March 17, 2004

Kidan

Kidan

Moderator
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]We make it our aim . . . to be well pleasing to Him
—2 Corinthians 5:9
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[b said:
Quote[/b] ]We make it our aim. . . ." It requires a conscious decision and effort to keep our primary goal constantly in front of us. It means holding ourselves to the highest priority year in and year out; not making our first priority to win souls, or to establish churches, or to have revivals, but seeking only "to be well pleasing to Him." It is not a lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but a lack of working to keep our eyes focused and on the right goal. At least once a week examine yourself before God to see if your life is measuring up to the standard He has for you. Paul was like a musician who gives no thought to audience approval, if he can only catch a look of approval from his Conductor.

Any goal we have that diverts us even to the slightest degree from the central goal of being "approved to God" ( 2 Timothy 2:15 ) may result in our rejection from further service for Him. When you discern where the goal leads, you will understand why it is so necessary to keep "looking unto Jesus" ( Hebrews 12:2 ). Paul spoke of the importance of controlling his own body so that it would not take him in the wrong direction. He said, "I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest . . . I myself should become disqualified" ( 1 Corinthians 9:27 ).

I must learn to relate everything to the primary goal, maintaining it without interruption. My worth to God publicly is measured by what I really am in my private life. Is my primary goal in life to please Him and to be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how lofty it may sound?
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We make it our aim to be well pleasing to Him.

This sums up Christianity fairly nicely. It's a primary aspect of what we should do, when we say that we love Christ. We're not here to do anything but to be well pleasing to Him. How? By following our calling.

As you walk this week, think about what you're doing. Is it pleasing to God?

Paul wrote ""I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, " he's saying that he strives and fights against his body, his natural self, to become something that God wants him to be. He fights against bad-language, sexual sins, rebellion, laziness, gluttony, all those little things we do to harm our body, mind and soul. He fought against.

And so should we. It's a daily, hourly fight against our natural flesh that we can't win without Christ's help. YET fight it we must, for to do less, places us in the position of not doing our best for Christ.

So today, look hard and close at your life, is what you are, and what you do pleasing to Him?
 
Just thought I'd let you know, Kidan, we are watching. We're listening, and we're appreciative. Keep up the good work, and thank you for what you do.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Vanaze @ Mar. 18 2004,12:59)]Just thought I'd let you know, Kidan, we are watching.  We're listening, and we're appreciative.  Keep up the good work, and thank you for what you do.
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Agreed.

I am also in agreement with the message of the devotional. It can be easy to loose focus on the true goal of becoming closer to Christ.  It is not the number of people you witnessed too or the good works you have performed that open the doors of heaven.  These things are just a byproduct of our relationship with Him and are secondary goals.

Being disciplined is very important to this relationship.  Sin is the canyon that bridges us from Christ.  If we are not consciously fighting sin, we let that gap grow and find it easy to justify pushing away from Him when really we need Him the most.
 
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