What does God want from me??!!

Micah 6:8

8. He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

I. Act Justly

A. Justice refers to right rule, right conduct. Do the right thing, to everyone, all the time, every time!! But, know this, that doing the right thing may cause someone else to suffer! Doing the right thing is not popular!!! We measure what’s right by what’s popular. Doing the right thing may make someone sad, mad or uncomfortable and you will be tempted to cave in to popular demands!!! We like being popular!! We want everyone to be happy with us, to accept us. God says “act justly”!! He doesn’t care about popularity!!!

B. Don’t show favoritism! God doesn’t: (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34-35; Romans 2:11)

We shouldn’t: (Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:17; 1 Timothy 5:21; James 2:1 & 9-10; Matthew 5:46-48 & 22:39-40)

Luke 10:25-37 We are looking for loopholes in caring for people!!! We want to be liked!!! God does not care!!!

II. Love Mercy

Dictionary: The basic meaning of mercy is “favor” or grace. Whatever is “pleasant and agreeable” can be described by this word. (Proverbs 11:16-17)

Dictionary: Mercy. A person’s speech may be characterized by “graciousness” (Psalms 45:2). Whatever is “agreeable”. In the New Testament the Greek word is charis (“favor; graciousness; attractiveness”) and eleos (“mercy; compassion; pity”) an undeserved blessing freely bestowed.

An important distinction must be made between common grace and saving grace.

Common grace is common to all mankind. Its benefits are experienced by the whole human race. The order of creation reflects the mind and the care of a gracious Creator who sustains what he has made. (Hebrews 1:2-3 & John 1:1-4). Jesus reminded his hearers that God “makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). Everyone lives by God’s grace!!! Were it not for the restraining hand of God our world would long since have degenerated into a self-destructive chaos of iniquity! Imagine our world without God; you can’t because we would not exist!!!

Common grace gives man the ability to know the difference between right and wrong, truth and lies, justice and injustice, and the awareness that he is accountable not merely to his fellowmen but ultimately to God, his Maker. (Romans 1:18-21)

III. Walk humbly

Dictionary: Humility springs from the conviction that man, made of dust, totally dependent, and sinful, has nothing to be proud of except God being mindful of him (Psalms 8:4-9) God dwells with the humble (Isaiah 57:15).

Jesus required that one humble oneself as a child in order to enter the Kingdom of God! (Matthew 18:3-4) “We enjoy the benefits of Christ’s humiliation, but we do not want to join Him!” The example was set by Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet as the Servant who humbled himself, “emptied himself” (Philippians 2:7-8). So, whoever would be first must be servant of all (Mark 10:43-45).

Paul talks about it in (Philippians 2:3) & (Romans 12:3). We know we have nothing God has not given us, that we are nothing but for the grace of God, and, apart from Christ, we can do nothing. We must never forget that we are loved, we are saved, and we are made in the likeness God (John 1:12-13).

Conclusion: What does God want from me?!! We know. The first part of verse 8 says “He has shown you what is good” We have run out of excuses. We can’t say we don’t know. Saved or not we know Who our Creator is. We know what He requires. As Christians we really know what God wants. He has given us a daily reminder called the Holy Spirit! Or as Jesus likes to call Him “the Comforter”. Some comfort!! Maybe we should call Him “the Un-Comforter”; maybe not!!! Maybe we’re uncomfortable, because we’re not doing what God requires of us!!!