God pleaser?

  Are you a God pleaser? Consciously? How do you know? Do you Do and say those things that would be pleasing to Him? Do you want to Be pleasing? Does it matter? How do you know you are pleasing? Have you looked into His book, the Bible, to discover what pleases Him, what He considers important? Obviously you don't need to be pleasing, that is always your choice, but if it is important... do you act on it?

  Be-ing pleasing is never a 'goodie two-shoes' or 'brown-nosing' activity. It always has to be an intentional, integral, and purposeful decision - who you are, what you do, and how you go about Be-ing and Do-ing in the world you live in. I would argue that it takes enormous confidence and strength to be a God pleaser. You can't go against His standards. You can't be cavalier about who and what you are and do in the day. You do have to be intentional and not succumb to the possible ridicule by others or equivocate your stand to be other people-acceptable. It really depends on Who you want to please, because I would also argue that it is inevitable to not be a pleaser... to someone, thing.

  Presupposing you want to be a God pleaser, how do you go about being and doing this? It isn't a robot based attitude or action, it is based in a deep conviction that God is Who He says He is. That Jesus is our propitiation for sin and allowing us to enter into relationship. The the Holy Spirit is working in our lives to help us live a fruitful and abundant life. The Triune God is and continues to be your foundation and stand. And that you have a manual, The Bible, to help discover what is important, what would be pleasing to Him.

  Is it the same for everyone? Well, the decision is. The discovery is always personalized according to what understanding the person needs. The ultimate understandings are the same, the timing of the learning rarely is. And once learned, that's not the end. There are layers to uncover, depths to plumb, and behaviors to develop. You never stop learning and exploring and discovering. The motivation? To discover what is important to God. To become pleasing to God. But, ohhhhh what an adventure this is. And what joy it brings you when you know that you are becoming what the Lord sees in you.

Gifts

  Do you fully appreciate that it is We who are given gifts when we accept Jesus as our personal Lord! It’s true. And do you understand or realize ALL the gifts we are given? Have you unwrapped them in your life? Do you see the riches you have been given? Yes, it starts with salvation - being born again (John 3:3). Our acceptance, acknowledgement assures us of our final destination - heaven. Some people don't believe in hell, some don't believe that there is life after death but they are wrong or misguided. This present life isn't all that there is... there is life after death. Plus there is abundant life available to us... Now!

  Sadly, many times, we don't begin or we postpone our journey of discovery of what 'being born again' means in our lives. This will delay our understanding of what marvelous gifts the Lord gives to us when we accept Him. I still find it mind boggling that He would bring us gifts, but He does. I'm still discovering the depth and breadth of those gifts. 

  One of the more important (my bias) gifts He brings us is Righteousness. There are many other ones but, for me, this is the start of my discovery of all the gifts. 

     "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all 

      these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)

Seek FIRST the kingdom and His righteousness... this was sufficient for me as to my direction in beginning my journey. Yes, there are other gifts, but He wants us to begin with seeking His righteousness. 

  Righteous means being in right standing with the Father, nothing standing between us. One of the manifestations of this gift of righteousness is that we can be in relationship with the Father. The wall of separation because of our sin is erased because of the cross that Jesus bore for us. There is no conceivable way we can earn, purchase, or attain righteous - but because of Jesus, it is ours. Read again what righteousness purchases for us (2Corinthians 5:17-22). My understanding is that we are 'made' righteous in order that we are empowered to become His Ambassadors. And this only begins to scratch the surface of an unending discovery of His righteousness and what we can become and do as a result. Never forget though that it is Faith that is the pathway to righteousness (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3, 22 and Galatians 3:6, etc.) Our faith is the beginning of the journey.

  Another critical gift is 'belonging-ness'. We become part of a family. We are adopted and become sons and daughters of the Most High God. We are joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17). We also have a place in the family - we are members of one body (1Corinthians 12). Verse 18 - "But now God has set the members, each one of then, in the body just as He pleased." To me this means that we have a role, a part, a responsibility that is important to the effective working of the body. This says that we have a meaningful life full of purpose. 

  There are many other gifts that Jesus brings to us when we accept Him as Lord, but there is only one gift we have to give Jesus when we accept His Lordship. But, though it is only one, it is the only one He wants. That gift of ours is us. But that's all He asks for. When we do and then open the gifts He's given, we become an enhanced and empowered who we are in order to be and do effectively in the world in which we live.

  Did I mention that there are responsibilities that come with the gifts? There are. But just like opening the gifts, accepting our responsibility seems to also to be our choice. We also grow in understanding, appreciation, and the other attendant aspects... at our own pace. We are constantly becoming so that what we DO has a solid foundation and isn't shifting sand. We are provided with armor (Ephesians 6) to become His strong Ambassador to the world in which we live. Remember though, seek the Giver not the gifts.  

Good Intentions aren't enough!

 Thank heavens for Paul's statement (Romans 7:15) about doing the things he didn't want to and not doing what he did want. I can get so very irritated with me when I do what, primarily in retrospect, I really didn't want to do/say. It's like the words just spill out of your mouth before you have the chance to catch them, almost as if they have a mind of their own - which is ludicrous. The problem is - once said, how do you resolve hurt feelings or mistakes or whatever is the result of your own behavior? More to the point - can you make amends? However, we can never let Paul's words become a license or excuse for our words/behaviors.

  A related area is our 'good intentions'. We really do need to be more intentional... about our intentions. Saying, '...but that's not what I meant...' or '...my intention was...' really doesn't help. Actually, it doesn't matter because your words and or actions conveyed a message someone else received. If you truly didn't mean what was understood, as what you 'meant'... you need to look at how you convey your messages so that misunderstandings or mix messages don't occur.

  This brings up - precisely, what do we want from our words, from the message? Do we want others to seriously consider what we say? Or, do we simply like the sound of our own voice? Only either/or? Probably there are a multitude of reasons concerning what and how we speak and what we want from others - acceptance of what we say, and action on what we say? Some people only want the opportunity to present a different view to be considered in the decision-making. Again - a multitude of reasons. My point is that we need to be very intentional about what we want from others, which means that we need to be intentional about our intentions.

  All of these 'issues' (behavior flaws?) leads to our lack of [willpower (?), intentionality (?) - fill in the blank] of our own Self-control, or at least our use of it. We really do have the ability to use self-control, it's ours but... do we exercise it? Not always and in some cases, quite deliberately ... until the remorse hits us. Do you know what self-control means, how it is defined? Simply because it is a 'concept' that does not mean that we know what it means - how it looks, what it 'feels' like, what it says about us. How You apply your self-control is the point.

  When you consider scripture, Galatians 5 teaches:

     "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under

      the law.(v14*)...  But the fruit of the Spirit is love,

      joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,

      faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such 

      there is no law." (v 22-23)   [*see also Romans 8:14]

       

This teaches us that... Against such things there is no law – that the fruit of the Spirit prevails. I could be mistaken, but I've interpreted this to mean that if I exercise my own self-control, then there is no need for someone/something else to control me - to stop me from doing or speaking. And before you ask, no this is not censorship. Nor are we to be mats to be stepped on. Nor is this an attempt to stop us from speaking the truth when it is not the 'accepted' mode. None as in none of the attempts to silence us is ever implied anywhere in scripture. If this seems like a narrow line to walk... it is.

  The letter to the Galatians is talking about being led by the Holy Spirit and giving us an understanding of what this means by talking about the evidence of the Spirit in our lives. We are taught that the fruit is the demonstration, the evidence. Our question should be - is our fruit ... love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Is this who we are? Are these the fruits that we exhibit?

  What do we ALWAYS have control over? Ourselves, our reactions, words, attitudes, behavior - to name a few of the significant qualities. Our actions are truly the follow through on our intentions. We CAN control our intentions... if we will. Can’t do it alone? Not sure we are supposed to. Try, yes. But part of the reason the Holy Spirit was sent was to strengthen us – let Him do His work and partner with Him. As we do exercise our personal control over ourselves, we discover that our helper (John 16:7) has been working with us all along to strengthen who we are becoming.

  Good intentions are important... as a starting point. We need to filter them through our self-control in order to determine whether to follow through. We can and in an instant. For me,  though I don't always do this, when I find that I am - my true intentions are in fact and not just in thought. 

Relationship building

  The beginning of a relationship may begin serendipitously, but the continuance is dependent upon the desires and willfulness, not just willingness, of those involved. Without continuous involvement by all, the relationship will atrophy. I know that the old saying says, "...that absence makes the heart grow fonder", but does this really 'work', I suspect that these relationships rarely last. Those involved must have a commitment to the relationship and for its health or it will gradually dissolve into only the superficial.

  And yet, from in a different context, I've learned to distrust anyone who says to me that they 'know' me when there is little time spent together. So one of my building blocks in Relationship Building 101 is time. Another of these blocks is to not limit the other person's growth or change - to not cast them into a cement of their 'who' they were, even if the then was only yesterday. We all grow, change, and develop based on a host of variables so we should always approach the other person with an openness to discovery - that there is so much more to learn about the other person and the relationship with them.

  This may go without saying, but another building block is truthfulness. If you can't rely on the other person's words or what they say they will do, then you tend to be on guard against (fill in the blank). Concomitantly, if you don't act with integrity, how can the other person be confident in what you say and do? By both parties there is always that degree of ... hesitation, a lack of confidence in the other person. 

  Taking this another step further, what is happening in/with your relationship with the Lord? Are you building a confident and secure interaction? I indicated only two of the many factors that go into building a relationship... with anyone. But, unless you take the time, because the Lord is always there, always ready (Deuteronomy 31:6) then the relationship will be superficial and/or crisis based. Do you really only want a superficial relationship with the Lord? What then, are you willing to do to have a close and intimate one? 

  Time has to be a component, a part in the building. Equally critical is that you be completely honest with Him. He knows. He was there when you said or did what you said/did. It really wasn't a surprise to Him. So why try and bluff your way? And yes, I know we do. Or we do something even worse by staying away because we are embarrassed or feel He won't forgive or whatever is keeping us away. Never, never, never forget 1John 1:9. If we... then He is. This promise is not license but it is understanding and forgiveness... and moving on. 

  Time and honesty are only 2 examples of the foundation pillars in relationship building. But they are significant ones. They have to be present or you have a superficial relationship and that never is acceptable to the Lord. The incredible joy, though, is that you can always begin developing a relationship right now, right where you are. Do start building your relationship with the Lord if you haven't. And if you have begun one, but have somehow let the cares of the world invade your time with Him, remember He is waiting. We limit ourselves when we don't take the opportunity to begin... now.  

Personal Discovery

  There is nothing quite so satisfying as personal discovery... at least that's my thinking. And, I might add, these discoveries are locked into our memories more intimately. They defining who we are, sometimes with more detail than any other mode of learning. It doesn't always need to be something 'brand new', it can be a deepening understanding of (fill in the blank). We do discover from others' experiences but when it is ours, the impact (both negative and positive) does become a part of us.

  I do admit to being a student-based life long learning advocate. For me, learning is incredibly enriching. I really am one who looks to learn. A day without learning is ... unsatisfying. Again, remember my context - it doesn't necessarily mean a new learning, it can be a fuller understanding, a new way of looking at (fill in the blank). Indulgent? Perhaps. But I prefer to think of it as a lovely mindset. This is especially true when I'm learning more about what the Lord is teaching. And that, without doubt, is one of His roles in our lives - what He chooses to do.

  A very simple explanation... when we were in the lower grades we learned that 2+2=4. But that wasn't the end of our math learnings. By the middle grades we had 'mastered' fractions, equations, word problems, etc. But even that wasn't the end. By the time we graduated high school we had probably learned algebra, trigonometry, and beyond. My point is that even in this we constantly built on what we learned. And, if we discover that a part of the learning wasn't mastered, we backed up until there was understanding and added that to the math foundation in order to advance and continue learning. This is also true, regardless of the 'subject'.

  When was the last time you took stock of what you believed the Lord was teaching you? Do remember that He is always with us and always teaching, it depends on if we listen and act on our understanding. Yes, you do have to do all three - listen, learn and act. Acting is a method to know. Without action how do we know what we've learned? And how will we incorporate this into who we are becoming? Applying is our 'test' to check on our new understanding and to discover what we don't know. It also proves to be a stepping stone to the next discovery.

  Personal discovery can become our stepping stone to advance in understanding and appreciation of the Lord, what He's teaching, who we're becoming and why, and using this as a launch pad to continue this adventure. We are on a journey to Be and Do. And we do learn in a variety of ways and from a variety of sources ... which is greatly enhanced when we take the time for our own Personal Discovery.

It takes time...

  and effort... and commitment. Whatever your 'it' is - it takes time, and effort, and commitment because it rarely is a simple walk in the park. If your 'it' is important to you, has value, you rarely find it handed to you on a silver platter.   What am I talking about?  Your important parts (attitudes, character) and the bits and bobs that make you... you. When you look at and define you, it is the parts of you that took time, that may have come from hard learned lessons that you can probably cite every aspects of what was happening and how you learned (fill in the blank). Rarely do we have the luxury of a serendipitous and uncomplicated life of discovery/learning.

  If you are important to you... And if what you want to Be and Do is important to you... And if you want your life to make a difference... then it takes time and effort and commitment. But you do need to grant yourself grace and mercy because you will occasionally mess up - sometimes even intentionally. Without grace and mercy you won't be able to fully internalize and incorporate all of your learnings into you because some learnings will be prickly or perhaps they seem to not 'fit' anywhere or perhaps some appear contradictory. But with every hard fought battle to become your best you, you learn a bit more about who you are becoming - and how you merge all of you.

  I appreciate that we all seem to be in a great hurry... to do??? to be??? to (fill in the blank)??? Do we really understand why? What's the rush? Wouldn't a slightly, every so slightly, slowing down (whatever you are ratcheting up) give us a greater understanding of what we are discovering? Give us the best way to incorporate? If you ever discover you seem to be learning the same lesson over and over, then it should give you pause to take the time to determine why this is happening. Perhaps you are learning a 'lesson' but not letting it become part of you?

  You don't have time to take the time? I would suggest you really don't have an option. You need to take the time so that you don't backtrack or wander off your path. I suspect we all have a front view of life - what's going to be happening next - but perhaps if we took the time to understand, to appreciate, to learn our current, then we wouldn't be wasting our time. Yes? Perhaps? Life, whether you have many years or only a few, should be savored and enjoyed to the fullest - moment by moment. If you rush, you won't. Who you are, are becoming takes time. Flavor your time, effort, and commitment with grace and mercy toward yourself as well as others and the fulfillment, joy, and all of the accouterments will enrich your living.

What and Who

  As I was writing and editing my next book, "Be-ing & Do-ing", I remember remarking to myself (yes, one can do this and not be a nut case) that we, not the Lord, we determine who we and others are by what they do... and how. How we go about do-ing our 'what' refines how we are viewed. But it seems that it is inescapable that we make assumptions about the character, the value of ourselves and others by the 'what' in our lives. Obvious? Probably but that isn't the point. Do we then limit that person, even ourselves, as to their interests, activities, abilities, etc.? Yes. We all seem to be a bit myopic (the second definition by Webster - "a lack of foresight or discernment") or maybe it's a form of self-preservation.?

  Rarely do we 'draw out' the other person as to their who, apart from their what. We typically discover, over time and interactions, the subtle nuances that many times surprise us about that other person. I wonder if we surprise ourselves by what we discover about us as well? I wonder if we see the potential in the other person or only what is presented (multi-dimensional v. one-dimensional)? Do we provide a safe (defined as non-gossip) person to share their more unique aspects? (Both questions are also directed to our own sharing of ourselves.)

  I realize that we all categorize, compartmentalize, and order what we see, hear, and know in order to make sense of our world. Yet, we all tend to narrow our definitions. Rather than 'fitting' people into our understanding, couldn't we allow the 'stimuli' to help define? Wouldn't a bit of thinking and acting outside the box be a more effective way to understand and expand our categories? Obviously I would contend that this is how we should function rather than either dismissing or ignoring 'abnormalities' by others to our categories. People are rarely an easy 'fit'. One of the questions should be... just how comfortable are we with this category reality about ourselves?

  When we pre-decide that someone (including ourselves) or something can't be done, accomplished we really need to be aware of why we believe as we do. Why is it you or someone can't do/be (fill in the blank)? Is it a lack of ability or a lack of our awareness? I remember one time that the Lord pointed out to me that I was limiting what His names meant and could do. Both aghast and intrigued, I asked in what ways was I doing this. He pointed out my definitions were limiting. He is Jehovah Jireh and Rapha (among His other names) but what I thought was 'provision' was far more. And what I believed was 'healing' encompassed a greater expanse than only physical. 

  When we limit ourselves, we also limit what the Lord can do with and through us. We also limit how we allow Him to Be who He is. Be open to all that You can Be and Do. Be open to the person next to you, that you have categorized, to also Be and Do. But especially allow the Lord to be Lord. Never forget the slogan... 'Let go and Let God'. You will be amazed at what will happen.