Are You A GOD Pleaser?

 

Are You A GOD Pleaser?

 

Are you a pleaser of GOD or are you pleasing to GOD? James tells us to be doers in The Word not just hearers. “But be doers of The Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22, study 1:2-27.

 

Many Christians work to please GOD rather than being pleasing to GOD. What’s the difference?

Working to please GOD is works without faith, it is works for reward. Many children grow up having to do chores around the house, sometimes they are rewarded for doing them. Most children do them because they are getting a reward and or to keep their parents happy – not griping at them about doing their chore. Some children do their chores to please their parents because their parents asked them do to them. Some children do their chores and then look for other things they can do to help their parents around the house, these two pleases their parents.

 

Some Christians do the same, they do things that they think or hope will please GOD because they do not want GOD mad at them. They will do things that they do not like or want to do to keep GOD pleased with them. Most of these Christians miss out on what GOD has gifted and called them to do in HIS Kingdom! JESUS told the parable of a father who told his two sons to go work in his vineyard; one said he would not but later felt bad and went to the vineyard, the other said he would but he did not; JESUS asked, “Which of the two did the will of the father?” The religious leaders said the one who worked the vineyard, JESUS said, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots will enter The Kingdom of GOD before you.” Matthew 21:31, study 21:28-32.

 

The son who said he would not but then regretted his choice did the will of his father. It is never too late to repent of being religious or of doing works to keep GOD happy with us. How does this balance in the walk of our life before GOD? When we are young Christians we get excited about what JESUS has done for us and we want to do things to please HIM. It is important that as we understand we are part of CHRIST’s Body, The Church, that there are many things that need to be done and we can participate which increases our level of fellowship and learning, this pleases GOD.

 

As we mature and become familiar with GOD’s Word we begin to understand that GOD has a call and purpose for our life. Sometimes we think we know what it is, or there is something that we really want to do so we assume that is our call and we jump right in. Because GOD’s gifts and callings are permanent we can be successful and happy for a while, but if we are not prepared by GOD’s standard we can fail. Here the key is to repent and seek GOD for His will for us.

 

There are a few basic things that all Christians should be doing; preaching the gospel (not like an evangelist per say), being set apart (holy) to GOD in our life, fellowshipping with other Christians and doing things that support the Body. Part of being holy is to be seeking GOD for what HE wants us to do, JESUS told us to seek first The Kingdom of GOD and HIS Righteousness and all the things we need, will be provided, Matthew 6:33.

 

Look at Peter and Paul, they spent different amounts of time being prepared for their Call and Purpose. Peter walked with JESUS for just over a year then at the most important point of JESUS’ Ministry he denied knowing JESUS; Who forgave and restored him. Peter became the spokesperson for the believers and after a couple of years was the first to take the Gospel to the Gentiles, he became the unquestioned leader of the Church. Paul was persecuting the Christians when JESUS introduced HIMSELF to Paul. Paul spent a couple of years at Damascus, then went to Jerusalem, then to Troas for several years, then to Antioch for a couple of years, then The HOLY SPIRIT called him and Barnabas to go on their world evangelistic trip and Paul became the greatest evangelist and writer of the new testament.

 

Some of us will spend years being prepared for our call and it will last only a short time; some of us will spend a short time being prepared for our call and it will last a long time. The key is to be seeking GOD! The children who are pleasing to their parents are not just doing what pleases them, but are doing it with a right heart. The son who went to the vineyard after saying he would not pleased his father by repenting of his rebellion. As Children of GOD we should be seeking to know our Father and doing the things HE gives us to do. Sometimes they are not pleasant, sometimes they are hard or difficult; this is part of becoming holy.

 

Seeking GOD is the key to pleasing HIM; when we do things that we think will please HIM we may get locked into a cycle that leads us away from HIS Will. If we are seeking GOD, learning HIS Word and doing what is before us HE will use those things to teach and train us so that in HIS timing The HOLY SPIRIT calls us (maybe like HE did Peter and Paul) and sends us to fulfill GOD’s Will and Purpose for our life.

 

We are redeemed not for Heaven but to do the Will of GOD and fulfill HIS Purpose for our life!

Seek GOD First!

GOD Bless, Bob & Charlene