Dear Friends, 10-9 GOD'S EXPECTATIONS PART THREE!
God has some expectations for us. They begin with loving God above all else, putting God first, and loving our neighbors with the same care we love ourselves. But there are specific directions in the Bible. Let us look at a few of them.
1. Forgiveness. We are expected to give forgiveness to one another. This also means we are to try to make things right if someone has something against us. Our own forgiveness depends on it.
Mt 5:23
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;Mr 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have
ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.Mt 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Mt 18: 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts
forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.A lack of forgiveness puts us in danger of losing our own forgiveness.
Mr 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses
God's instructions are for our own good. We feel good inside when we do what God wants us to do.
2. Another area God wants us to follow His instruction is in our thought life. Jesus clearly stated that to think about doing something is to do it in our heart. This means also that we should bring our thoughts under control to the obedience to Jesus.
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
This means that we should be obedient even in our thought life. It is often in our thoughts that Satan attacks us. Our evil deeds are first conceived in our mind. That's why we need the full armor of God to fight the attacks of the devil. We do this with the word of God. That is our sword of the Spirit. It is also from God's word that we learn what God expects of us. More next time.