THINGS
IMPORTANT TO GOD
As natural
human beings we tend to think of things important tot us. As we
study the word of God we are often confronted with the truth that
an even higher priority is “Things Important To God.” Here are
some things that have struck me as being especially important to
God.
KNOW GOD
Jeremiah 9:23
speaks of three things in which we are not to glory. “Let not.
. .
The wise man glory in this wisdom
The mighty man glory in his might
The rich man glory in his riches.”
To glory means
to praise, celebrate, boast. The personal pronoun “his” is very
important. This verse refers to boasting or reveling in
our human wisdom, might, and riches. These qualities may serve us
well in the normal flow of life, but often come up short in times
of crisis. The context refers to an invasion by the mighty
Babylonian army as a judgment on Israel because of their
multiplied sins. God makes clear that these qualities will not
save them. It is well to take note that these three qualities
remain as the ones in which man is naturally inclined to boast
today. They still come up short in a time of crisis.
Jeremiah 9:24
emphasizes the qualities in which man is to glory. “But let
him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me.”
SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING
The word
understand here refers to the spiritual enlightenment of the
mind. God’s word makes it clear that “the natural man does not
receive the things of the Spirit of God. . .” (See 1st
Corinthians 2:13) It is only when we humble ourselves and
present God a receptive mind that the Holy Spirit can teach us the
things of God.
THE KNOWLEDGE OF PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE
“KNOWS Me” is
experiential knowledge as opposed to academic. It is knowledge we
gained from personal experience and not just something we were
taught by a teacher or read from a book. It is common fro new
believers to be asked hard questions as to how they know the
teachings of the Bible are true, and how do they know their sins
have been forgiven, and they are going to Heaven.
THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING GOD
The importance
of knowing God is underscored by references to Jeremiah’s
statement in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul wrote,
“But he who glories, let him glory in the LORD”. – 2nd
Corinthians10:17. The apostle John wrote, “And we know that
the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we
may know Him Who is true; and we are in Him Who is true, in His
Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” 1st
John 5:2 (See also John 17:3).
Jesus also
gave us some sobering words when He taught that what counts with
God is not our works or religious words but our personal
acquaintance with Him. “Many will say to Me in that day,
‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons
in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ‘And then I
will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who
practice lawlessness.’” (Mark 7:23).
LOVE GOD
Jesus taught
that the greatest commandment of all is to love God. A lawyer of
Mosaic law asked Jesus, “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” (Matthew
22:36-38). (Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 6:4, 5).
The Greek word
Jesus used for love is “agape”. It is a special word for love
that emphasizes the mind and will more than the affections. It is
the kind of love by which we make an unconditional commitment that
o0ur thoughts, words, and actions will be in the best interest of
the person to whom we make the commitment.
We are
informed in1st Corinthians 2:9 that God has reserved a special
blessing in eternity for those who love God in this way. “Eye
has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of
man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
It is also
significant that in the last recorded conversation between Jesus
and His disciples that He did not question them about their
doctrine or their activities. He did ask Peter three times, “Do
you love Me?” (John 21:15-17). Apparently, Jesus believes
that if we love God like we ought it will motivate us to have the
right beliefs and the right activities.
LOVE OTHERS
After giving
the first and greatest commandment Jesus gave the second greatest
command from God, “And the second is like it: You shall love
your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) Then He revealed,
“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
(Matthew 22:40).
Paul
emphasized this truth in the greatest book on doctrine in the New
Testament-the book of Romans (See Romans13:8-10).
SERVE GOD
Seven times
God required Moses to tell Pharaoh, “Let My people go that they
may serve Me…” (Exodus 5-11). When the Devil tempted Jesus
he promised Jesus that he would give Him all the kingdoms of the
world if Jesus would fall down and worship him. Jesus answered, “Away
with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD
your God and Him only you shall serve”. (Matthew 4:10).
HOW DO WE SERVE GOD?
-
Jesus gave
us great insight on what we do to serve God. “But seek first
the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things
shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33). Give highest
priority to God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness.
-
Hebrews 9:14
tells us that the blood of Christ purges out our fleshly
priorities and gives us God’s priorities:
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered Himself without spot
to God, cleanse
your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
-
We are
enabled to serve God by the power of the Holy Spirit. Just
before Jesus ascended to heaven He said to His disciples, “But
you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). The
book of Acts is a documentary revealing to us how this was
fulfilled, (Chapters 1 -12). Peter preaching at
Pentecost, etc.
Paul taking the gospel to the Gentile world. (Chapters 13-28).
The book of
Acts was not finished. Luke just stopped writing. The reason is
that the Acts is still being written today as we put the kingdom
of God first and serve God by the enabling of the Holy Spirit.
Copyright © 2005 Thomas E Berry
Scripture quotations from NKJV unless otherwise noted
Copyright © 2008 Truth Helpers Inc.
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