Thursday, December 3, 2009

Pleasing God or Pleasing People?

Scripture:

I Thessalonians 2:4 "For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts".

Observation:

Paul is writing to the Thessalonian people, remembering his time with them. As he is reconnecting with them, he asks them to remember that he and his workers did not come with and trickery, deceit or wrong motives. He is bringing back to their remembrance the hard work they have done while with them. When it comes to motives of the heart he says, "Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts".

Application:

God knows the motives of our hearts. What we do must be to please Him and Him alone. When ministering, we must do it out of a pure conscience and pure motives. God can look through impure motives to see what we are really all about. He knows all! People will try to control you, tell you how things must be done, and honestly try to help you in the Kingdom, but our first priority must be to hear from God and do accordingly, no matter whether people like us or they don't like us. Keeping you heart right before the Lord is crucial in ministry. Maintaining your personal prayer and devotional life is crucial if you are going to minister for the Lord. Watch your motives, they will make you of break you! Keep them pure!

Prayer:

Lord, I want to be a God pleaser and not a man pleaser. I want my heart to remain pure before You and to accomplish Your will for my life. I love You and want to serve You with pure heart and motives. I don't want to be swayed by anyone but You. Show me Your ways, teach me Your truths and I will do my best to follow accordingly. You are my everything! There is nothing else but You.

Yours,
Jeff

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