Anyone who has ever bought a car has seen the owner’s manual. The handbook is what informs you of the “non-negotiables” for car maintenance. These include routine maintenance procedures like oil changes, gas fill-ups, transmission fluid top-offs, and tires with enough tread. We devote a lot of time to ensuring these non-negotiables are completed so that the automobile correctly runs when we get in it.
The same is true of a Christian’s daily walk with God. For our lives to exalt God, we must devote time to the essentials. But what are the essentials? It is necessary to know them to uphold and embody them.
When we pursue the Lord, we shall uncover seven non-negotiables in life. The successful application of these principles is necessary for leading a healthy Christian life since they are all anchored on the Lord and give all glory to Him.
Amos 5:4 — Find your way to God, not to sin.
God is the source of all life. There is no other place where we can discover life. However, because we are flawed creatures, our spirits naturally tend to stray away from our Creator. The purpose of our souls is to pursue God, the knowledge of God, and the relationship with God that God provides. Only in pursuing Him will we find a life for ourselves.
In the book of Amos, God makes numerous appeals to the people of Israel, hoping that one of them may catch their attention. Even though he allowed them to face starvation, drought, and sickness, God claims in Amos 4:11 that they have not returned to him. But the verse from Amos 5:4 points out where we can find life.
God commands, “Seek me that you may live.” We must pay attention to these words. Only by looking to Him will we discover true life.
1 John 2:15-17 — Love God, not worldly things.
Who or what inspires your passionate feelings the most? Authority? Validation? Leisure pursuits? Suppose you went to see an incredible mansion; while you were there, you might have thought, “I could have had a house like this,” for a split second while you explored the property. However, remember that property is not the most important thing in life.
The world is trying to get us involved in an illicit relationship, but we have to love God and be focused on pleasing only Him.
Additionally, we are called to love His people and be mindful of the course of their eternal life. We need to look at them with compassion, just as Jesus did, and let that compassion lead us to action so that we might help them. Those who love God will fulfill His calling by carrying out His wishes, being concerned about God’s purpose and will, and doing what God wants them to accomplish.
Proverbs 19:23 — Fear only God, not your fellow men.
Our God is perfect in holiness and is also known as the Lord God AlmightyWhen we consider His power, most cannot help but be fearful of him and revere him in the highest regard possible. Do you care more about other people’s opinions than God’s? Then you must cultivate a healthy reverence for God so that you are focused on walking in His presence rather than worrying about what other folks think of you. You will start to live with an everlasting perspective, and men’s perspectives on this life will become less significant.
The reverence we have for the Lord protects us, as well, from doing wrong and sinning. According to what A.W. Tozer says on the subject, “It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate.”
As soon as we stop being afraid of God and respecting Him and His commandments, we choose to lead a life without transparency to God and one another, which is the root cause of various sins.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 — Pledge obedience to God, not your desires.
Our appetites are the impulses we possess within our flesh, which, in contrast to the spirit, are constantly vying for satisfaction and trying their best to get it. If you cave into these cravings most slightly, the antagonist will use it as a springboard to launch an assault on your life.
At the same time, a minor act of obedience to God may serve as the impetus for the beginning of a dynamic and transformative mission. The cross should serve as the primary focus of our devotions.
Two primary things are required of those who obey God. It takes bravery to say “no” to oneself, to one’s cravings, to the lusts of the body, to what’s easy, and to “yes” to carrying one’s cross. It also requires faithfulness, the steady perseverance required to be true to God, his calling, and the things He asks you to endure.
To obey God, you must first submit to the crucifixion rather than your desires.
John 8:44 — Believe in God, never in the liar.
Even if we call ourselves Christians, there are moments when we just don’t want to accept the truth. When real life and the Bible contradict each other, what do you trust and believe in more? The liar wants us to accept the falsehood that they have told us. Do you intend to believe in God?
The Bible tells us that it is virtually impossible to satisfy God without belief, but it is in our human nature to gravitate toward an attitude of skepticism. Never lose sight of the fact that your foe is the creator of lies. Because he wants you to be destroyed, he is trying to convince us that the promises are false and to condemn the family.
Isaiah 6:8 — Be in service of God, not of the Self.
When the Bible speaks of being a “bond slave,” it means He is the master, and we are the servants. This necessitates a complete and unconditional surrender. While it’s true that many might look down on this kind of service, we should count it as a great honor to work for a God who loves us so much.
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” God asks. To address His chosen people, God used the prophets. God’s glory, which is His desire, is assuredly going to be realized. No matter what, He would always communicate with His people. Even though He was aware of Isaiah’s love for Him, He still wanted to offer him the chance to fully commit to His truth by giving him the freedom to choose.
Our devotion to God is in Isaiah’s affirmative response. He responds loudly and confidently. After being in the Lord’s presence and purifying his heart, Isaiah responds without hesitation, “Send me!” He is obedient to await the Lord’s dispatch eagerly. He is subject to the Lord’s will, not the other way around.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 — Worship God, not worldly comfort.
No one appreciates going through adversity, but many have profited from the growth that comes from it. Amid your suffering, are you praising God and adoring Him, or are you trying to find solace by running away from it?
When adversity strikes, you have no choice but to look beyond your anguish to the God who made it possible for you to experience it. If you run away, you will miss the healing God provides right in the heart of your suffering.