Life Pleasing To God

John Scott says in his book, Living In The End Times, "One of the greatest weaknesses of contemporary Christianity is our comparative neglect of Christian ethics, in both our teaching and our practice. We are known as people who preach the gospel rather than as those who live it."

I'm not real sure how to even begin this blog post after that quote. I feel like it's such a big thing that is happening in today's world. It's like we know what God wants from us but we only do the easy things or we only do the things that we want to do.

He does say go out into the world and preach the gospel. But He also says to love one another and to practice the things that were talked about in Philippians 4:8-9 so we will become like Him. It is my hope that when non-believers see believers they will feel loved and known and not judged or condemned.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 tells us God's will for us, our sanctification, how we should live a life pleasing to God.

"For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you." (1 Thess 4:7-8)

This passage is talking about abstaining from sexual immorality but also to live in love. We are called to love more and more. By love we fulfill the law. We are called to live quietly and walk shamelessly before outsiders.

Verse 11-12 says, "and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one."

As said in Romans 2, it's not enough to hear but doing and practicing these things will bring justification. And to reject the giver of the Holy Spirit is like cutting yourself off from the sanctifying power that enables us to be blameless in holiness at the second coming.


Are you living your life in love?

What thoughts and actions need to change in order for you to please God?

What is God's role in your sanctification?


Today I'm thankful for:
-footie pjs
-time
-glasses

Obedience

Ever been in the position where you are constantly fighting a battle? It's like you take four steps forward and five steps back. You never get anywhere and you're always struggling to catch your breath towards the end of the battle. You may have thought to yourself that there has to be an easier way to get through your struggles.

I always have a hard time letting God take over my battles for me. It's like I'm not listening to Him. He says do one thing and I tell Him that it's stupid and I don't want to do that. Not very obedient, right?

It's basically saying that I don't trust God enough to believe that He has everything under control and to trust that He makes all things work together for my good.

2 Corinthians 10:4-6 says, "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete."

It's not just actions that can be disobedient. Thoughts are the first step to becoming an action so internal disobedience needs to be eliminated. We are called to obey God. Why would I want to obey anyone else? That's almost like choosing to obey a murderer. I can't trust that a murderer has my best interest at heart.

"If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land" (Isaiah 1:19)


What battles are you fighting?

Is the battle worth fighting alone?

Do you feel freedom when you obey God and allow Him to fight for you?


Today I'm thankful for:
-heat
-Scruffy
-take home exams

Quiet Your Soul

I was reading through Psalm 131 yesterday and I thought it was really cool because it kind of relates to the passage I talked about on Friday. It talks about arrogance and pride and what we concern ourselves with.

I think it's hard to humble yourself every day and to focus on things that are actually going to matter. It's hard to know that I am loved by a God who will never love me less. It's hard to understand that I am loved by the Creator even when I choose to love the world over Him. I also find it unimaginable that God can love me even when I am poor, weak, and broken.

It's hard not to boast in things when you have completed a hard task or even when you have done something that no one thought you could do. It's hard to keep your heart and your eyes focused on what really matters. And it's hard to think of yourself more highly of others when you get in situations when you may be "better" than them.

Psalm 131 says, "O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore."

A lot of times I read passages that require me to do something afterwards and I feel like this passage requires me to just humble myself and know that God loves me for who I am and not for what I do. And know that God, the Creator, has created me for a purpose, for His perfect plan. He desires to just be with me. I feel like this passage is asking us to be content with God's presence, like a weaned child with its mother, just content with simply having their mother's presence.
We can hope in the Lord forever.

Did you know that God just wants to be with you?

How do you humble yourself in your hectic school or work schedule?

Do you find yourself with the God of peace when you humble yourself?


Today I am thankful for:
-soup
-love
-sleep

Whatever

Do you ever think that being a believer is only about what you do and what you don't do? But what about how we think and how we reason with one another? And what about how we put our belief into practice?

So what is true? And what is noble and right? What is pure, lovely and admirable? Believers should be reasoning and thinking about such things instead of thinking and worrying about other things that don't matter in the end.

Philippians 4:8 says "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

When the apostle Paul was writing to the Philippians, he commanded them to think about and reason the things of God. Although Paul encourages them to think about these things, he also commanded them to put these things in practice.

4:9 says, "What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."

Faith that involves no application is really no faith at all. Paul wants us to think about what is true of God and to apply them to our lives so we can become like Jesus. Once we work toward imitating how Paul lived we will begin to see the God of peace himself who will be with us. Not simply the peace of God.



What do you think is true of God?

What do you think is honorable and just?

Do you apply these truths to your life?

How do you see these truths playing out in your life?


Today I'm thankful for:
-my memory
-sweet friends
-the God of peace