WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE OF US?

HOLINESS TITHE

PRAYER

DEVOTED

FAMILY PASSIONATE
KNOW THE BIBLE TEACH OTHERS

CARE FOR PEOPLE SING PRAISES

Everything on this list would also describe the pharisees..

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Matthew 23:25,26
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Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and selfindulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

This what Jesus said to the pharisees

Does that mean that the things on the list are wrong? No! but that perhaps there is something deeper God requires?

Matthew 7:21-23
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Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!

In these verses Jesus was talking about false prophets, who were prophesying and casting out demons in Jesus name. These things werent on the original list but they are good arent they? We would like to see these things happening here? To understand what Jesus is saying we need to read the verses leading into these ones.

Matthew 7:15-20

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Good trees bears good fruit. Good fruit does not come from bad trees. It is interesting to note that the condition of the tree comes first. good fruit does not make the tree good. The mistake the pharisees made was losing sight of the core issues, on the outside the fruit looked good, but on the inside the tree was rotten. We need to learn from their lesson, Im not saying we are pharisees, but we can flirt with the same dangers.

WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE OF US?

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1 John 1:8-10
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If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts

Christ felt supreme anguish over our sins as he bled on the cross. What anguish do we feel for our own sins? Does it wreck us the way it wrecked Him? When we see where we have fallen short, are we half as broken by our sins as He is? Yes, there is love. And yes, there is grace. But that truth should cause us all the more to hate and forsake our sins. God desires this this true repentance.

See we sin! Our cups are stained on the inside! But through confession of our sin and a desire for repentance we are cleaned through Jesus Christ.

WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE OF US?

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Godthis is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what Gods will is his good, pleasing and perfect will

by the renewing of your mindnot by merely outwardly changing, even if outward change may appear to be righteous and praiseworthy; but by such an inward spiritual transformation as makes the whole life new new in its motives and ends, even where outwardly we dont appear that different from the world the sort of inward transformation that is only unattainable through the power of the love of Christ, and the work of His Holy Spirit.

WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE OF US?

Micah 6:8
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Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
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To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
To act justly means we are actually doing something, not just talking about it. that we treat people fairly, acknowledging there are consequences for choices. To love mercy means acknowledging that we are sinners, and we deserve the consequences of our sin, yet God has shown us mercy and we need to pass that mercy on to others. to walk humbly before God acknowledges that we are so small compared to Him. to walk humbly before God suggests that we submit our will to His greater wisdom and understanding. To walk humbly before God suggests movement, not just sitting on the ground like a lowly worm!!

We need to act justly, tempered with a love of mercy and all from a humble place of understanding how powerful God is and yet how amazingly He loves us.

God inhabits the praises of His people Worship that God desires brings us into the presence of God

A lifestyle of praise
Real worship comes from our response to God When we: Hearts that turn in repentance from sin Minds that are being renewed Servant hearted acts founded on love walk in humbly before Him have a relationship with Him

On of the biggest fruits that will come from inward change will be our worship. When we worship we are seeking to enter into the presence of God. Im speaking here of more than just our expressions of praise & worship: Rather of a lifestyle of praise and worship. It isnt the expressions of our worship that bring the presence of God. It isnt how loud we shout or how low we bow or how in tune we sing

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The expressions of our worship should be the outow of lives characterised by repentance, minds that are being renewed, loving acts of service and a humble & grateful heart.

What are we about? What is Down South church about?

What are you about?

Is it wrong to want the good fruit?

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James 5: 16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results

or are we desiring what God desires?