Well Pleasing

Being Well Pleasing

 

“And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’” (Matthew 3:17).

Am I well pleasing to the Lord? Do I model a life of submission to my Savior? Do I defer all honor and glory to Him? For my heavenly Father to be well pleased with me is the heartbeat of humility. This means at times I displease others to please my Master Jesus. I will choose to embrace beliefs and behaviors that are other-worldly and can cause conflict, because I understand that though I am in the world I am not to be of the world in my mindset and spirit.

A Christian, pleasing to Christ, first learns that to be raised high means to begin low. Jesus did not begin His ministry baptizing, but rather being baptized. He required of Himself everything expected from everyone else. Humble leaders do this; they follow the agreed upon guidelines, realizing no one is above the rules. It is with a humble heart that a leader discerns the Lord’s ways and then lives them out in front of the faithful and faithless.

Perhaps goodhearted people seek to place you on a pedestal of admiration and honor. It is at this point of recognition that you keep your spirit low, as your reputation is on the rise. The Lord sustains His blessing for those who defer honor back to Him. It pleases your heavenly Father to see you engage in humble acts, especially as your influence grows. The closer you grow to Christ, the more you see the need for His grace and forgiveness.

You can only deal with the soul of another if Jesus has dealt with your soul. It pleases Him when you first pronounce yourself needy before heaven, before pointing out the needs of another. Humility looks inward at the heart before it outwardly observes the issues of another. The Lord is pleased when you take the lead to repent.

Go public with your faith after you have been private in prayer. This solemn preparation pleases your heavenly Father. Moreover, have you proclaimed your faith publically in baptism? It pleases God for you to go public for Him. It is an honor becoming your sacred accountability. Private intimacy with your heavenly Father leads to a public inauguration of your faith. He is well pleased with you when you publically pronounce Him the Lord over your life. Humility pleases Him. Why? It listens and obeys.

“Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow” (Deuteronomy 4:12–13).

Praying for others is necessary

"As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you." 2 Thessalonians 3:1

Prayer for one another is a spiritual secret weapon. It rocks the devil's world, wins over a lost world, and brings peace in this world. Prayer for another is a necessary ingredient in the recipe for successful living. A prayer investment is an eternal investment. Prayers for healing, prayers for wisdom, prayers of praise and prayers to courageously spread the gospel all acknowledge the Lord's priorities. Indeed, prayer promotes God's agenda.

Moreover, our prayers for others change us. When we implore Christ to heal the illness of a sweaty browed small child, our heart grows tender. When we ask God to give a friend wisdom in a crucial decision, we grow in wisdom. When we pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers, the Spirit directs us to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Prayer is a platform that produces righteous results for the giver and the receiver.

"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." James 5:15-17

Be careful not to take your prayers for granted, treating them as an afterthought or mindless routine. Asking God's blessing over a meal is a big deal. Whether in private or in public you give glory to your provider and sustainer, Jesus. Are you bold when eating out to politely ask permission to pray out loud before you partake? Yes, you can pray quietly, or you can remind everyone present who is Lord of the meal.

Who needs your fervent prayers today? Do they know you are praying for them? Perhaps you send an email or text prayer to a special friend in need. Sometimes a hurting person needs less advice and more comforting words of Christ on their behalf. A supplication to your Savior for suffering saints brings fear to its knees and elevates faith and hope up front and center. Thus, ask for prayers and offer prayers for God's glory. Prayers hold up one another.

"So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him." Acts 12:5

Love and truth

"For your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth."
 Psalm 26:3
 
Walk in truth and be lead by love. These are twins of wise living. Love is our leader and truth our motivator. Love is our strategy and truth our tactic. Love is our goal and truth  our inspiration. Love is our encouragement and truth our obedience. We need both to become better followers of Jesus. We are not under the bondage of the law, but we are under the sweet constraints of grace. Love, without truth, can be deceived with every new form of teaching. It can be easily swayed by emotion instead of remaining stable and confident in Christ. Truth without love becomes judgmental and harsh. It goes through the right motions while resentment builds unabated. Love and truth work together so we are able to live a compelling Christian life. They bring us into balance.

This is why we look forward to the love of God as a guide for our faith. Faith trusts God to accomplish His own decrees. This is why we do not have to steal, for we know God will provide for His children. This is why we do not have to get back at others in revenge, because God can and will handle them in His timing and in His way. This is what it means to be led by the love of God. You can trust God’s love to dispense justice when appropriate, and extend grace and forgiveness as needed. He sees the bigger picture and knows what is necessary to draw others closer to Christ. This is why we look ahead to the love of God. When we look to love as the leader, we trust. We follow love by faith.

Secondly, we walk grounded in truth. Truth governs our faith. Truth keeps us rooted in reality. It is obedience to God’s truth that proves our love for Him. Truth takes us back to the question, “What does the Almighty think I should be and do?” We walk in truth because it preserves us from sinful behavior. It is the assurance of God’s promises that causes us to imitate them as well as believe. Like a pilot who depends on instruments, radar, radio and GPS (Global Positioning System) to guide him on the best path to the right destination, so we walk in truth expecting the Lord’s best outcome. Some talk of truth, but it is much better to walk in truth. Some vow to do better in the future, but their resolutions come to nothing. Avoid those who say one thing and do another.

A companion of fools suffers harm (Proverbs 13:20). Stay away from those who stray from the truth. It may be a pastor, teacher, friend, or business client who handles the truth loosely. They lie even when the truth will do. These are vain people. Do not sit with them and be drawn in by their charisma. They are deceptive. However, those who walk in the truth will at times tell you things you do not want to hear. They are your internist on eternal matters. So listen when they prescribe doses of truth. The medicine may be bitter, but if applied, it will heal your heart. Therefore, walk in truth, and walk with those who walk in truth. Love leads and truth follows. Go with God. Go to Him often and receive gladly his infinite love and insightful truth. He is both.