5 Offer right sacrifices and trust in the LORD. 6 Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?" Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD. 7 You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. 8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

While I know that God sends his rain on the just and the unjust, there is a principle that is consistent in scripture that says God blesses those who are his. He gives peace and joy to those who serve him. He gives assurance to those who trust and obey him. This is not legalism and it is not about works of merit. We can never earn or deserve anything from God but his wrath and his punishment – no matter how much we do or how much we obey him.
We must “offer right sacrifices and trust in the LORD.” We must follow his will. John says that one of the ways we can know we have salvation is if we love God. He then tells us that we can know we love God if we obey his commandments. Jesus says that if we love him we will obey him.

There are too many who want to receive the blessings of God, they want the peace he gives and they want the assurance that he is pleased with them but they want to continue to live for themselves. Jesus says that a man’s heart is determined by what he loves. John says that when we love the world we become enemies of God. God will not allow us to just go thru life with a nominal (even though vocal) faith and receive his blessings and goodwill.
In the book of Hebrews the quotation from the Old Testament is made concerning Jesus when it says “I have come to do your will, O God.” This one statement stands as the mission of Jesus as a man on earth. It is with this in mind that he prayed in the garden, not that his own will but the will of his Father be done. He taught his disciples to pray that God’s will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven. Can you imagine an angel of God arguing with what God tells him to do? Can you imagine an angel procrastinating about carrying out their given responsibilities? Or maybe one of the heavenly beings telling God that they did not have time to worship right now because they had to watch a ball game or go fishing or go shopping or they were just too tired. No, God’s will is their desire and it should be ours as well.

O God, the only true God, I give you praise, glory and honor. Give me a stronger desire to just submit to your will. Help me to put to death the old person and to be renewed daily in the power of your Spirit. I don’t want to make excuses and I don’t want to be selfish. Please forgive me when I fail in these and other ways. Help me to know how to live so that others will see Jesus in me and in my life. Use me to help and serve those around me. Give me a pure heart and keep me from sin. I pray in the name of Jesus.