Saturday, November 3, 2007

Winning Approval

 
Galatians 1:10 "Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God.  If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant". 
 
How many minutes of everyday have we spent in front of the bathroom mirror?  For some it may be more than others but when we look into that mirror what do we see?  When we are getting dressed for the day, or shopping for new clothes, what do we think about as we gauge the choices in front of us?  How about the topics we choose to discuss with our acquaintances?  Do we stick to only the "safe" ones and avoid the ever increasingly politically incorrect discussion about morals and religion?  I could probably come up with tons more of situations in which we are faced with choices that pull between what would make the people around us happy and what would make God happy, or maybe wouldn't affect His opinion at all, after all I am pretty sure that God's not interested in, "who you're wearing" today!  Wanna know what He is interested in?  Read His Word!  He has sent us this amazing, detailed love letter filled with pages and pages of instructions on what it takes to serve Him, to please Him, to praise Him and to walk with Him in His glory.  We have all heard "You can't please all the people all the time" which is not only true but more importantly it is irrelevant.  Yet, some of us {me especially} have tried our hardest to please those around us the best we can.  But God has been teaching me lately that if we are focusing on pleasing Him, on winning His approval, than chances are in the long run the people who really matter to us, family, friends, etc., will not suffer for it.  Because if we are trying to "win the approval" of God by following His plans for our lives and His directions via His precious Word than we will be living a life of love and serving others as we share God's love & compassion & grace through our actions and when appropriate our words.  I pray that we may each find ourselves able to focus our time on what is pleasing to God and to not get caught up with what may win the approval of this world.  Let us all join together in prayer for Summer, Kayla and for all who are in need of God's continued healing hand.  May He grant those who are suffering physically, mentally and/or spiritually peace in their spirits and comfort as He surrounds them with His loving arms.  Please also join with me daily in prayer for the protection of our military and their families.    I am personally continuing to keep you each in my prayers, asking that our heavenly Father may protect you and grant His favor before you each day.  Have a blessed and awesome week ahead!
Love through Christ,
Niki

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