Perfect with God

Deuteronomy 18:13

Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

My pastor for many years, Dr. Jack Hyles, used to always tell his preacher boys that he would rather be a family doctor than a specialist as a preacher. He was teaching us that it is better to be a complete preacher than a preacher who specialized in one area because the complete preacher can help anyone in any area, whereas the specialist preacher will only help people in the areas where they specialize.

When I started preaching as an evangelist, I was known as a youth speaker. Part of that was because of my age; I was twenty-one when I started in evangelism, and most preachers felt more comfortable with me preaching to their teens than to their church, which I completely understood. One day, I was talking to Bro. Hyles, and he told me I needed to avoid becoming known as a youth speaker. He told me I would be a better evangelist if I became a family doctor type of evangelist who can preach to every age group on any topic than I ever would if I stayed an evangelist to youth. I followed his advice, and it helped me to stay booked and to help many churches until I took the pastorate.

Bro. Hyles advice is exactly what God was saying, be perfect with the LORD thy God. God does not want a believer who is good at one thing spiritually, but He wants us to be complete in all we do. The word perfect means to be complete or mature. God wants the believer to be a well-balanced individual because He knows the perfect believer is able to help every type of person. The key to being a perfect believer is found in one phrase, with the LORD thy God. You will never be that well-balanced believer God wants you to be on your own, but you will only be perfect as He wants you to be by being with Him. Let me share how you can be perfect with God.

First, know your strengths and weaknesses. A person who is dishonest with themselves about their strengths and weaknesses will never be able to strengthen their weakness. Knowing weaknesses is critical to being perfect with God.

Second, strengthen your weaknesses. You will never be strong where you are weak if you avoid working on your weaknesses. We avoid working on our weaknesses because it makes us uncomfortable to be what we are weak in. If you are strong in grace, you will likely have to work on strengthening your ability to stand for truth. However, if you are strong in standing for truth, you will have to work on strengthening being gracious to others as you stand for truth. This principle is applicable to every part of the Christian life. You must know your weaknesses and work on strengthening them if you want to be perfect with God.

Third, read God’s Word. God’s Word is the only tool that can help you to become perfect with God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Studying God’s Word will instill in you those areas where you are weak.

Fourth, serve God. You cannot be with God if you don't serve Him. Serving God has a way of growing you in those areas where you are weak. You cannot become the perfect or complete believer God needs you to be without working with Him. Spending time with the perfect or complete God will mature you into the complete individual that God commands.