Following the Recipe

For Thanksgiving, with both sides of the family, people bring certain parts of the meal each year.  Recipes are followed to ensure that the dish that is served is as delicious as the one prepared the previous year.  The chocolate chip cake has been one of our items to make and take. 

For years, I would take out the recipe for the cake to make sure that I made it just right.  Even though there are not many items in the recipe, I still wanted to make sure that I made it in the correct order and used the proper measurements to make the cake.  At times, I have tried a different brand of cake mix or pudding, but I keep returning to the original ingredients for the best taste. 

Since I have made the cake so often now, I no longer need to use the recipe.  But if I were trying something new it would definitely be an advantage to have written instructions to follow for the desired results to have the best chance of occurring. 

There are also “Recipes for Life” to follow in God’s Word.  They are not limited to special holidays or seasons of the year.  Some will be easier to memorize and apply over time and others will need to be read and practiced often to see if all of the “ingredients” and “measurements” are correct.  It will be important not to substitute or eliminate items that God has given so that what we do will consistently bring Him glory.

A few recipes for life:

He has told you, O man, what is good;
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
    and to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.  Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Romans 12:9-13

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Philippians 4:8

 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:12-14

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

I Peter 2:17

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

II Peter 1:5-7