INTRO: A question that has often made me stop and ponder is “What am I going to do?”
As a little boy I thought, “What am I going to do when I grow up?”
: I initially wanted to a policeman, a fireman, teacher, professional baseball player, then a banker, and so on.
-But as I have encountered God the question has moved from “What am I going to do?” to “What does God require of me?”
-It’s a question that every human being should ask, “What does God require of me?”
-What does God require of me to rise to a new challenge that he has for me? Lord willing, today you will get a better understanding.
TITLE: What Does God Require of Me to Rise to a New Challenge?
TEXT: Deuteronomy 10:12-13
-Background. The children of Israel have been released from the bondage of the Egyptians. They’ve wandered in the desert for what seems an eternity. They are preparing to go into the Promised Land. Moses puts forth this question.
Question: What does the Lord your God ask of you?
-A question that still relates to us this day.
: Moses lays out five things for the children of Israel. We can also take these five things and they will help us rise to the new challenges God has for us.
I. 1st thing that will help me rise to the new challenge that God has for me – is to fear the Lord your God.
A. The Bible tells us the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge.
1. I really have not even begun my understanding of God if I have not even begun to fear him.
2. When most people think of the word “fear” they think of being scared or terrified.
-Like watching a scary movie as a child and you’re terrified of Frankenstein. This is not what the fear of the Lord is.
B. Others view the fear of the Lord from a negative sense.
1. That is punishment, judgment. This, by the way, is how the world views God, that God is sitting there waiting to pounce on someone who does wrong.
-Many Christians have this view, always living in fear of punishment and judgment. Their view of God is distorted, viewing God as a hard taskmaster.
Example: Parable of the talents.
A man went to go on a journey, so he entrusted his property to his three servants. To one he gave five talents, to another he gave two talents, to the last he gave one talent. The one with five went to work and made five more. The one with two went to work and made two more. The one servant who was given one talent went and buried it in the ground.
The master returns and rewards the first two servants but it’s interesting about the last servant who buried his talent in the ground. His view of the master was that he was a hard man. That he was afraid (fear of punishment) caused him to do nothing.
Point: A distorted view of God will cause you to be fruitless in your walk with God.
C. The correct view of God. Fear is the idea of awe.
1. My example being newly saved, living in an unhealthy environment where roommates would throw parties all night. They were so proud of their stereo system, speakers that were lifetime guaranteed never to blow.
I remember lying awake as the walls shook from those nasty speakers, praying, God could you do something. The next day I remember coming home from my early morning classes, to see my four other roommates all sitting in a circle depressed, it was like someone had died. Come to find out someone did die. Their fabulous speakers had blown.
I got this overwhelming experience that the God of the universe had intervened and had taken care of those speakers. I was in awe that God took time out of his busy schedule to help me.
II. 2nd thing that will help me rise to the new challenges that God has for me – is to walk in all his ways.
A. We need to understand when I’m following God there is a public and a private walk.
1. My private walk is when I pray in my prayer closet when no one else is around.
-It is a solitary place of reflecting on God, that can consist of Bible reading, meditation, prayer, fasting, etc.
2. There is also a public walk, a marketplace walk where God wants me to advance his kingdom and his purposes.
Example: Psalm 23. (Read)
-You can see the private walk as well as the public walk.
B. I want us to focus in on v. 5.
1. The Lord anoints me, my cup overflows.
-Let me illustrate what I believe an anointing is for. Many folks only view an anointing to preach better, sing better, get excited about worship, but I see it as much more.
Example. I need a volunteer. Pour water from top of head down to bottom of feet.
2. The Lord wants us to go into the marketplaces to impact a world for him.
-Where I go, I change things when I’m anointed. I’m dripping goodness, mercy, grace, kindness, love.
-Rivers of living water are flowing from within. (John 7:38)
III. 3rd thing that will help me rise to the new challenges that God has for me – is to love him.
A. To love God the way he wants to be loved.
1. To love him unconditionally. That is if God never answers another prayer, he’s done enough for me.
-That is he has died for me.
2. The story that stands out is the three Hebrews, Shadrach, Meshach and Abedego. They are told to bow down to this giant statue of the king and if they don’t they will be killed.
-Daniel 3:16-18, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
3. They loved God – no matter the outcome.
B. Question: Is your love for God based on what he does for you?
1. I’ll love and serve God if he helps me out in my marriage, or he finds me a job, or he helps me out of this difficult situation.
-Like children of Israel, every time things got a bit tough, they turned on God and wanted to go back to Egypt. The majority served God only when he was blessing them. And when God didn’t meet their expectations they abandoned him.
Question: Would you abandon God if he didn’t answer another one of your prayers?
IV. 4th thing that will help me rise to the new challenge that God has for me – is to serve God with all your heart and soul.
A. The heart and soul is basically the core of who you are, the way you act and the way you think, the way you express yourself.
1. So simply put, at my very core of who I am there has to be a desire to serve God.
2. When I serve God, I am putting his wants and cares above my own.
B. In order to serve God one has to know what he wants and cares about.
1. Far too many are focused on serving themselves, too concerned with their needs.
-Serving God with all my heart and soul is basically putting his cares and wants above my own.
TS: This may seem pretty broad and general so Moses brings in a 5th thing to make sure there is no misunderstanding.
V. 5th thing that will help me rise to the new challenge that God has for me – is to observe his commands and decrees.
A. You might ask, how do I serve the Lord? Simply obeying what he has said in his word.
1. We need to be people of the book. If I do not take time to know what is in the Bible, I will not take the time to serve God.
Example. If I can’t even put on my running shoes, do I really expect to be able to jog around the track?
Point: If I can’t even read his word, do I really believe I can put his needs above my own? (to serve him)
Conclusion: What does God require of me?
-I believe as you begin to apply the five things we’ve talked about today, your relationship with God will grow and prosper.
-God will bring more and more divine appointments your way.
