“He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).   Many Christians often seek God for their health, welfare, career, home/car purchase, in other words, the things that give pleasure. But are these the things that God cares about the most? Jesus said in Matthew 6:7, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” This implies that God is mindful about the things of life that we care about. But what are the things that God cares about the most? We have a strong indication from the following verses when Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray.   “Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:9-13).   Did you notice how often Jesus mentioned the material things of life that we need, in other words, what kind of priority God puts on these things? It’s the fourth item on the list. The first three give us an indication of what God is really concerned about: his name, his kingdom, his will.   How often do you think about those things? How often do you think about God’s reputation, his kingdom, and his will? Here’s a simple test. The scripture says that if we are true Christians we will “walk as he walked” (I John 2:6). What does that mean? It means that Jesus’ first concern in life was that which his father was concerned with: His name, His kingdom, His will.   My fellow Christian, if you live your life day to day and have little or no thoughts in your mind about God, the Bible, church, or your testimony as a Christian then can you say with all confidence that you are really one of his children? What does God expect of us? He expects us to live for him just as he lived for us. Jesus lived for us, not himself. Jesus died for us, not himself. Jesus rose for us, not himself. And he is working in the world today on our behalf, that we might know him intimately and become like him.   Memory Verse   “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).   Application   The one who truly wants to be a Christian, a real Christian, is one who has these priorities in his life. Do a spiritual inventory about your life’s priorities. How can you rearrange your life so that you make God’s priorities your priorities?

“If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority” (John 7:17).   What is the, “Will of God?”   There is more than one answer to this question. There are three categories of God's will.   Decretive Will. These are God's declarations that nothing can change. Preceptive Will. This is defined as God’s precepts, preferences, values, and commands for our lives. Divine Vocation. This is that part of God’s will that through the circumstances He places us, we find ourselves with the ability to fulfill His Preceptive Will.   Here's how God will works in your life. (1) God decrees our salvation from eternity past. He plans for us to be saved. (2) he gives us his precepts—commands to obey voluntarily. Then, through his precepts he guides us to (3) knowing our divine vocation, how he wants us to spend our lives.   God’s Decretive Will (his decrees) are always performed and cannot be frustrated by man. When God decrees something it always happens. But when God’s Preceptive Will, that is, His desire for the outcome of our character is proactively applied in our lives, then God will, in His time, reveal to the Christian His will for Divine Vocation.   We can see these three categories represented in Jesus’ life. Take a look. First, Jesus declared God’s decretive will: “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me” (John 7:6). Then he declared that he followed God’s preceptive will: “Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law” (John 7:19). The he declared God’s Vocational Will (Divine Vocation for Jesus): “I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me” (John 7:28-29).   If you are seeking God’s will for your life, but are not yet in agreement with God about basic moral issues, or you have not set your life apart for His service, or you are engaged in behaviors that are contrary to the word of God, then do not expect that God will speak to you about your Divine Vocation.   God’s Preceptive Will is prerequisite to knowing your Divine Vocation. Another way of putting this is: If you are not listening to what God has already said in the Bible, why would He speak to you about anything further?   Memory Verse   “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority” (John 7:17).   Application   Are you in agreement with God’s will for your life? Begin with his preceptive will. Do you regularly violate God’s moral commands? Repent, confess these to God and experience his forgiveness. Then wait on God to reveal more of his will to you.

Have you ever considered the first things Jesus said as recorded in the four Gospels? Take a look.   “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Mathew 3:15). “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” (Luke 2:49). "What are you seeking?" (John 1:38).   Each of these things were precipitated by events in Jesus’ life. In Matthew, Jesus’ first words were from his baptism, when he wanted to be baptized by John the Baptist. The first thing important to Matthew? Fulfilling righteousness.   For Mark it was an illustration of what was important in Jesus’ message after John the Baptist was arrested.   Luke, the gentile writer, went back to Jesus’ childhood to demonstrate that even at the youngest age, Jesus knew who he was, that he was the unique Son of God.   John’s first statement is simple. “What are you seeking?” Said to the first of Jesus’ disciples to begin following him.   If you were to write your own Gospel of Jesus life, what would be the first thing you would have Jesus say to you? How would that be different from what is already recorded in the Gospels?   If you were to take these saying of Jesus in reverse order, look at the subjects Jesus addressed as if an extended statement to the person who needs to come to faith in Christ.   What are you seeking? (John) Why are you looking for me? (Luke) Repent and believe. (Mark) Let it be so now. (Matthew)   Memory Verse   “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).   Application   What was the first thing that God convicted you about when you first came to faith in Christ? How has that original conviction worked out in your life? Take time to thank God for speaking to your heart and for the life he has given you as a result of your coming to faith in him.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).   How are we commanded to love God? With all our:   Heart Soul (mind) Strength   Consider this: What is the second greatest command? “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 18:19).   There is only one problem with these commands. The standard of behavior is us. We are to love the Lord with OUR hearts, OUR minds, and OUR strength. But the scripture also says that all of these things are affected by sin. Our hearts, minds, and strength are not what they are suppose to be. For instance:   Our hearts are “Deceitfully wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9) Our minds are set on death (Romans 8:6) Our strength fails because of our sin (Psalm 31:10) Our "selves" is corrupt (Ephesians 4:22)   Thankfully, Jesus gave us a new command. "Love one another as I have loved you" (John 13:34). The standard of love in this passage is not us, it's Jesus. This is why it was a new command.   How did God love us according to His standard?   He loved us with all his heart (He valued as us of equal value to his own Son. II Corinthians 5.) He loved us with his mind (His thoughts toward us are always of good and of peace.) He loved us with all his Strength (He poured out his strength on the cross.)   I want to be a man of love.   If we want to be people of love, then we need three things. We need to have the heart of God, the mind of God, and the strength of God. Through the Holy Spirit, this is exactly what we have.   We have God's heart (Psalm 73:26 - "God is the strength of my heart.") We have God's mind (I Corinthians 2:16 - "We have the mind of Christ.") We have God's strength (Philippians 4:13 - Endure all things through Christ.)   If Jesus endured the cross for us, and he promised in John 14:12 that we would do greater things, then imagine what we could endure for his sake.   Memory Verse   “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).   Application   What can you do today that will be an expression of love to God? Acts of love for others helps us to express our love for God, the love he has given us through his Holy Spirit.

“God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).   Have you ever heard something teach that you are not your job or what you do? Sometimes, such teachers what us to put aside what we do because, under their understanding, a human being is not what he does with his life.   Nothing could be further from the truth.   What you do is part of what it means to be made in the image of God. Before marriage, before family, before anything else there was work and work was the primary way to imitate God. You cannot reflect the image of God in you without some kind of labor. Even the retired do this by the history of their labor.   Consider, what was the first thing that scripture told us about God to help us understand who he is? It is this statement, “In the beginning, God created…” (Genesis 1:1). Did you get that? The first description about God in the Bible is a statement about what God does, his work. He is Creator. Actually, the book of Job was likely written before Genesis. After Job complains to God about his treatment God answers him by doing what? By giving a description of himself as Creator (Job 38-41). If God’s identity can be described by what he does, then why not you, who has been made in God’s image? What is an image? Something that represents another thing. Therefore, if God is Creator and you are his image, then you are what you do.   What all of this reveals to us is that work is a blessing, not a necessary evil. Even the ideal society in Genesis 2 ascribed work even before marriage. If we are—intentionally—not engaged in work then we are violating God's design for us to become like him. Even Jesus was described by what he did. He was a carpenter, then he was called a Rabbi, then he was called Savior, and we know him as Lord. These aren’t states of being. These are functions. Our functions describe now only what we do, but who and what we are.   What are you?   Memory Verse   “Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah” (Acts 18:5).   Application   Rest from work is good and encouraged in scripture. But laziness is not. Do a spiritual inventory. How would you describe your activity? Do you regularly engage in useful work to others, your family, and even yourself? Remember, your work glorifies God. Thank him for all that you must do.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).   “All the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever” (Joshua 4:24).   Did you know you can have fear and courage at the same time? In Joshua 1, after the death of Moses, the Lord spent a full chapter encouraging Joshua not to fear or be dismayed. It's reasonable to assume that Joshua was somewhat fearful. He had spent his life following Moses. And when it came time to choose a successor, God chose Joshua. Isn't it interesting that the very thing that might disqualify a military commander, fear, was the very trait Joshua had lots of.   Yet, at the same time, the Lord wanted Israel to have a healthy fear of God. God manifested himself to Israel by drying up the Jordan river before Israel so that they, “May fear the Lord your God forever.”   God is a great God. And the fear of God accompanies salvation. Consider the story of Rahab in Joshua 2. She recited the great and terrible things the Lord did for Israel, then said, “For the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11). Her fear of God brought her into relationship with God and she was saved.   Memory Verse   “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).   Application   Whatever you encounter today, have no fear, because the God who was with Moses and Joshua, and even Rahab, is with you, through Jesus. Step out in faith to share your faith that other may know and fear the Lord as you do.

“Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out. At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses” (Numbers 9:22-23).   Do you feel stuck in a dead end job? Is your spouse not the person you envisioned spending your life with? Is school too frustrating and hard? Over these and many other situations we sometimes look for a change in life. Get a new job. Leave your spouse for another. Abandon your education. Yet, what we discover, often too late, is that God does not lead by frustration. Sometimes, God places us in frustrating positions so that we can be a witness through them.   Today’s passage tells us that we should only move, or make major changes in our lives when the Lord moves us. Wandering in the wilderness was not fun for Israel. But it was necessary. And so the people did not move until the Lord did. So it should be with us. We should not make major changes out of frustration, but out of conviction. The Lord does not lead out of frustration, but out of conviction. Our temptation is to always look for the easier thing. But just as Jesus close hard things, sometimes it is the hard things that we are called to do. Remember Jesus’ word to the disciples after his resurrection. “While staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4).   Memory Verse   “While staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4).   Application   Whatever your frustration, bring it to God in prayer, and unless it involves sin, seek to remain until the Lord specifically convicts you about what to do next. Check everything with scripture. Seek to be a positive witness for Christ no matter what you face.

“Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4:21-22).   Why do you suppose Paul said this? Did you catch Paul’s sneaky little mention of Caesar’s household? Normally Paul’s greetings would be of the saints greeting one another. And that element is here in Paul’s goodbye. But then he mentions Caesar’s household. It was a sign to his readers. Paul wasn’t simply a prisoner. His testimony for Christ made it not only to his guard, but even into the halls of Roman power.   Are you part of political movements designed to address America’s moral crisis? There are many Christian political organizations trying to restore what is referred to as America’s godly heritage. Such groups protest, engage in court cases, and lobby lawmakers about issues like abortion, pornography, human trafficking, and religious freedoms. There’s nothing wrong with being involved in such movements. But if we want to have a transformative effect for Christ in the political world, maybe a few of us should go to prison.   Paul witnessed to Caesar’s household because of his prison time, not because of his free time. His witness began with the guards, then testifying before magistrates, then Roman governors and kings. Some within the halls of power were brought to faith in Christ. Paul, wisely, doesn’t name them in order to keep them safe. But he does tell his readers that the halls of power had been penetrated with the simple message of the Gospel. And if it hadn’t been for Paul’s suffering in prison, perhaps they never would have come to know Christ. Perhaps we should rethink some of our political efforts and turn them into spiritual efforts.   Memory Verse   “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1).   Application   Would you like to make a difference in the halls of power? Instead of just considering political change, consider what you must do to bring about spiritual change in the halls of power.

“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:12-13).   Today’s passage contains one of the most well-known and well-loved passages of scripture. You can find it on t-shirts, coffee mugs, decorative signs, sports programs, and more. It’s a passage used to encourage people in their career endeavors, sports, anything where a person needs a push to take a challenge and perform well. Just as “All things are possible with God,” so too this passage tells us nothing is impossible for us as well. We can accomplish whatever we set our hearts to. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” How encouraging! There’s only one thing wrong with that understanding.   It’s completely false.   If you want to understand what a passage of scripture really means, you have to go to its context. And the context of this passage is a difficult one. Look at what Paul was facing just before he uttered those so-well-loved words. “I know how to be brought low.” What? Brought low? “I know how to abound.” Hey, that’s more like it! “I have learned the secret of facing…hunger…and need.”   Considering the context of this passage it’s better to translate it this way, “I can endure all things through him who strengthens me.” This makes more sense. So, what is the secret? It is to stay focused on the person of Jesus. Look at Paul’s last few words, “…through HIM who strengthens me.” It is our focus on Jesus that gets us through the trials we face; even if that trial is being wrongly imprisoned in a filthy, smelling, disease-infested cell.   What are you faced with today?   Memory Verse   “I can all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).   Application   Write down this memory verse and keep it with you. When trials come, no matter how large or small, bring it to your mind and purpose to move forward, relaying on Christ.

“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Philippians 1:12-14).   Have you ever thought that your bad experiences or suffering may advance the Gospel so that other might come to know Jesus? This isn’t how we normally perceive unpleasant experiences, is it? Yet, the scripture seems to indicate that suffering for Christ may be a great way to introduce people to the Lord.   Take a look at what Paul says in this passage. He notes that his imprisonment was not only a witness, but it was a witness to the imperial guard. As a captive, Paul, at times, was chained to his guard and thus the captive had a captive audience. Paul saw his suffering as opportunity to help others come to know about Jesus.   How do you perceive your suffering?   Some philosophies, like Buddhism, perceive suffering as bad, as without greater purpose. The Buddhist wants to unchain from his suffering and escape it. But Jesus’ attitude was different. He embraced his suffering for the salvation of the world. Paul felt the same way. He saw suffering as an opportunity to share Christ, because it is when we suffer that people look to see how we will respond. As Christians, we should respond with the attitude of Christ.   Memory Verse   “With full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:20-21).   Application   Think about the times in your life you have suffered. How did you respond to God in your suffering? What can you do to fix in your mind that opportunities may arise the next time you suffer?

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).   Have you ever broken the law? I bet you have. I have. In fact, everyone has. Whether it’s a traffic violation, cheating on your taxes, or something much worse, we have all broken the law. There are laws against certain things. We break them. We pay a price in punishment.   Did you know that when it comes to the fruit of the Spirit there is no law against it? Whether in a country’s law or in the law of God you won’t find a law that says, “You shall not be joyful,” or “You shall not be kind,” or “Acts of goodness will be fined and may include a prison sentence.” Paul says, “Against such things there is no law.”   That’s it. What more is there to say? You can go out and obey this kind of law. You aren’t likely to get arrested for being gentle or exercising self-control. If fact, you’re likely to be praised for it. And that might be the price for obedience.   Memory Verse   “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).   Application   Meet every challenge today with the fruit of the Spirit. When faced with hurtfulness, express kindness. When faced with evil, answer with goodness. When faced with temptation, choose faithfulness.

“Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith” (Galatians 3:2-5).   In the book of Galatians the apostle Paul spent most of his effort to re-educate his readers about faith in Christ rather than living according to the Mosaic Law. He challenges his readers saying, “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?” Paul makes an excellent point.   Consider what you have received in Christ. Your salvation. Your growth to maturity. Your Christian relationships. And of course, your filling by the Holy Spirit. Chances are, when you received Christ your whole life began to change and these were just some of the things that God gifted you with when you come to faith. And the Mosaic Law didn’t perform any of it.   There is a place for the Old Testament laws in our lives. It is the word of God. As such, it has great value being from God. But our observance is not in the law itself as much as it is to Christ and the principles that he taught. So, while we mature and grow, it is by faith in him rather than on the precepts of the law. Without faith in Christ, the law cannot save.   What are you obeying in your life? It comes down to principles or a person. Principles are important and they should not be ignored. But, ultimately, it is the person of Christ to whom we are attached, and who we must obey.   Memory Verse   “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13).   Application   The word of God cannot be separated from the person of God. As such, obey his word is obeying him. What or whom are you obeying?