What's Required Of Me?

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; 
And what does the Lord require of you
; But to do justly,
To love mercy, 
And to walk humbly with your God?”

Micah 6:8

 Charles Spurgeon calls this verse “the essence of the law…the spiritual side of the law” in which the 10 Commandments are enlarged. He said; ”For the law is spiritual, and touches the thoughts, the intents, the emotions, the words, the actions... but God demands the heart!”

It’s not enough for us just to say that we are a Christian, nor is it enough just to be kind or to be extremely loving, or tremendously generous. God requires your heart! And because He knew that there is no way we could meet even one of the 10 commandments let alone 10 of them! He provided a way for us to meet all the requirements…not by meeting the law…but by meeting the ONE who took the place of the law. Spurgeon said; “What the law requires…the gospel gives! Wow! Doesn’t that excite you? What the law required of us, which is perfection…Jesus gave for us on the cross so that we would NO LONGER HAVE THOSE REQUIREMENTS! He paid for the requirements on the cross! This means that Jesus is the end of the law…and the beginning of GRACE! No more striving…no more straining…no more trying to be good enough or holy enough or do enough! Jesus is the end of the law to all who believe. Therefore in Him…in His death and resurrection…we now meet the requirements of the law. Jesus has meet all the requirements needed to be holy, and righteous and now gives us an opportunity to live it out by working in us…conforming us and transforming us into His very image! Marvelous…isn’t it? As we spend time with Jesus in His Word we are slowing taking on His very image! Being conformed in to His likeness!  Only then, do we learn how to act rightly, do rightly and walk rightly. Do you want to be more like Jesus? Then spend time getting to know Him…fall in love with Him and obey His Word and you will be well on your way in the transformation process!  Be encouraged today the “He who has begun a good work in you will be faithful to complete it!” Philippians 1:6

A Day With Kay

Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

It's been a long time desire of mine to sit and visit with Kay Smith. I have gleaned for years from her writings and teaching and yet have never had the privilege of sitting down with her. As a pastors wife now for the last 18 years I have many questions and appreciate gleaning from others that have traveled this path longer then I have. I have admired Kay's exhortive teaching and sweet spirit for years and on occasion have even ask myself; "What would Kay do?" I consider Kay to be a mentor...in fact, there is no one on this earth that I would rather spend a day sitting under then her! The Lord is so sweet to answer our hearts desires as we delight in Him. He answered one of mine today by giving me the opportunity to sit and receive from Kay. What a gift! Kay is kind and funny...and boy does she know the Word of God inside and out!   I love that about her!  When she talks about the Word and about Pastor Chuck she lights up and smiles. I read her the inscription that I wrote inside her copy of my book. This was a special moment for me as I was able to share with her how much I've learned, and gleaned from her all these years.  I left our sweet time with a nugget to add to my collection from Kay..."Love your husband, and cherish him!" Will do Mama Kay!

SELF- Expenditure

Have you ever asked; "What's my purpose in life?" It's a deep question and one that's asked by every human being at some point in life. As Believers we too ask this same question from time to time. Oswald Chambers said about the purpose of man; "His purpose is not the development of man, His purpose is to make a man exactly like Himself, and the characteristic of the Son  of God is self expenditure." It's like being squeezed like a grape Chambers says. To expend means to lay out, use up, or consume. Self expenditure would then mean to lay myself out, use myself up and be so consumed in someone or something else that there was no ME left! John the Baptist said a similar thing in John 3:30 " Lord, less of me and more of You." Mary of Bethany broke a box of precious and expensive ointment on Jesus' head and the disciples ridiculed her saying it was a waste. But Jesus commended Mary, saying that whenever the gospel was preached this act would be spoken of as a memorial to her." I wonder what extravagant acts of devotion we have shown to Jesus that others have observed and will speak about as a memorial to us?  Believers are watching and waiting for someone to be wholly devoted to Jesus and follow their example. I wonder what can be said of our life? Am I expending myself for Jesus...as others look on what do they see? What do they say? Mary was willing to do something that no one else was. She expended herself and her resources to show her great love and devotion to her Lord and Savior.  Mary held back nothing to show her great love for Jesus. She was willing to lay her future on the line, to set it all aside to worship Jesus. This great act of devotion was not only a great example to Jesus's closest followers, but also an example of what it costs to follow Jesus closely. He wants a completely surrendered heart. He wants utter abandonment of me in exchange for all of Him... and He wants self expenditure. This is why Mary of Bethany is spoken of still today. She serves as an example of what true worship looks like. She was wholly devoted to Jesus and because of it she had an intimacy with Him that is still spoken of today. She knew what others didn't . This tells me that the closer our walk with Jesus is, the more we are willing to sacrifice for Him! May we expend ourselves for Jesus. May we see that the closer we walk with Him the more we are like Him. It's not our development that we are working toward, but His envelopment! May we be so enveloped with the love of Jesus that He is all we see!