What the Lord Wants From Us
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Overthinking is definitely from the enemy! Yep! I think it is rooted in fear and it causes hesitation, doubt, indecisiveness, and ultimately unbelief! And guess who uses all that to keep us from the promises of God? The enemy! Well no more! In the name of Jesus, I will not allow overthinking, unbelief, doubt, indecisiveness, procrastination, or hesitation, hinder me any longer from receiving the promises of God.
This morning as I battled through overthinking of my routine and how I got up and blah blah blah, the Holy Spirit was reminding me that He is growing me up spiritually. Whereas I used to overthink way longer, I didn’t this morning. I combated those thoughts by reading a book that taught me even more about the power of praying the Word. That’s really been on my heart a whole lot if you’ve been listening and reading lately. I’ve said it before. I don’t just want a reward for prayer routine consistency, I want to pray the Word of God and see His power here on earth every single day!
But the only way to pray the Word is to read the Word and believe the Word (we just talked about unbelief a moment ago). To have strong faith, we must hear the Word of God. That means reading His Word daily and out loud. The Word of God is alive and active! It’s ready for us to see all the acts of God and how He intervened for His people.
And speaking of His people (that’s us), when I was reading for our Scriptural Bible Study in the book of Deuteronomy, 10th chapter, I saw a header that made me realize that God ain’t trying to make it difficult for me to follow Him or get to know Him on a deeper level. He loves me. He chose me. He loves you. He chose you. Therefore, as verse 16 puts it:
Remember your agreement with the Lord and stop being so stubborn. Deuteronomy 10:16 CEV
Therefore circumcise your hearts and don’t be stiff-necked any longer. Deuteronomy 10:16 CSB.
So cut away the thick calluses from your heart and stop being so willfully hardheaded. Deuteronomy 10:16 MSG
I don’t know about you, but “willfully hardheaded” and “stiff-necked” really stood out in those two different translations! I mean to be willfully hardheaded is a really being hardheaded for real for real. Like you just…stubborn as all get out if you being stiff-necked! So how can we get out of being hardheaded with God? Let’s look at what the Word of God says in verses 12-13:
And now Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God by walking in all his ways, to love him, and to worship the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul? Keep the Lord’s commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good. Deuteronomy 10:12-13 CSB
So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you? Just this: Live in his presence in holy reverence, follow the road he sets out for you, love him, serve God, your God, with everything you have in you, obey the commandments and regulations of God that I’m commanding you today—live a good life. Deuteronomy 10:12-13 MSG
People of Israel, what does the Lord your God want from you? The Lord wants you to respect and follow him, to love and serve him with all your heart and soul, and to obey his laws and teachings that I am giving you today. Do this, and all will go well for you. Deuteronomy 10:12-13 CEV
Just in case you missed it in the three translations, the Lord wants us to:
Fear and worship the Lord your God with awe-filled reverence and profound respect. Or simply put: Honor Him.
To walk in His Way each and every day. Or simply put: Live exactly as He wants you to live.
To love Him
To serve the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul. Or simply put: That means to serve the Lord with your choices, your thoughts, and your whole being.
Obey the Lord’s commands and rules. Or simply put: Obey God PERIOD!
God has so much for us. All of His promises are yes and Amen. But God requires somethings from us and to be quite honest, if we just move in faith verses fear, we can do everything we are required by God to do.
SALVATION PRAYER
If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and you’re not a believer, but you have a desire to be, all you have to do is openly confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9). When you pray that prayer, you are saved. Get connected with a good, bible-based church in your community, stay connected to other believers, and start having daily conversations through prayer with God every single day. Welcome to your new life with Jesus Christ!!!
ASSIGNMENTS
What did the Lord God say to you in your conversation with Him this morning?
Are you willing to do what God requires of you? Leave me a message on the podcast.
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