`“Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, Deuteronomy 10:12`

My Dear Friends in Christ,

What happened to the year 2000? I can't believe it is already gone, history, never to be seen again accept in our memories. With the coming of the year 2001 many people reflect on what they have done over the past year, reflecting on how they have grown in many areas including spiritually. My year 2000 spiritual goal was a "Closer Walk With Thee" which happened to be the theme for my church's men's retreat last October. As I reflect I can't believe how much I have grown and at the same time how far I was from my goal and how much further I still have to grow. In fact, I find the closer and more like Jesus I get, the further I realize I am from Him. Deuteronomy 10:12 tells it all for me and what God asks me (and you) to do. Let me be so bold as to summarize this for you, though much more can be added:

1. "fear the LORD your God", The word 'fear' congers up the view for many people of a mean bully who should be avoided at all costs, but, that's not what 'fear' means here. It is a reverential respect of God, knowing He is all-powerful, He is in control, and that you deserve the full punishment from God for your sins (thank God for Jesus).

Question: Do you have a fear of God such as this, or are you complacent, or do you think of God as your Buddy? Do you sin as you please and say to yourself, my Buddy will forgive me? I used to do this.

2. "walk in all His ways", God asks us to walk according to the Spirit and not the flesh. This means doing what God wants us to do in our lives. We do this by being in His Word daily and seeking His guidance for all things. There is no other way of doing this that I know of. I have to be prayerfully and fervently in His word, otherwise I can't do it.

Question: How often do you prayerfully seek God's guidance in your life? Do you just do a daily devotional for 10 minutes? Prayerfully seek God's desire for you and I'm sure you will find out as I did, that 10 minutes is not enough.

3. "love Him", God wants us to love Him with all our hearts, mind, and strength. We do this through worship, reading His Word, and through obedience.

Question: Do you truly love God? Then you will obey Him as Jesus said in John 14:15. This was so hard for me until I asked God to change my heart, to help me dislike my sin as much as He does, and to Worship Him with all my heart, mind and soul.

4. "serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul", God wants you! We are called to serve the LORD through everything we do, home, church, work, and pleasure. We serve the LORD because of our love for Him and we do it with all our heart and soul.

Question: If someone was to follow you unnoticed throughout the day would that person see you serving the LORD in everything you do, or just at church? Do you serve the LORD with all your heart and soul? Do you even have a desire to serve the LORD with all your heart and soul? Ask God to give you that desire. You can always tell if someone (or a church) is sold out to Jesus by their love for Jesus, love for each other, and their service to God in their church and in their lives.

(This is a side note, but if you're not part of a church that is sold out to Jesus you're missing out! I didn't know what I was missing until I entered a church that was sold out to Jesus. In fact at first I thought they were faking it, like me. However, I found out they were not faking it and this combined with word for word Bible teaching fueled my desire to fully commit my life to Jesus.)

The above encouragement takes up little over a page and a half, but it takes a lifetime to implement. I pray that each of you, if you haven't done what God asks in Deuteronomy 10:12 that you start today! by doing so. And for those who are doing Deu 10:12, that you at least double in growth this year.

Have a joyous day in our Lord!

john
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Encouragement From The Heart Website updated March 17, 2000 (note: web address changed).

http://www.geocities.com/correiaville/encourag.html there's a new page, "The Master's Garden" stop by and check it out!

Scripture references (unless noted otherwise): The Open Bible, New American Standard

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