Praise the Lord for His mercy and His grace. We must praise Him for who He is, God all by himself. This message is about Being Pleasing to the Lord today and comes out of a conversation I had with a close Pastor friend a few days ago. I hope it helps you as much as I know it helped us as we spoke on the subject.
Today’s Prayer
Father, When Christians gather together to worship You, to study Your Word, to spread the Gospel, to support one another, to minister to the world, help us to portray a right picture of Jesus, an example of Your love, a loving and caring spirit, speaking the truth in love, but always speaking the truth, never backbiting or gossiping or distorting the Word. We pray that we will stop and see our ministry, our lives, our actions through visitor’s eyes–through non-Christian’s eyes. Please help us to make a good impression and show genuine Christianity in action as we welcome visitors into our midst. Thank You for Your touch. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Let’s eat.
Pleasing to the Lord
Prepare it with oil on a griddle; bring it well-mixed and present the grain offering broken in pieces as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. – Leviticus 6:21
The bible tells us a number of great truths and this is one of them. There is a requirement to be blessed at a deeper spiritual level by God. Christ requires it of each of His servants. He required it of Paul when He struck him down on the Damascus Road. He required it of Joseph when he was left in the pit and then sold into slavery. He required it of Jacob when he left his homeland penniless and needy. He required it of most every major leader that He used significantly – brokenness.
Brokenness can’t be achieved on your own. It is something God does Himself. We can’t determine that we are going to be broken, but we can refuse to become broken. When God begins this deeper work in our lives, we can kick and scream and refuse the process (take it from someone who went through it). We can manipulate and strive to stay on top, but this only delays His work.
Pride and mammon are ruling strongholds of the world. Brokenness is considered a weak position in the world. However, God says until we are broken we can’t be an aroma pleasing to the Lord. God wants us to be an aroma in the world. In order for this to happen, you and I must be broken vessels in His hand. Pray that God would allow you to become a pleasing aroma to Him no matter the cost.
Quote of the Day
By these things examine thyself: By whose rules am I acting? In whose name? In whose strength? For whose glory? What faith, humility, self-denial and love of GOD and to man have there been in my actions? ~Anonymous~