What Does God Expect From Us?
Hebrews 8:10-12 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days,” says the Lord; “I will put my laws into their mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (11) They will not teach every man his fellow citizen, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all will know me, from their least to their greatest. (12) For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.”
IN Christianity, it’s very easy to get self-absorbed. God gave Jesus for me, Jesus died for me, I get redemption, I become Holy, I am the apple of God’s eye, He’s coming back for me, I’ll put on immortality, I’ll live forever, I get blessed, etc, etc, etc.. You get the picture. Yes, every one of those statements is true in context. But, it really misses the point. Often the blessing is pushed harder than the source, and people seek the blessing more than the One who blesses. The gift of immortality becomes more of a self-centered endeavor, completely overlooking why we will become immortal. Modern church is selling the “get rich quick” gospel, instead of sacrifice and obedience. They talk more about what God can do for you (appealing to your selfish side), than what you can do for God. It teaches self-esteem without humbleness and meekness. Basically, you get a whole lot of icing but no cake. This produces a “what’s in it for me mentality.” As long as I’m getting what I want, I will come. But hey, one slip up and I’m out of here. The reason for this is because that is what most Christians get sold on when entering the church. “Hey, God will give you the warm fuzzies, you’ll feel better, and He will bless you.” This is all true, but once again, it is only half the truth. Church and everything Christianity is, is about God and Jesus first. But in our “lukewarm” state, we have made it all about us. How can my needs be met? Instead of, me meeting the needs of God and man. What can God do for me? Instead of, what can I do for God? I want this, instead of asking what God wants. Well, I think that’s a great question. Let us see what God wants and observe His expectation of His children.
What Are The Calls Of God?
He Calls Us To Holiness
2 Timothy 1:9 “who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,”
He Calls Us To Be Saints
Romans 1:6-7 “among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ; (7) to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
He Calls Us To Peace
1 Corinthians 7:15 “Yet if the unbeliever departs, let there be separation. The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace.”
He Calls Us To Virtue
2 Peter 1:3 “seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue;”
He Calls Us Out Of Darkness
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:”
He Calls Us To His Eternal Glory
1 Peter 5:10 “But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.”
He Calls Us To Be One Body
Colossians 3:15-17 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. “
What God Wants You To Do!
Believe In His Son Through Obedience
1 John 3:23-24 “This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded. (24) He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.”
Walk In The Newness Of Life
Romans 6:4 “We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.”
Live Unto Righteousness
1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.”
Love One Another
1 John 3:11 “For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;”
Declare His Praises
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:”
Fight For The Faith
Jude 1:3 “Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”
Bring Forth Fruit
Colossians 1:9-10 “For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don’t cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, (10) that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
Be Thankful And Let The Words Of Christ Dwell
Colossians 3:16-17 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. (17) Whatever you do, in word or indeed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him.”
Be Content
Hebrews 13:5 “Be free from the love of money, be content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”
What God Requires!
To Love As Christ
John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. (35) By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
To Live As Christ
Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
A Life Of Sacrifice
John 15:12-14 “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. (13) Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (14) You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.”
A Life Of Obedience
Romans 6:16-18 “Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? (17) But thanks be to God, that, whereas you were bondservants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were delivered. (18) Being made free from sin, you became bondservants of righteousness.”
A Life Of Service
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 “For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, (10) and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
A Life Of Power
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
Matthew 28:18-20 “Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
A Life Of Separation
2 Corinthians 6:14-17 “Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? (15) What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever? (16) What agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (17) Therefore “‘Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you.”
A Life Of Suffering
2 Corinthians 4:7-12 “But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves. (8) We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair; (9) pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed; (10) always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (11) For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh. (12) So then death works in us, but life in you.”
A Life Of Victory
1 Corinthians 15:57-58 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (58) Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
What God Wants You To Do In Your Walk!
Walk In The Newness Of Life
Romans 6:4 “We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.”
Walk In Good Works
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.”
Walk In Love
Ephesians 5:2 “Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.”
Walk In The Spirit
Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
Walk In Jesus
Colossians 2:6-7 “As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him, (7) rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.”
Walk In Wisdom
Colossians 4:5 “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.”
Walk In The Light
1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”
Walk Worthily
Ephesians 4:1-3 “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, (2) with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love; (3) being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
What God Expects You To Be!
You Should Be Changed
Ephesians 4:20-24 “But you didn’t learn Christ that way; (21) if indeed you heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: (22) that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit; (23) and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (24) and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.”
You Should Be Like Christ
1 John 3:2-3 “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is. (3) Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.”
1 Peter 2:21-23 “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps, (22) who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.” (23) Who, when he was cursed, didn’t curse back. When he suffered, didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously.”
You Should Be The Example
1 Timothy 4:11-12 “Command and teach these things. (12) Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.”
You Should Be Transformed
Romans 12:2 “Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
Avoid Doing What God Hates!
Proverbs 6:16-19
There are 6 things which Yahweh hates;
yes, 7 which are an abomination to him:
1. arrogant eyes, (Prideful)
2. a lying tongue, (Deceiver)
3. hands that shed innocent blood; (Murderer)
4. a heart that devises wicked schemes, (Instigator Of Evil)
5. feet that are swift in running to mischief, (Spreader Of Discord)
6. a false witness who utters lies, (Perverter Of Justice)
7. and he who sows discord among brothers. (Destroyer Of Unity)
As we know, Salvation is a free gift. Yet once saved, so to speak, the one who has saved us has many expectations for those He has saved. God is not playing a game of “duck, duck, goose” tapping certain people on the head then running away, keeping His will unknown until He sit back in their seat. On the contrary, God has made it clear what His saved ones are to do, become, act, and accomplish for Him and His kingdom. This all goes back to His character and parenthood. What He values for His creation and family. In simple terms, Father God has house rules and we are all expected to abide by them. Father God has a plan for our lives and we are expected to follow the plan. Father God has a goal for us all to reach. If we want to love our Father God, then we must stick to His plan and keep His house in unity to His will and purpose.