Walk Worthy
“I (Paul), therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:1-3
Sitting with a group of friends Tuesday morning doing a little bible study we were looking at a well known passage of scripture from the book of Micah. In chapter 6 we find God pleading with the nation of Israel to remember His faithfulness to them in that it was God Himself who delivered the children of Israel from the bondage of the Egyptians. His question to them is “why do you ignore Me when I have rescued and redeemed you throughout your history?” Like those of us who are in Christ, the nation was saved so they could have a relationship with God, that they might know Him.
Egypt for the Christian is a type of the world and its influence over our lives. When we come to Christ Jesus sets us free from the bondage of this world (Egypt). Sin and death have been defeated by the Cross at Calvary and we are now free to walk with God, to know Him in a personal way day by day, learning His voice and distinguishing it from our own will and the temptations of this world that seek to lead us right back to our old way of life.
At this time in Israel’s history they had not only the 10 Commandments but as well, the 613 laws of Moses along with the Mishnah and the Talmud of the Jews. They had the law and the oral interpretations of the law to go along with it. Everything a person could ever want in a complex religious system that left you feeling like a failure day by day for falling short of God’s glory they had created for themselves. Yet even in the Old Testament God offers His people a simple pathway to enjoy life with Him. In verse 8 it says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? This is the Old Testament equivalent you might say of what Jesus said in Matthew 22:36-40 with regard to the question asked by the Pharisee lawyer, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
In the book of Micah the children of Israel were instructed by the Lord to do justly, which is another way of saying obey the law, obey the commands of God. It was Jesus Himself who said, “if you love Me then keep My commandments.” Next, the Lord calls the nation to love mercy for the simple reason that is what He has shown them time and time again. Anyone who has ever tried to keep the law of God perfectly understands why mercy would be next in Gods requirements for knowing that we have all fallen short of the glory of God. To love mercy is to love the fact that God doesn’t give us what we deserve. To love mercy is to be aware of our guilt before a righteous King and to appreciate His kindness to one deserving of death. To love mercy then is to not be judgmental towards others but to recognize that man is fallible, each a sinner saved only by God’s grace. To walk humbly with God is to walk along side Him in this life recognizing our need for His protection and provision. To walk humbly with God is to not live presumptuously, but rather to live in complete and utter dependence upon Him for everything. These are the requirements of God for those who want to enjoy His favor and to experience His life.
Enjoy this day that the Lord has made, loved one, do justly by walking in obedience to the Word, and love mercy knowing that it’s only by God’s grace that we are saved through faith. Grace is what saved you and its grace that will keep you. Lastly, walk humbly with God, looking to Him in all things for help, for hope and one day heaven too! Walking humbly with God is living the now, living in the moment with the awareness we can’t make it without Him. What was true in the Old Testament is just as true in the New Testament too, so walk worthy!
I LOVE YOU!
Ephesians 4:1-3
Sitting with a group of friends Tuesday morning doing a little bible study we were looking at a well known passage of scripture from the book of Micah. In chapter 6 we find God pleading with the nation of Israel to remember His faithfulness to them in that it was God Himself who delivered the children of Israel from the bondage of the Egyptians. His question to them is “why do you ignore Me when I have rescued and redeemed you throughout your history?” Like those of us who are in Christ, the nation was saved so they could have a relationship with God, that they might know Him.
Egypt for the Christian is a type of the world and its influence over our lives. When we come to Christ Jesus sets us free from the bondage of this world (Egypt). Sin and death have been defeated by the Cross at Calvary and we are now free to walk with God, to know Him in a personal way day by day, learning His voice and distinguishing it from our own will and the temptations of this world that seek to lead us right back to our old way of life.
At this time in Israel’s history they had not only the 10 Commandments but as well, the 613 laws of Moses along with the Mishnah and the Talmud of the Jews. They had the law and the oral interpretations of the law to go along with it. Everything a person could ever want in a complex religious system that left you feeling like a failure day by day for falling short of God’s glory they had created for themselves. Yet even in the Old Testament God offers His people a simple pathway to enjoy life with Him. In verse 8 it says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? This is the Old Testament equivalent you might say of what Jesus said in Matthew 22:36-40 with regard to the question asked by the Pharisee lawyer, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
In the book of Micah the children of Israel were instructed by the Lord to do justly, which is another way of saying obey the law, obey the commands of God. It was Jesus Himself who said, “if you love Me then keep My commandments.” Next, the Lord calls the nation to love mercy for the simple reason that is what He has shown them time and time again. Anyone who has ever tried to keep the law of God perfectly understands why mercy would be next in Gods requirements for knowing that we have all fallen short of the glory of God. To love mercy is to love the fact that God doesn’t give us what we deserve. To love mercy is to be aware of our guilt before a righteous King and to appreciate His kindness to one deserving of death. To love mercy then is to not be judgmental towards others but to recognize that man is fallible, each a sinner saved only by God’s grace. To walk humbly with God is to walk along side Him in this life recognizing our need for His protection and provision. To walk humbly with God is to not live presumptuously, but rather to live in complete and utter dependence upon Him for everything. These are the requirements of God for those who want to enjoy His favor and to experience His life.
Enjoy this day that the Lord has made, loved one, do justly by walking in obedience to the Word, and love mercy knowing that it’s only by God’s grace that we are saved through faith. Grace is what saved you and its grace that will keep you. Lastly, walk humbly with God, looking to Him in all things for help, for hope and one day heaven too! Walking humbly with God is living the now, living in the moment with the awareness we can’t make it without Him. What was true in the Old Testament is just as true in the New Testament too, so walk worthy!
I LOVE YOU!
Recent
Archive
2024
January
February
How To Make Good DecisionsI Hope You DanceMove The FenceWON BY ONEWeeds or Wishes?It's PersonalDefining MomentsTake My HandThink On These ThingsYou Are God's ValentineYour Personal Love StoryA Better WayOne Extraordinary LifeAn Incentive To PrayFollow The LeaderCheck For LeaksHindsight or Foresight?The Antidote For HurtGod Hurts TooBe The MiracleWhen A Gift Becomes A Gift
March
The Power Of A Single TearMore Than A FeelingLive Like You Were DyingThe Good LifeBecoming A Rock CollectorWhen One Is Not A Lonely NumberAll You Need And MoreLove HurtsMore Than A FeelingMake A DifferenceQuit Chasing CarrotsWhom Are You Fetching For?Loves Got A Pull On MeI Can't Help MyselfYou"re Never AloneBreakfast By The Sea
2023
January
April
Categories
no categories