"Seven Things God Requires Of Us”

INTRODUCTION

I would like to preach by the help of the Holy Spirit from the subject, “Seven Things God Requires of Us”. If I could reword this text it would be, “Seven Things God EXPECTS of us”.

David, the Psalmist points out to all of us that there are seven things God requires of us. It doesn’t matter who you are or it doesn’t matter where you come from, God does require some things from us.

In just a nutshell, these are things God looks at in order to be that Man or Woman of God but first there was----

I.THE QUESTION IN QUESTION

Now, David writes asking the question he presents to God. I believe that the question in question was a poignant one because he asked, “Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?”

David was asking about the Sanctuary or Holy Hill but note that Sanctuary and Holy Hill are interchangeable words to describe the local point of Israelite worship-that dwelling place of God in Hebrew poetry with its repeating pattern that is found more in through than in the sound or rhythm.

Where is YOUR Sanctuary or your Holy Hill? Where that is place you go to hide to talk to God? If you don’t have one then you need to FIND one and STAY there; return there to that place to talk to God. That very place you can pray and worship is that Sanctuary, your Holy Hill where as the old folks use to sing,

“Steal away, steal away to Jesus,

Steal away, steal away home,

I ain’t got long to stay here….” Yes, that Holy Hill where you can meet God at the point of your need.

The first requirement that we ought to----

II.WALK BLAMELESS AND DO THE RIGHT THING.

God want us to walk blameless doing the right thing before Him. The word blameless is the same as innocent, clean, inculpable, above reproach, virtuous, unimpeachable, faultless, and spotless.

Who will dwell in your Sanctuary Lord? The answer is right there—the one who walks blameless and doing the right thing. In doing the right thing is doing the thing that pleases the Lord.

When you step out of the will of God Ezekiel puts it best, “when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity (sin) which he has done that he dies….” Ezekiel 18:26.

Psalms 1:1 tells us that, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, not stands in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

The second requirement is that we----

III. SPEAK TRUTH NOT SLANDER

Christians ought to watch what comes out of their mouth and from their heart. We also need to watch the usage of words.

Words are very powerful and depending on how you use them do reflect on you and your relationship with God. Perhaps there is nothing so identifies Christians is the ability to control their speech—speaking the truth, refusing to slander and keeping oaths or promises. One more thing, WATCH WHAT YOU SAY!

According to James 3:1-2, this Gospel writer talks to us and he WARNS us about on how on how we should control our tongues.

The tongue is a dangerous little thing that either speaks life or speaks death. Yes, that little thing in your mouth called the tongue can be quiet or it can cuss somebody out, can I get a witness?

James tells us in verse 2 of the 3rd chapter that, “we all make mistakes but those who control themselves in every way….” In other words, we gonna make mistakes but we ought to control our tongues and control ourselves.

The tongue as James reminds us that the tongue is dangerous in its way and cause “enormous damage…” (verse 5).

The tongue as James continues to tell us that “and a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants to go, even through the winds are strong.” (verse 4); Loose lips sink ships!

And so, God wants us to watch what we say to one another. The very words you say could bring life or could cause death to another person or another soul.

The third requirement that we have from God is that we ---

IV.NOT TO DO OUR NEIGHBOR NO WRONG

Instead of calling this, “Not Do Our Neighbor No Wrong” it should be called, “Doing the Right Thing Towards Our Neighbor.”

Throughout the Bible, it tells us how we should treat our neighbors so we won’t do wrong to them.

Lev. 19:18 tells us that, “you shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matt. 5:43-44 from the words of Jesus, “you heard that it was said, ‘you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”