ALL – Psalm 119:156-176
ALL – Proverbs 28:23-24
OT – Daniel 7:1-28
NT – 1 John 1:1-10
Interesting passage for the day: So if we say we are his friends, but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying. – 1 John 1:6, The Living Bible
Thought: If we want to make friends with someone, we will usually try to fit in with them. We will relate to them. We will do what pleases them, and if we’re doing things that upset them, we’ll stop.
Would our lives say that we’re friends with Jesus? Jesus lives in truth and righteousness and joy and grace. Are we fitting in with Him? Are we relating to Him? Are we doing what pleases Him?
If not, you may need to consider whether or not your belief that you know Him is true. You are deceiving yourself if you say that you know Jesus but your life isn’t conforming to His.
On the other hand, some of you are super-sensitive. You love Jesus very much, and your life has changed greatly because you have received His gift, the Holy Spirit. You are doing everything you can to please Jesus. But you are deeply aware of the times you have not pleased Him. You pretty much despise yourself because you’ve sinned against Him. And when you hear that those who aren’t pleasing Jesus are lying about a relationship with Him, you begin to fear because you know you haven’t walked perfectly in His light.
Take heart. For you who love Jesus and give yourselves wholeheartedly to Him, sensitive to each time you fail Him, there is an encouragement for you a few verses down (v 9): “But if we confess our sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.”
So let’s not be half-hearted about our relationship with Jesus. Living as though Jesus barely matters to you is a good reason to question whether you know Him at all. But for us who are devoted to Jesus, grace is available even when we hurt Him and sin against Him. What a wonderful, kind God! Why give Him any less than our best?
Question: If Jesus were not a part of your life, would you be any different? Ok, you probably wouldn’t attend church. But would there be any differences from Monday to Saturday? How do you believe Jesus would like you to demonstrate your friendship with Him?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Showing posts with label please. Show all posts
Showing posts with label please. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Faithfully Unimpressive
ALL – Psalm 45:1-17
ALL – Proverbs 22:14
OT – Job 40:1-42:17
NT – 2 Corinthians 5:12-21
Interesting passage for the day: He died for all so that all who live—having received eternal life from him—might live no longer for themselves, to please themselves, but to spend their lives pleasing Christ who died and rose again for them. So stop evaluating Christians by what the world thinks about them or by what they seem to be like on the outside. – 2 Corinthians 5:15-16, The Living Bible
Thought: Christians aren’t designed to be impressive. They’re designed to be faithful. They’re designed to live real life—even when it looks boring. They’re designed to thank God—even for simple, “unexciting” blessings like bread and water. They’re designed to persevere—even when the rest of the world would decide “it’s not worth it.” They’re designed to please God, even when they seem to get no benefit.
Don’t misunderstand me. Some Christians are impressive and will do impressive things. Some are talented musicians, playwrights, actors, technicians. Some are gifted intellectuals, architects, athletes, speakers. For them, being faithful means using their impressive array of gifts to the glory of God. But they’re still designed first and foremost to be faithful, to please Christ rather than themselves.
And so the Christian life is not designed to be impressive. Which is a good thing, or most of us would be considered failures, not only by the world, but by Jesus Christ. As believers, we’re designed simply to be faithful to give ourselves wholly—heart, soul, mind, and strength—to loving and pleasing Jesus. And He’s given us life precisely so that we can all do exactly that.
Question: What does faithfully living to love and please Jesus Christ with your entire being look like for you right now? Where could you see yourself growing as you walk with Jesus through the years ahead?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 22:14
OT – Job 40:1-42:17
NT – 2 Corinthians 5:12-21
Interesting passage for the day: He died for all so that all who live—having received eternal life from him—might live no longer for themselves, to please themselves, but to spend their lives pleasing Christ who died and rose again for them. So stop evaluating Christians by what the world thinks about them or by what they seem to be like on the outside. – 2 Corinthians 5:15-16, The Living Bible
Thought: Christians aren’t designed to be impressive. They’re designed to be faithful. They’re designed to live real life—even when it looks boring. They’re designed to thank God—even for simple, “unexciting” blessings like bread and water. They’re designed to persevere—even when the rest of the world would decide “it’s not worth it.” They’re designed to please God, even when they seem to get no benefit.
Don’t misunderstand me. Some Christians are impressive and will do impressive things. Some are talented musicians, playwrights, actors, technicians. Some are gifted intellectuals, architects, athletes, speakers. For them, being faithful means using their impressive array of gifts to the glory of God. But they’re still designed first and foremost to be faithful, to please Christ rather than themselves.
And so the Christian life is not designed to be impressive. Which is a good thing, or most of us would be considered failures, not only by the world, but by Jesus Christ. As believers, we’re designed simply to be faithful to give ourselves wholly—heart, soul, mind, and strength—to loving and pleasing Jesus. And He’s given us life precisely so that we can all do exactly that.
Question: What does faithfully living to love and please Jesus Christ with your entire being look like for you right now? Where could you see yourself growing as you walk with Jesus through the years ahead?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Monday, August 16, 2010
People-Pleaser Evangelism
ALL – Psalm 34:11-22
ALL – Proverbs 21:14-16
OT – Nehemiah 11:1-12:26
NT – 1 Corinthians 10:15-11:2
Interesting passage for the day: That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do, not doing what I like or what is best for me, but what is best for them, so that they may be saved. – 1 Corinthians 10:33, The Living Bible
Thought: People-pleasing is often perceived as a bad thing. And it can be. When a desire to please people rises above a desire to please Jesus, we can be tempted to do shameful and foolish things. Because sometimes what pleases people is shameful and foolish.
But sometimes what pleases people is honorable. It may be honorable and ignorant, but it’s honorable. What do I mean by honorable and ignorant? I mean that sometimes people ask us to live up to really high standards—unnecessarily high standards (U.H.S.). People may be unaware (ignorant) of the fact that such high standards are unnecessary. But still, they are devoted to their high standards, and their high standards are honorable. Unnecessarily high, but honorable. And living up to those standards when it feels (is) unnecessary for us is another form of people-pleasing.
In Paul’s day, he dealt with whether or not to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Some people’s U.H.S. said that no one should ever eat meat sacrificed to idols. In our day, we deal with things like whether to ever drink beer or wine, for instance. Some people’s U.H.S. say that we should never touch the stuff. And these are not the only U.H.S. There are many more. But when people ask us to live up to these expectations, they are not asking us to be sinful or shameful. In such cases, people-pleasing can be honorable.
So the next time you feel like saying, “Uh… you know you don’t have to worry about that, right?” perhaps it would be better to follow Paul’s rule. Do some people-pleasing. Some honorable people-pleasing. Please others not just for the sake of making them happy, but so that you help them to see that Jesus Christ is more honorable than any standard they can set. Please people so that they can be saved and please Jesus.
Question: Why do we not want to live up to other people’s expectations? What do you think of people who are zealously disciplined about their standards? Why would you not want to be associated with that?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 21:14-16
OT – Nehemiah 11:1-12:26
NT – 1 Corinthians 10:15-11:2
Interesting passage for the day: That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do, not doing what I like or what is best for me, but what is best for them, so that they may be saved. – 1 Corinthians 10:33, The Living Bible
Thought: People-pleasing is often perceived as a bad thing. And it can be. When a desire to please people rises above a desire to please Jesus, we can be tempted to do shameful and foolish things. Because sometimes what pleases people is shameful and foolish.
But sometimes what pleases people is honorable. It may be honorable and ignorant, but it’s honorable. What do I mean by honorable and ignorant? I mean that sometimes people ask us to live up to really high standards—unnecessarily high standards (U.H.S.). People may be unaware (ignorant) of the fact that such high standards are unnecessary. But still, they are devoted to their high standards, and their high standards are honorable. Unnecessarily high, but honorable. And living up to those standards when it feels (is) unnecessary for us is another form of people-pleasing.
In Paul’s day, he dealt with whether or not to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Some people’s U.H.S. said that no one should ever eat meat sacrificed to idols. In our day, we deal with things like whether to ever drink beer or wine, for instance. Some people’s U.H.S. say that we should never touch the stuff. And these are not the only U.H.S. There are many more. But when people ask us to live up to these expectations, they are not asking us to be sinful or shameful. In such cases, people-pleasing can be honorable.
So the next time you feel like saying, “Uh… you know you don’t have to worry about that, right?” perhaps it would be better to follow Paul’s rule. Do some people-pleasing. Some honorable people-pleasing. Please others not just for the sake of making them happy, but so that you help them to see that Jesus Christ is more honorable than any standard they can set. Please people so that they can be saved and please Jesus.
Question: Why do we not want to live up to other people’s expectations? What do you think of people who are zealously disciplined about their standards? Why would you not want to be associated with that?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Free to Show Restraint
ALL – Psalm 25:1-11
ALL – Proverbs 20:13-15
OT – 2 Chronicles 30:1-31:21
NT – Romans 15:1-22
Interesting passage for the day: Let’s please the other fellow, not ourselves, and do what is for his good and thus build him up in the Lord. – Romans 15:2, The Living Bible
Thought: Have you ever been asked not to do a good thing? I mean, you’re having a great time and following Jesus with all your heart at the same time. And then someone gets offended for what seems to be no good reason, and they want you to stop whatever it is you’re doing.
Our tendency is to want to justify ourselves and keep going. Am I right? It’s irritating that anyone would want us to stop. Why stop having a good time when I’m not really hurting anyone? Sure, some moron’s offended, but he shouldn’t be—he’s just a moron!
When we adopt this attitude—when we justify ourselves, reject the “moron” and keep on doing whatever we were doing (because it’s a good thing to do, after all… there’s nothing wrong with it)—we forget and neglect the second greatest command of God: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” We show that we are more concerned with our own pleasures than with pleasing others. It’s not as though the people who get offended are asking us to do something sinful—usually they’re trying to avoid sin, right? So it really comes down to a question of love. Do I love this person enough to stop offending them (even if they’re wrong and a bit stupid)? Or do I love myself and my own way of enjoying life more than I love my neighbor? Our attitudes and behaviors reveal a lot. Love sets us free to accept restrictions—even when they’re pointless.
Question: What are some of the most irritating restrictions other people want for you? Could you respond more lovingly? How?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 20:13-15
OT – 2 Chronicles 30:1-31:21
NT – Romans 15:1-22
Interesting passage for the day: Let’s please the other fellow, not ourselves, and do what is for his good and thus build him up in the Lord. – Romans 15:2, The Living Bible
Thought: Have you ever been asked not to do a good thing? I mean, you’re having a great time and following Jesus with all your heart at the same time. And then someone gets offended for what seems to be no good reason, and they want you to stop whatever it is you’re doing.
Our tendency is to want to justify ourselves and keep going. Am I right? It’s irritating that anyone would want us to stop. Why stop having a good time when I’m not really hurting anyone? Sure, some moron’s offended, but he shouldn’t be—he’s just a moron!
When we adopt this attitude—when we justify ourselves, reject the “moron” and keep on doing whatever we were doing (because it’s a good thing to do, after all… there’s nothing wrong with it)—we forget and neglect the second greatest command of God: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” We show that we are more concerned with our own pleasures than with pleasing others. It’s not as though the people who get offended are asking us to do something sinful—usually they’re trying to avoid sin, right? So it really comes down to a question of love. Do I love this person enough to stop offending them (even if they’re wrong and a bit stupid)? Or do I love myself and my own way of enjoying life more than I love my neighbor? Our attitudes and behaviors reveal a lot. Love sets us free to accept restrictions—even when they’re pointless.
Question: What are some of the most irritating restrictions other people want for you? Could you respond more lovingly? How?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
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