In what ways can we ensure our deeds align with God's will today? Setting the Scene: Joash’s “acts” “As for the rest of the acts of Joash, along with all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?” (2 Kings 12:19) • Scripture records Joash’s deeds for evaluation. • Our lives are likewise “written”—seen and weighed by God (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10). • The verse invites us to ask how our own actions will read in God’s record. Why Deeds Matter to God • They reveal whether faith is genuine (James 2:17). • They bring glory—or dishonor—to His name (1 Corinthians 10:31). • They serve as testimony to a watching world (Matthew 5:16). • They will be rewarded or burned away (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). Practical Steps for Alignment 1. Ground every action in Scripture – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) – Regular reading, study, and memorization keep motives and choices in line with God’s revealed will. 2. Obey promptly and fully – “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you deceive yourselves.” (James 1:22) – Partial obedience led Joash to start well yet finish poorly (2 Kings 12:3, 17-18). Complete obedience guards us from drift. 3. Pursue a transformed mind – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may prove what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) – Meditate on truth; reject worldly patterns of thinking. 4. Stay connected to Christ – “I am the vine and you are the branches…apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) – Daily fellowship through prayer and dependence on the Spirit produces fruit that pleases God (Galatians 5:22-23). 5. Walk humbly with authentic integrity – “He has shown you, O man, what is good…to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) – Humility keeps service God-centered rather than self-centered. 6. Invite godly accountability – Joash thrived under Jehoiada’s counsel (2 Chronicles 24:2) but faltered when that voice was gone. – Seek mentors and peers who lovingly measure your deeds against Scripture. Walking Forward with Confidence • God supplies the desire and the power to live in His will (Philippians 2:13). • Continual reliance on His Word, Spirit, and people enables our record—like Joash’s—to be written, yet honoring to the Author of all history. |
    |