We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and pleasehim in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God Col 1:9-11
Beloved, This scripture has been my prayer for each one of you this week as you grow in pleasing Him. I touched on the defining difference between my effort to bring Jesus name glory vs pleasing Him. God's word states faith pleases Him, obedience to His word and loving others by His Spirit pleases Him. It truly depends on our heart attitude. I can do an act of kindness and be dripping with pride and a critical spirit. I cringe remembering the many times I desired to be recognized and thought well of by others, or simply hear thank you and all the time I thought I was bringing glory to God! It is so easy to operate full-tilt in the flesh for we know in our head we are to serve.
Realizing only what God does in and through me is eternal, has caused me to listen intently for His voice in the Word. When I finish a task I like to stop and ask "Did I please You Lord?" This is divergent from asking myself, "Did I please the Lord?" The latter focuses on me but to stop and ask Him, is to acknowledge Him in a surrender of heart. I am seeking what pleases Him.
I want to encourage you to stop, as you move through your day and ask 'Did I please You Lord?" Be poured out as a drink offering for Him.
Recently, I spoke to a 13 yr old girl who struggled with her 'Christian' friends who had no inclination to pursue Christ or live for Him; focusing instead on how they could fit into the world. She suffered daily wrestling with this contradiction wanting to understand why they didn't seem to love her Lord. I confirmed her in her decision to walk in a radical obedience to the King of kings. To walk to please Him! To keep her eyes on Christ, not her friends or anyone else. Sharing that her decision would mean suffering and dying, not occasionally, but daily (as Paul said, "I die daily" I Cor 15:31) also feeling friendless oftens. But when all is said and done... she would have no regrets. When she sees Him face to face her pain and struggles will be worth it all. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!" Phil 3:9-11 She understood she must choose for herself to follow Christ, even if those she loves best turn away. The choice is always 'will I surrender' my heart to please Him? Life is hard. Many daily choices are between pleasing our flesh or a friend, or family rather than please Him. Sharing the Truth with her I encouraged her to live by faith, not feelings and stay in God's word. She left pumped, her heart strengthened to please Jesus. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18
"The Christian life is not merely a converted life nor even a consecrated life, but it is the Christ-life. It is the consuming desire of the Lord Jesus to reincarnate Himself in the believer." RP
Our pleasing Him is to be based on His worthiness, on Who He is and is not about whether we 'feel' like it. God confirms and establishes us in Christ as we seek Him. What privilege is ours to please the Holy God!? Let it burn deeply into your being, bringing strength and encouragement. You are so loved by the King of kings. Immeasurable God, You who are my praise and the rejoicing of my heart, I want to please You! Please teach me. Live through me in power, strengthening me for Your purposes. I ask You to work in me to want Your will more than my own way. You know how needy I am and how frequently I do not count myself dead to sin and alive to You! I walk in unbelief and focus on the temporary. Thank You for dying to deliver me from the power of sin. The truth that I am forgiven sets my feet dancing. I glory in the Cross on which You died. You are life and breath and hope. Thank You for Your word which is my sanity and gives wisdom and perspective and encourages me daily. I lift up each sister, for You see deeply into her heart and know her struggles. Bring her comfort and Light where she has decisions to make. You see her need. You are her need-Meeter. Put Your arms around her and hold her head and shoulders above all that would pull her down. I pray in the matchless Name above all names, Jesus, amen.
To please Him requires dying to the flesh, to 'my' will, and give Him the key to every room in my heart. I am in awe.......az
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