What God Requires of Me

Evidence of True Religion & Divine Requirements

I really enjoy using my Thompson Chain Reference Bible. I looked up one of my favorite verses, Micah 6:8, and found a couple of themes, true religion and divine requirements.

1. Love God, walk in all His ways, and love and serve Him with all your heart and soul. Keep His commandments. Deuteronomy 10:12-13 
2. Fear God and keep His commandments. Ecclesiastes 12:13
3. Love mercy, act justly, and walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
4. Render true judgements, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart. Zechariah 7:9-10
5. Visit the fatherless and the widow. Keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27

As I read it, it is evident that my life as a Christian should be distinct from the world. Receiving God's love and forgiveness in Christ gives me the ability to love God with all of my being and then love others as myself. I love because God first loved me. Hiding His word in my heart not only keeps me from sinning but also helps me to love others. With the prevailing changes in our society, it is vital that I know God's word more and more so that I am not lead astray by wrong thinking. Sin is still sin and people are still in need of a savior. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. God's word still holds true today and has the answers to all life's troubles. I had someone tell me that she thought that the Old Testament was not important but I disagree because I have learned not only to appreciate God's grace but also what God requires of me from reading and studying it. Being a Christian is more about being than in doing. As a dear friend once told me, it is not what you do that is important but what you be. In other words, be real, be honest, be authentic, and be forgiving as well as loving.

If according to the world, I am wrong in putting my faith in Jesus, I have nothing to lose. But if I am right then I have everything to gain. I would rather err in believing than not. God has proven Himself to me over and over again. His love is real.

Interesting Bible Fact: Malachi, written about 400 BC, is the youngest book in the Old Testament.

My Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, thank You for making me Yours through Your Son, Jesus. May others come to know You as I do. Amen.