Sunday 17th November

Philippa Kirby shared a message titled,
'What is Required?'

The grace of God is with us. What does God ask of us or expect of us?

It's easy for us as Believers to put too much weight or emphasis on a certain way or must-dos. 

Micah 6:1-8 NLT
The Lord’s Case against IsraelListen to what the Lord is saying
“Stand up and state your case against me.
    Let the mountains and hills be called to witness your complaints.
2 And now, O mountains,
    listen to the Lord’s complaint!
He has a case against his people.
    He will bring charges against Israel.
3 “O my people, what have I done to you?
    What have I done to make you tired of me?
    Answer me!
4 For I brought you out of Egypt
    and redeemed you from slavery.
    I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you.
5 Don’t you remember, my people,
    how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed
    and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead?
And remember your journey from Acacia Grove[a] to Gilgal,
    when I, the Lord, did everything I could
    to teach you about my faithfulness.”
6 What can we bring to the Lord?
    Should we bring him burnt offerings?
Should we bow before God Most High
    with offerings of yearling calves?
7 Should we offer him thousands of rams
    and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Should we sacrifice our firstborn children
    to pay for our sins?
8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
    and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
    and to walk humbly with your God.

Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly. 

How does it look for us to do these things God requires of us? 

God is not a slave-driver. He gave everything for us!

1 Samuel 15:22 NLT
“What is more pleasing to the Lord:
    your burnt offerings and sacrifices
    or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
    and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.

Romans 12:1 NLT
I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

James 2:20 NLT
Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

Luke 9:23 NLT
 “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me." [spoken by Jesus]

All these verses talk about obeying, submission, doing, loving, walking, being a daily living sacrifice. 

Jesus was God's gift to the world, and yet so many have scorned Him and not accepted the gift. 

We can put musts in front of the list of things God requires of us, yet these things are really about our heart. Am I willing to give all of my heart to God? 

Proverbs 4:23 NIV
Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.

Psalm 139:23-24 NLT
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
    and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

When we DO, it needs to come from our heart, so we need to look after our hearts. We do this by asking God to search our hearts. 

Search me - know me - test me - lead me. 

God doesn't ask us to do things alone, but rather to do them with Him.

What areas do we need to allow God to search, know, and test us?