What Does God Require???

To be honest, the requirements that God has of us are so simple they are almost too good to be true. There are those who believe that you must meet as a large gathering in a mega church (5000 seated at once) because the more people raising their voices to Him in one place in one accord will get their personal prayers wants and needs answered. Some believe that God requires total seclusion as to avoid the temptations of the world. Some firmly believe that placing ten percent of earnings covers all things and they do not have to lift a finger to help another because the money will take care of them. But, God does not need our worldly possessions. These are extreme measures for a God who desires only a completely personal relationship requiring our devotion and obedience.
God desires our worship as a community of two or more, however, too many in one place means someone may be forgotten or ignored. Yes Jesus preached to large crowds but that does not mean we should try and do that today. He wants quiet individual moments but there is no need to totally ignore the suffering world. Relying on money to take care of everything, that replaces God with an idol and does not even qualify the person as a lukewarm Christian.
God’s Grace
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
Titus 2:11-15
Knowing that God freely gives His grace for those who accept Him and that through His Grace, gave His Son for our sinfulness is still not what God requires. Rather, He requires our admission of guilt and seeks our desire for redemption through repenting of our shame and submission of our lives to His Son. All while understanding that the Free gift of Grace was presented to us in the form of a humble baby who would live a right life and die for us.
The Physical Requirements
All physical requirements are by products of the Spiritual requirements that are desired of us.
“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:6-8
Do justice, love kindness (showing mercy), and walk humbly. Those cannot be done without the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit builds us up in order to love others as He loves us. It is the Love of God that gives us the strength to stand firm against temptation. It is the Love of God that keeps us humble. It is the Love of God that through Him, the examples of people from Scripture, and His Son that enable us to show mercy and kindness to others.
What is required of us?
To Love the Lord our God with all our Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength. This is done in our obedience to His laws and statutes requiring us to do our best to live a right life. He knows we cannot follow without stumbling so He gave us Jesus. It is through God’s Gift of Jesus that we are saved so our requirement is obedience and friendship with Jesus. Loving Him with all the love we give God because He is of God.
God also desires our worship through song, prayer, and the humble use of Spiritual Gifts. Giving of our earthly pay is good to a point but should not be considered the only form of offering. We are the offering God desires.
Brothers and Sisters, what we need to do is get back to the heart of worship and leave man’s made traditions behind. Jesus did say to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and God what is God’s. Caesar can have the worldly things, God has everything else.
Blessings
 Rob, Servant of God