God's Expectations

God's word tells us plainly what He requires of you; seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)  When you break that down it means to have a true walk with God, you must seek to help the poor and oppressed out of the mercy of your heart.

Proverbs 22:2 says that God made the rich and poor; they are alike in His eyes.  Is there a Biblical precedent that would say we are to help the poor who don't want to become Christians?  Yes, in one word, "God".  God's goodness is spurred by His nature, not by our worthiness.  God doesn't give you only what you remember to thank Him for.

God's thoughts are not like ours, neither are His ways our ways.  By doing good to all people, you will go out in joy, and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you.  O, Your love is a symphony my Lord.

If you are trying to please men, then you are not a servant of Christ, for God does not judge by external appearance.  You should serve your brothers in love for the Bible says, "Love your neighbors as yourselves".  You can make your life beautiful by serving God as you serve the poor and oppressed.  Doing anything else is just going through the motions of self righteousness.

Jesus does not show favoritism; He wants you to seek justice for all men.  If a man comes into your meeting wearing gold and fine clothes and another comes in wearing shabby clothes, do you discriminate against the latter?  Do you give the rich man the best seat and sit by him, while telling the other to just stand there?  If so you indeed have discriminated among yourself and become a judge with evil thoughts.  God has chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised them.

Let's suppose a brother is without clothes and food.  If you say I wish you well but do nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  Like when faith by itself is not accompanied by action, is dead.  A man is justified by what he does, not by faith alone.  As the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

So what does my Lord require of me; but to serve my brother justly out of my love of mercy, and by doing so, walk humbly with my God.  God is love, but God is also just.  These are:

"God's Expectations".

James 2   Galatians 5  Jeremy Riddle   Max Lucado   Proverbs 8   Isaiah 56

Francesca Batistelli   Matthew West