Do you like me?

 

For whom are you dancing today? Well, perhaps you are not actually dancing, but who are you trying to please? We all have some level of need for appreciation, wanting to be liked. If we make that kind of approval our first priority, misery is guaranteed. A hundred voices will call us to a hundred pathways. Public pressure will try to squeeze us into conformity to a dozen different sets of expectations.

Paul writes this, not from vanity, but with a laser-like focus.  "We speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else," (1 Thessalonians 2:3-6, NIV)

In ancient Israel, King David wanted to bring the symbol of God’s Presence home to the city of Jerusalem. The story of his attempts has some fails and missed cues, so when the day finally came for the Ark of the Covenant to come to Jerusalem, he was overcome with joy in the Lord. As the procession entered the city, he started to dance, then spin, and then… he shed his royal robes, dancing in front of his people in just his tunic. In a sense, he was down to his royal underwear:  leaping, dancing, and shouting the praises of God.

Some people were delighted by his enthusiasm, but not all! "Michal daughter of Saul (David’s wife) watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart." (2 Samuel 6:16, NIV) When he got back to the palace, he expected to share his joy. Instead, she met him with her contempt.  “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”  Just to be clear – David was not naked. Her contempt came out of her notion that he had not kept his royal dignity intact.

It remains a truth that when you devote yourself fully to the Lord there will always be critics. Even some Christians will come to despise you. Your devotion may challenge their apathy, the fire in your heart exposing the coldness of theirs. In those situations it is much easier to turn on the true worshiper, to criticize his devotion and/or his motive, than to repent.  If you listen to them they will kill your joy, hinder your worship, and diminish your love of God.

We seek the applause of the “audience of One,” to borrow the words of Kierkegaard.  God’s approval must be enough for us. It was for David.  When his wife mocked his worship, he told her:  “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes." (2 Samuel 6:20-22, NIV)

Critics will turn you into a puppet dancing at the end of the strings they pull. Gently, humbly, refuse their demands. Beware of arrogance or pride that devalues the fellowship of Believers. We are part of His Body and submitted to one another, and yet the deepest intimacy and our greatest sacrifice generally will be reserved for God alone. Jesus warned that we can turn prayer and worship into a performance designed to impress others. Our only reward, He said, is their admiration.

Heaven falls silent when we start to dance for the crowd!  But, there will be moments when the Spirit of God sweeps over us and we just forget ourselves, enthralled by His love. In those moments, we forget the critics. As Paul asks, Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10, NIV)  

Struggling with critics? Listening to many voices, feeling pressure to conform? Here is the word from the Word. “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV)

For God, and God alone.

_______________

Build My Life

(what or who is your foundation?)

Worthy of ev’ry song we could ever sing

Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring

Worthy of ev’ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

Jesus the name above ev’ry other name

Jesus the only one who could ever save

Worthy of ev’ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

We live for You

Holy there is no one like You

There is none besides You

Open up my eyes in wonder and show me who You are

And fill me with Your heart

And lead me in Your love to those around me

I will build my life upon Your love

It is a firm foundation

I will put my trust in You alone

And I will not be shaken

Brett Younker | Karl Martin | Kirby Elizabeth Kaple | Matt Redman | Pat Barrett

© 2016 Martin, Karl Andrew (Admin. by Arkyard Music Services Limited)

Kaple Music (Admin. by Bethel Music Publishing)

Bethel Music Publishing

CCLI License # 810055

Loud and Clear

I want one thing to be obvious about me, above anything else – that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.  I have no desire to be like “Captain Obvious” that obnoxious character that markets for hotels.com. The gag that the commercials feature is his complete lack of awareness about how he is coming across to those around him.  Some Christians turn their faith into something like that: insensitive, sometimes just silly, often unnecessarily offensive, as they claim to be doing the work of Christ. Jesus becomes part of their political ideology, the Gospel turns into a ‘get out of Hell’ pass, and superstitious ideas replace deep intimacy with the Spirit.  Then, there are those beautiful Believers who are true saints, not because a halo hovers over their head, but whose lives demonstrate a deep faith and a godly direction.

Paul commended the Thessalonian Christians for a faith that came through loud and clear!  "And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. ... They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath." (1 Thessalonians 1:7-10, NIV)

That phrase challenges me this morning – “the Lord’s message rang out from you… your faith known everywhere.”  People in that region of Greece were talking about these believers, not because they were obnoxious, but because they had found a powerful faith that completely changed the way they lived. They no longer held onto their old idols, they loved the Lord. They had found real hope of salvation and eternal life, no longer fearing the future, or even death itself.  They were not making a lot of self-congratulatory noise; God, the Holy Spirit was using them to proclaim His Message.  

As you head into life today, I encourage you to pause for a few moments to pray a different kind of prayer. Pouring out our petitions is a wonderful privilege and we should do that. There is another way to pray that involves listening, with a focused heart and mind that wants to hear from the Spirit. We almost instinctively pray “Lord, I’m speaking so listen,” but do we remember to pray as young Samuel was counseled? “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” Contemplate the works of God. Spend time with the mystery of the love of the Almighty for you. Let God love you.  

Something amazing happens to Christians who are listening to God. They begin to take on the character and beauty of the Savior. Grace pours into their lives and then spills over out of their lives. The Gospel ‘rings out’ through their love, their patience, their forgiveness, their gentleness, their steadiness in joy and sorrow alike.  When people talk about this kind of Christians, it is not to mock. Instead they speak about something beautiful, a message that ‘rings out’ through them. Oh, I want that to be true of my life.

Lord, let Your beauty shine through, Your amazing love owning my heart so that it overflows to those with whom I talk and walk today.

In our word from the Word today, Peter urges us to "Live such good lives among the pagans (those who do not know God) that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Peter 2:12, NIV)  How can we do that? "As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! …  So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better." (2 Peter 1:3,5, NLT)

Let Him be revealed in you today.

_________

Yes I Will

(A desire to let Him shine)

I count on one thing

The same God that never fails

Will not fail me now

You won't fail me now

In the waiting

The same God who's never late

Is working all things out

You're working all things out

Yes I will lift You high

In the lowest valley

Yes I will bless Your name

Yes I will sing for joy

When my heart is heavy

All my days yes I will

I choose to praise

To glorify glorify

The name of all names

That nothing can stand against

For all my days

Yes I will

Eddie Hoagland | Jonathan Smith | Mia Fieldes

© All Essential Music (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)

Be Essential Songs (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)

HBC Worship Music (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)

CCLI License # 810055

The Real Thing

 About 50 years ago, when many other colas were entering the soft drink market, Coca Cola™ advertised with this slogan, “It’s the Real Thing.” Coke’s brand manager said that the company was responding to “research which shows that young people seek the real, the original and the natural as an escape from phoniness.”  Later, when Coke was marketed in cans, the company kept the swirl design to remind consumers of the iconic Coke bottle that had defined the brand for many years.  

People still respond to the real, the authentic, don’t they?  In a world full of image-making and imitation, the quality of the real thing – beverage, product, or person – is still admired.

Are you the real thing, Christian? Does your life reflect a depth of commitment to Christ that goes beyond Sunday morning songs and half-hearted prayers?

In his letter to the Believers in Thessalonica, Paul praises their authentic Christianity, which was more than words and ideas.  "For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit." (1 Thessalonians 1:4-6, NIV)

Note the words he uses to describe their faith:  power, conviction, joy! He twice refers to the Holy Spirit, for it is He that makes Christians, then and now, “The real thing!” We cannot do this on our own, with motivational speeches, behavior modification techniques, or determination of the will.  Oh yes, there is a pale imitation of Christianity that can be lived that way. But, the life-changing experience of the Presence of God that saves those who are lost, that turns sinners into saints, that frees addicts, that transforms hate to love – is found in the Person of the Spirit.

From the beginning, Christians were taught to seek and rely on the Holy Spirit. Jesus told that first band of followers - “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you about this before. … when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, NLT)

Paul reminds us that God will "strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." (Ephesians 3:16-17, NIV)

Do not confuse the power of the Spirit with some esoteric experience offered only to an elite group. Nor must we run to a revival somewhere far away, led by a charismatic preacher, to find that power. He is the Third Person of the Trinity, God, here now.  He is received, by faith, into open hearts that hunger for the real thing!  Some will know Him noisily and with great emotion; others as the still small voice of conviction. But, all who are alive in Him will become people of power to deal with evil, people of deep conviction that do not waver in the face of temptation, and people of profound joy in the middle of the messes that life brings to us all.

Pray to be the ‘real thing.’  Reflect on this word from the Word today.  Paul says that no matter what has happened to him, the work of God continues because the Spirit makes him authentically powerful. "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?" (2 Corinthians 2:14-16, NIV)

"Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 3:4-6, NIV)

Lord, work in us and through us, for the glory of Your Name. Amen

_________

Who You Say I Am

(Worship with this song that invites to know the Real)

Who am I that the highest King

Would welcome me

I was lost but He brought me in

Oh His love for me  Oh His love for me

Who the Son sets free

Oh is free indeed

I'm a child of God

Yes I am

Free at last

He has ransomed me

His grace runs deep

While I was a slave to sin

Jesus died for me, Yes He died for me

In my Father's house

There's a place for me

I'm a child of God

Yes I am

I am chosen not forsaken

I am who You say I am

You are for me not against me

I am who You say I am

(Oh) (Yes) I am who You say I am

Ben Fielding | Reuben Morgan

© 2017 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055