As I look at 2020, I want to be the best I have been. I am going to challenge myself, as well as, anyone else that feels the need to be challenged. I had a discussion this week about salvation, and the fact that in order to be saved, you need to accept Jesus Christ as your savior. But is that all you want? I agree that is huge, but God has so much more for us if we allow ourselves to follow the commands that God has commanded us to do.
So what are we commanded to do?
- Let your light shine. In Matthew 5:16 (NIV) we read, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Open up to others so that they may experience the goodness of God through you. Jesus tells clearly that we are to let our light shine and if we do that others will come to know Jesus.
- Go! This is probably the one command that has changed my life. We are commanded to Go and to go to the ends of the earth sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. This can come in many forms. For some it may be long term missions, others may be short term missions, and yet others may be to help others go. But regardless what role God is calling you into, we are commanded to do something. Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV) says, "Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." This is come to be known as the Great Commission.
- Love. This one is simple. Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV) says, "Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself." I felt this first hand. You can fully love another unless you learn to love God first and feel His love directly in your life. But this cannot be with just words. 1 John 3:18 (NIV) says, "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." We must love on others and we must love others where they are at. Let them experience God's love through us.
- All glory to God. We are commanded to give all Glory to God. Revelation 14:7 (NIV) says, "He said in a loud voice, 'Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.'" We are commanded to give all glory to God and then to Worship Him.
- Have faith. If we can keep faith, just know that all is possible. Matthew 17:20 (NIV) says, "He replied, 'Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'” If faith that small is capable of something that huge, can you imagine what enormous faith can do. But faith is difficult for some because it requires believing in something you can see, taking the next step without seeing where the staircase is leading. But that is faith. Hebrew 11:1 (NIV) says, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
These are the five things that I am focusing on in 2020. The Bible contains thousands of commands, as a matter of fact, over one thousand just in the New Testament. These are the commands that tug on the heartstrings.
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