Pleasing God

Pleasing God

photo by sxc.hu

 

A Christian thought to ponder ...

One constant battle I have within my marriage is my husband is always telling me I need to be more social. Well, I am not the social butterfly that my husband has become. I am the opposite of my husband. I am an introvert and a loner, and I have difficulty speaking to people I do not know. Sometimes I even stutter or freeze up because my brain doesn’t want to move with my mouth. Nevertheless, you know that saying, “Opposites do attract.” However, I often feel I can never please my husband because I am not the social butterfly he wants me to be. 

The enemy will often lead me down a road of depression, doubt, and fear. I often feel that my husband should have never married me and that he should have married someone more like himself. I often feel like an outsider at church, struggling to get into the gate, unsure of myself, scared of what others may think of me but knowing there is a fierce burning desire inside of me to yell out at the world how great God is and share it with everybody. Unfortunately, I let the enemy control my anxiety, fears, and doubts, and many times I let the enemy hold me back from sharing the Truth. But I have discovered through prayer, trusting God, and learning God’s Word that being a wife is not only about pleasing my husband; It is about pleasing God. 

There are several ways I have discovered to please God through the Word that I think is important for Christians to strive for each day.

Faith -  The first way to please God is through faith. One must have faith in God and believe that God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten Son, Jesus, and that Jesus died on the cross for all our sins so that we may have everlasting life. “But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6.

Love - The second way to please God is to love God. He is our creator. He gave us life, and He loves us. How could anyone not love the creator who created the beauty that is all around us and gave us life? “…to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,” Deuteronomy 11:13.

Trust - The third way to please God is to trust in God. Trusting God is a hard step for many Christians to follow because we live in a world that is all about "me". When the enemy is lurking about, it is a constant struggle to depend upon God. The world teaches us to do everything on our own. We tend to forget that the Father wants us to call upon him and rely on Him. We need to lay everything into his hands, and believe that he will take care of everything. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5.

Forgive - The fourth way to please God is to forgive one another. A forgiving spirit is a quality many of us fall short of and something we should all strive to attain; our example is in Jesus, and what better role model to follow as he forgave us all and died on the cross for all of us.  “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32.

Thanks - The fifth way to please God is to give thanks to God. Giving thanks to God is something many of us forget to do. It is important to thank God for the blessings he bestows upon us. Would any of us be where we are today and have the things we have if it were not for God?  “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Prayer - The sixth way to please God is to pray. We tend to let the things of this world be our excuse as to why we do not pray, such as, I have to go to work, I have to go to the gym, or I have to cook dinner. There can be no end, but you would not be able to do any of these tasks or partake in any of them if it were not for our Heavenly Father.  Why do we only seek Him in our most dire time of need? We need to be seeking Him at all times, telling Him how much we love Him and how thankful we are for all the blessings he has given us. “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”  Philippians 4:6.

Obey -  The seventh way to please God is to obey God. Obeying God should be the heart of our Christian walk. Sometimes we fail, and we mess up; or we fall away and are disobedient to God. We should seek God's forgiveness and start anew. Our goal should be to strive to be Christ-like,  thwart the enemy’s plans, win over sin and temptation, and serve as witnesses for the Lord.  “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”  Luke 11:28.

Worship - The eighth way to please God is to worship God and only God. Do not worship idols or false gods. “Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.”  Chronicles 16:9.

Knowledge - The ninth way to please God is to grow in the knowledge of His Word. Dedicate time daily to His Word. Spend time with him, seek his Words and get to know him. “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;” Colossians 1:10.

Rejoice - The tenth way to please God is to rejoice in the Lord. The Lord is like a brightly burning candle. However, if we let the winds of the world blow in, that bright candle flame will get snuffed out. His light burns brightly in each one of us. We need to rejoice and share that light with others. Rejoice in all things of the Lord – for his blessings, rescues, miracles, companionship, and life. “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4.

Spiritual Gifts - The eleventh way to please God is to exercise the spiritual gifts that He has given to us. He does not want us to neglect these gifts but to use them to spread and share His Word with others who may be lost. "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-7.

Giving - The final way to please God is by giving. Being generous is not only tithing, but it also is giving of our time. For example, helping someone in need, helping at a church event, visiting someone who is sick. “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.”  Deuteronomy 16:17.

Pray you all have a blessed week!

Carol

Conversations with God

Conversations with God

As Christians, we tend to petition God in our most desperate times or during our greatest hour of need. Unfortunately, many of us Christians forget that we should seek God not only during our darkest times or during our greatest hour of need, but we should be seeking him daily. We need to be conversing with him every day, as one would with their own father. The Lord takes great delight in conversations with his children. His voice may not be vocalized, as it was with Adam or Moses, but one can hear his voice in the Word, in a Christian song or hymn, or through the Christian leaders within our churches.
 

photo from sxc.hu

Moreover, what better way to develop a strong, loving relationship and an everlasting relationship by having daily conversations with God.

Just as Adam talked with God in the Garden of Eden, so we can talk with God through prayer and worship. God is there for us in our need, whether it is providing comfort when one of our family members or close friends pass away or protecting us and calming us when our vehicle almost spins out of control and almost goes over a ledge. God is right there walking beside us as we discover the beauty of a flower or a fiery sunset that he created; He is there beside us, when we are sitting next to a bottle of pills contemplating about ending our life, pleading to us not to end our lives. He is our Great Comforter, our Great Protector and He loves us.. 

And despite our many faults and failings, we are precious to God, just as it states in Jeremiah 29:11 he has a plan for each and every one of us.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

You are precious to him. Do not let the enemy win. Strike up a conversation with God this very moment, and tell him how much you love him, and tell him how your day went. Tell him you want him in your life. Have a conversation with God.

Moreover, what a glorious revelation to know and share with others that God is with us always and forever and we can have a conversation with the Lord anytime.

Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

May God Bless you throughout the week!

Calling Upon God's Name

Stock Photo by Lightstock

A thought to ponder...

Many of us Christians may seem fine on the outside, but no one can truly see what inward battles and struggles we go through each and every day against the enemy. The enemy viciously attacks us neverendingly to bring us down to our knees. Score one for the enemy, or so he thinks. 

However, we anger and infuriate the enemy when we are down upon our knees, looking up and seeking the Lord. When we are feeling worthless and empty, God beckons us to call upon His name. God loves each one of us, and He will never abandon us. He lifts us up when we are down. He holds us in His arms and comforts us when in distress. He brings us joy when there is sorrow. He gives us hope when all looks dim. 

King David sought refuge and peace in the Lord and knew God heard his pleas. In Psalm 55: 16-18 he wrote:

"As for me, I shall call upon God, And the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, And He will hear my voice. He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me, For they are many who strive with me".

God hears our pleas and cries. He wants to wipe away all of our tears and fears. He wants us to call upon his name to seek him in all that we do. All we have to do is call upon his name: 

Lord, Jesus, 

I humbly beseech your help. Darkness surrounds me, and You are my only beacon of light. You are my anchor, my strength, and my guide. I cannot overcome these vicious attacks without You. Please help me to withstand the attacks from the enemy, and please place a shield about me to protect me. Help me to stay focused on you and help me to trust in You always. Thank you for your love, your mercy, and your kindness. Thank you for always being by my side and always listening to my prayers. 

May Your will be done. 

Amen.

May you all have a blessed week!

Carol