Trust Him
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Psalms 34:8
Author: Lori Casto
Who am I Pleasing?
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
This week I was reminded of a children’s Christmas program I directed 14 years ago. Every time I think about it, I laugh, even all these years later. My daughter and niece (both 4) were part of the program. When the kids got on stage and we began the first song, I noticed my niece wasn’t paying a bit of attention or engaging in the program at all. In fact, she may have been walking around stage a little while the others were singing.
I couldn’t hear any of the kids singing very loud, so I put my hands up to my ears hoping they would all sing a little louder. My daughter really took this to heart. Her face turned beet red, and she began yelling at the top of her lungs. Just as my daughter began yelling at the top of her lungs, my niece decided it was time to bob back and forth. It was quite the scene.
My daughter really wanted to please me. Her eyes were intently watching me. I told her not to take her eyes off me and she didn’t. She didn’t care about anyone else or what they thought and quite frankly she was too young to care. She saw that I wanted louder, so she was determined to be the loudest. She did a perfect job. Why? Because she had her eyes fixed on me and she did what I asked. She did it with such intensity and her whole heart. She wouldn’t have known what I wanted her to do if her eyes weren’t on me the entire time.
Just as my daughter wanted so desperately to please me, I think God wants us to spend our time pleasing Him. He wants us to do what He asks to the best of His ability- with intensity and our whole heart. As Maria’s eyes were fixed on me, God wants our eyes on Him. Jeremiah 29:13 says “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your hearts.”
We will fully be able to know and do the will of our father when we keep our eyes completely on Him!
Dear Heavenly Father- Help me to live my life pleasing you. Help me to live my life with my eyes fixed on you. Help me to be intent on serving you in order to do your “good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
Continual Praise
I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
Psalm 34:1-3
Above All
And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8
God’s Mercy
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:22-26
Understanding
For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 1 Corinthians 14:33
Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. 2 Timothy 2:7
Let my cry come before You, O Lord; Give me understanding according to Your word. Psalm 119:169
Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Psalm 119:34
Make the Most of Every Opportunity
Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:2-5
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. NIV
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. NLT
Let
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:12-17
All
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
A New Thing
Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:18-20
When, not If
When (Not if) you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When (Not if) you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you. Isaiah 43:2
Timing is Everything
To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.
What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time.