuse! To reject the biblical account of creation is to reject the God of creation. You cannot say that you believe in God, and also hold to the big bang theory, evolution, or any other theory. It is not compatible with a true saving faith. This amounts to elevating the creature above the creator. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four footed animals and crawling creatures (vs 21-23).
     The text is very clear. Those who reject the true God and choose instead a god of their own making, are given over to sinful passion, plunging deeper and deeper into a depraved lifestyle. True biblical doctrine is important. We need to understand it and apply it. To follow a Jesus who sinned, and was not born of a virgin, is to follow a completely different Jesus. To deny His deity or His humanity is to create a new Jesus, one who cannot save you.
     You do not have to pour over volumes of systematic theology to understand true doctrine. It is found in the word of God. Know what you believe, and why you believe it. It matters.
    

Study all things.

     My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge...
      -Hosea 4:6

     The Apostle Paul warned the Ephesian church that false teachers would arise from within their own ranks. He warned of a time when people would not endure sound teaching, but would instead find teachers who would tickle their ears with false teachings. False teachings have been around since the day that the serpent deceived Eve in the garden. False prophets and priests existed in the days of ancient Israel. The epistles of the new testament address many false doctrines that were spreading throughout the church in the first century. Nothing has changed today as well. Different gospels are finding their way into many churches, churches that were at one time pillars of truth! Often we can spot a cult quite easily. Some teaching is obviously wrong, and a lot easier to reject as false. However some things can be quite subtle. It looks biblical, sounds biblical, sound evangelical preachers are promoting it....we need to be so careful! Deception creeps in and gains a foothold when individuals fail to carefully examine what they hear by the word of God. Generations of christians grow up mindlessly believing everything they hear without really looking into it to see if it is right or not. Doctrines taught by various denominations are adhered to and taken at face value, when in fact they are nothing more than the traditions of man.

     We must immerse ourselves in the truth of God's word. When Paul was preaching the gospel in Berea, the individuals there studied the scriptures to see if he was telling the truth or not. There are plenty of preachers, teachers, authors, etc. today who teach nothing more than a soft watered down feel good gospel that makes people feel good about themselves, giving them a false sense of security, but doing nothing to save their souls. What good would it be if a doctor told an individual who was dying of a terminal disease, that all was well, the illness was not severe, could be treated with asprin,and then sent him happily on his way, all because he wanted this individual to feel good about the situation he was in, rather than confront him with the truth of his disease, and the hard options that could save his life? That is what we see too many times today within evangelical christianity! A false representation of God, and a false representation of man's fallen condition, as well as a false gospel designed to make us feel better without really saving us. This lack of knowledge leads countless numbers to hell with a false assurance that all is well between them and God. Paul was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. To him it was the power of God unto salvation. He took great care to ensure that the truth was upheld. We must do the same today. Jesus spoke of a broad way full of people leading to destruction, and a narrow less traveled road leading to life, make sure you are on the right road!

Holiness.

     The concept of holiness can be confusing to people. To many it is one of those terms that we use as christians without ever considering what it truly means. To many, it means that somehow God sees us as okay no matter how we are living our lives. A sinful lifestyle can be justified by people who think that they are holy in God's eyes.
     The true concept behind holiness is one of separation. It involves being separated from sin, and self. It is a separation from the way the world lives and operates. "Come out from among them and be separate" (2 Cor 6:17) is a call to holiness, a call to the church to remain pure and separated from idolatry. Holiness requires devotion to God. We are separated from the world for the purpose of serving God. We are exhorted to present ourselves to God as living sacrifices (Rom 12:1). This act of devotion is considered holy, acceptable to God. Paul goes on to say " Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds". We are called to be different from those around us. We are to prove the will of God in our lives, by putting it into practice. In 1 Peter 1:15, we are told that we are to be holy in all of our conduct. Holiness is a way of life. It is a life lived for the glory of God. Sin is put away, self is put aside, all that matters is God.
     Holiness is vital to our walk with Christ. Without holiness, being separated out for God's use, we cannot see the Lord (Heb 12:14). Holiness begins in the heart and from there it finds its way into our actions. It is the pure in heart who will see God (Matt 5:8), those who come to Christ with an insincere, divided heart will find no peace. Jesus asks for our all. The cost of following Christ is great. "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself" (Mark 8:34). "Come out from among them and be separate" say the Lord, "and do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters" (2 Cor 6:17-18).
     The intent of salvation is to transform sinners into holy people. A salvation that leaves an individual still in his or her sins, a salvation that does not radically change the life of one who believes, is no salvation. This is a hard saying, but true. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:1-10, deals with this fact. Far too often we underestimate the actual power of God exhibited in Christ.The atonement is a powerful thing. The one set free by the Son is free indeed! We can live victorious, we can walk in purity and holiness before the Lord. It is all grace, it was all purchased for us by Jesus Christ on the cross. Salvation is a complete package. Forgiveness as well as a new life. A saved individual is a new creation. In one respect, the possibility of sin exists, and often is fallen into. However one who truly knows Christ will go to Him in repentance and faith, and find forgiveness and grace to go on with the Lord. That is different from one who claims to know Christ, and believes he is forgiven and saved, but has no real desire to turn from sin, makes no effort to obey Christ. Such a one is not holy, is not separated from the world, is not devoted to God, and is still dead in trespasses and sins.
     God is holy, and commands us to be holy as He is holy. The good news is that the same God who calls us to holiness is also faithful to produce this purity in our hearts and lives (1 Thess 5:23-24).