THE CONDUCT GOD DESIRES OF US!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY APRIL 17, 2021.

SUBJECT: THE CONDUCT GOD DESIRES OF US! 

Memory verse: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." (Romans 12 vs 1.)

READ: Psalm 15 vs 1 - 5:

15:1: LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

15:2: He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.

15:3: He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against a friend;

15:4: In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the LORD; he who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 

15:5: He who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

INTIMATION:

We cannot measure up to God’s standards. But for Jesus Christ no one has ever measured and will ever measure up to God’s standards. However, God expects us to have some measure of service He considers reasonable. Sacrifice primarily denotes the act of offering, and offering objectively that which is offered. Offering oneself as a  ‘living sacrifice’ is indicative of the conduct of oneself, indicating one’s manner of life, and character. God wants us to offer ourselves as ‘living sacrifices,’ that is daily laying aside our own desires to follow Him, putting all our energy and resources at His disposal and trusting Him to guide us. 

God has good, pleasing, and perfect plans for His children. He wants us to be transformed people with renewed minds, living to honor and obey Him. Because He wants only what is best for us, and because He sacrificed His Son, now living, to make our new life possible, we should joyfully, and gratuitously give ourselves as ‘living sacrifice’ for His service.

Our bodies comprise of parts, also rendered as ‘members.’ Each member serves dedicated purposes. With our bodies we develop skills and capabilities that can serve many purposes, good or bad. In sin, every part of our body is vulnerable. In Christ every part of our body can be an instrument for service. It is the one to whom we offer our service that makes the difference. We are like lasers that can burn destructive holes in steel places or do delicate cataract surgery. 

God demands from us moral uprightness, and in the passage we read today, He gives us ten (10) standards to serve as a measuring scale to determine how we are doing. We live in a morally bankrupt society, a world whose standards and morals are eroding. Our standard of living should not come from our evil society but from God. Words are powerful, and how we use them reflect our relationship with God. Perhaps nothing identifies Christians as their ability to control their speech, especially speaking the truth, refusing to slander, and backbite, and keeping oaths (promises).

Our Messiah, Jesus Christ made life and our standards of living, in accordance with God’s demands, very simple by summarizing all in just two commandments. In Mark 12 vs 29 -  31, the Scripture says, “Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is : ‘Hear O Israel, the LORD your God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12 vs 29 - 31.)

According to Jesus, these two commandments summarize all God’s laws. Let them rule your thoughts, decisions, and actions. When you are uncertain about what to do, ask yourself which course of action best demonstrates love for God and love for others. As we grow in our relationship with our Redeemer, we develop a desire to live by His standards. The depth of our eternal relationship with Him can often be measured by the way we reflect His standards in our daily activities.

Prayer: Abba Father, I want to live my life fully and completely dedicated to You, to serve and obey You in all things. I pray for Your grace to lead me through, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!