WHAT DOES GOD WANT OF US?

6:1 Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. 6:2 Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD'S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. 6:3 O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. 6:4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 6:5 O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD. 6:6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, [and] bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, [or] with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn [for] my transgression, the fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul? 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Micah 6:1-8 KJV

HOW MANY TIMES IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD DO WE SEE PEOPLE MISSING THE PURPOSE AND PLAN THAT GOD HS FOR THEIR LIVES? YOU SEE, IF OUR PLEASING GOD STARTED ON THE OUTSIDE WITH IMPRESSIVE DEEDS, THEN HE WOULD BE NO MORE THAN AN IDOL AND WE WOULD BE IDOLATERS. GOD SHOWED THE PROPHET MICAH A GREAT TRUTH ABOUT WHAT HE DESIRES FROM US. I BELIEVE IT IS THE SAME THINGS GOD WANTS OF US TODAY.

1. THE GREAT REVEALING. I'VE BEEN PREACHING THE GOSPEL FOR OVER 26 YEARS NOW AND I GET SO EXCITED WHEN THE LORD SHOWS ME SOMETHING IN HIS WORD. WHEN THE HOLY GHOST OF GOD, WHO MOVED INTO MY HEART WHEN I WAS 8 YEARS OLD, TAKES THAT PRECIOUS WORD OF GOD AND REVEALS THINGS TO ME, THIS IS ILLUMINATION. GOD TURNS UP THE LIGHT SO I CAN HAVE SPIRITUAL SIGHT.

2. THE GOOD REVEALED. GOD IS GOOD. THEREFORE, HE IS THE SOURCE OF GOOD. FOR US TO KNOW OR DO GOOD WE HAVE TO DO IT BY THE STRENGTH AND AID OF THE LORD. GOOD IS FOUND AGAIN AND AGAIN IN GOD'S WORD. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A STEADY DIET OF THE WORD OF GOD THEN YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO GOOD.

3. THE GRAND REQUIREMENT. HERE ARE THREE THINGS GOD OUTLINES FOR US IN ORDER TO PLEASE HIM. FIRST, DO JUSTLY. THIS IS TO BE HONEST AND CLEAN OF HEART DOING THAT WHICH IS RIGHT. SECOND, LOVE MERCY. BE QUICK TO SHOW MERCY AND LOVE IT MORE THAN VENGEANCE. LASTLY, WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD. THIS IS WHEN WE HUMBLE OURSELVES TO THE LORD AND LIVE A LIFE OF TRUE CONFESSION OF OUR SINS BEFORE HIS PRESENCE. (1JOHN 1:6-7).

THESE SIMPLE TRUTHS CAN BE FOLLOWED BY ALL BELIEVERS THAT HAVE SURRENDERED TO GOD'S WILL.

BY EVANGELIST STEVEN OSTTEN, SOUTHWEST BAPTIST TEMPLE, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK.