Galatians 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
This is part of the reading we used on today’s radio program. Paul is ‘blown away’ that the churches of Galatia would fall for the false message that was presented to them by the Judaizers after he had preached the Gospel of Christ to them, a message he did not receive from men but God Himself. Looking at our verse in that context the question presented is whose favor was Paul seeking because apparently the hawkers of the false gospel were seeking man’s favor and probably I am stretching it but isn’t that the goal of the relevant gospel we hear talked about all the time today?
Can we try to make our message so palatable that it becomes a non-message? Are we leaving out the ‘painful’ parts and in the process inoculating our audience from the effects of real conviction that could lead to real repentance or is the bigger goal of large growth i.e. nickles and noses worth the risk of losing our status as bond-servants of Christ?
The NKJV translation didn’t ring true in my studies but the NASB immediately opened up the verse for me and seeing the distinction between people pleasing and being a God pleaser and how it is connected to our message shows the motive and believe you me God looks at the motive as much as anything else.
We are always encouraged to continue in prayer and we should be but there is another discipline that should accompany prayer and it is being watchful.
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
The word has a military connotation to it and carries the emphasis of being vigilant, on guard, not succumbing to slumber. Remember the old army or western movies where one was posted to guard the camp while others rested at night. It was a grave responsibility because the enemy was always looking for an opportunity, a weakness that he could gain an advantage. Jesus warns those who were appointed to continue the work of the Kingdom not to lose their edge in critical times, times when everyone else wants to sleep, to resist the desire for base comforts.
EVERYONE knows we are living in challenging times, it doesn’t take much to discern the spirit of the age but what can we do? Do you feel powerless against the forces pressing against your life? Are the problems too big for you to make a difference? Are things so out of control that you have thrown your hands in the air and abandoned your post?
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Maybe it’s time to step back from all the information overload and focus on your world, your sphere of influence, your little ‘insignificant’ corner of humanity and put that helmet back on with a different perspective. Maybe it is time to secure your camp and then expand from that base but resisting the temptation to enter an arena that could stretch you beyond your ability to maintain your spiritual balance.
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
If the enemy can’t get you to do anything, he will try to get you to do everything.
So I’m checking out this new blog that we added to the website. I don’t read ‘blogs’ and am not sure what they are all about so I was going to search other sites and see what they were doing then the love of my life shows me her latest quilting creation and says ‘ I wanted to do something different, it might be weird but…’ so that’s where we will start.
The only way we can do something different or at least try is to not copy what everyone else is doing and if we all come to the same place then maybe we have discovered the purpose of our endeavor.
I see the church as the same in two aspects. One it is like a quilt, a collection of ‘leftovers’ to make something new and beautiful:
1Pe 2:4,5 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
The second we are all looking for the real expression of the the church is:
Mat 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Instead of mimicking what others are doing can we take the risk of launching out into new discoveries knowing that we have a Guide that will not disappoint.
