For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit. (crushed in spirit- NIV)
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
This week I was reminded of a children’s Christmas program I directed 14 years ago. Every time I think about it, I laugh, even all these years later. My daughter and niece (both 4) were part of the program. When the kids got on stage and we began the first song, I noticed my niece wasn’t paying a bit of attention or engaging in the program at all. In fact, she may have been walking around stage a little while the others were singing.
I couldn’t hear any of the kids singing very loud, so I put my hands up to my ears hoping they would all sing a little louder. My daughter really took this to heart. Her face turned beet red, and she began yelling at the top of her lungs. Just as my daughter began yelling at the top of her lungs, my niece decided it was time to bob back and forth. It was quite the scene.
My daughter really wanted to please me. Her eyes were intently watching me. I told her not to take her eyes off me and she didn’t. She didn’t care about anyone else or what they thought and quite frankly she was too young to care. She saw that I wanted louder, so she was determined to be the loudest. She did a perfect job. Why? Because she had her eyes fixed on me and she did what I asked. She did it with such intensity and her whole heart. She wouldn’t have known what I wanted her to do if her eyes weren’t on me the entire time.
Just as my daughter wanted so desperately to please me, I think God wants us to spend our time pleasing Him. He wants us to do what He asks to the best of His ability- with intensity and our whole heart. As Maria’s eyes were fixed on me, God wants our eyes on Him. Jeremiah 29:13 says “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your hearts.”
We will fully be able to know and do the will of our father when we keep our eyes completely on Him!
Dear Heavenly Father- Help me to live my life pleasing you. Help me to live my life with my eyes fixed on you. Help me to be intent on serving you in order to do your “good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord.
Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:2-5
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; makethe most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. NIV
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. NLT
