WITH YOU I AM WELL PLEASED

Proclamation:

“At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, He saw the heaven being torn open and The Spirit descending on Him like a dove.  And a voice from heaven: ‘You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased.”  Mark 1:9-11 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by John Mark, a nephew of Barnabas and not an apostle.  It is reported that John Mark recorded the gospel as he received it from Simon Peter.  He wrote to the Romans and presented Jesus, The Christ, as a servant, the Servant of Jehovah. (Isaiah 42:1-2)  Mark began writing with the beginning of the gospel by quoting the prophet Isaiah regarding John, the baptizer. (Isaiah 40:3 and Mark 1:1-4)  After presenting him, Mark relates the baptism of Jesus.  The voice from heaven, God, The Father, said that Jesus, The Christ, was His Son and that He was well pleased with Him. 

Application:

Our Heavenly Father told His Son, Jesus, The Christ, that He was well pleased with Him. (Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22, and 2 Peter 1:17)  As believers, we hope one day that we will hear Jesus, The Christ, say that He is pleased with us and tell us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21 and 25:23)  This will happen if we believe and use our God given talents to give Him glory.

BELIEVERS SHOULD CONTINUALLY PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER

Proclamation:

“… We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that The Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of The Lord and please Him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His might so that you may have great endurance and patience …”  Colossians 1:9-11 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written in a letter by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Colossae.  Paul began this letter in his usual manner by introducing himself and offering a prayer for them. (Colossians 1:1-6)  Then he explains why he continues to pray for them. (Colossians 1:9-12)  He wants them to live a life which is pleasing to God.  He wants them to do good works which produce fruit for The Lord, and he wants them to grow in the knowledge of God and be strengthened by His power.

Application:

We all need prayer.  In fact, we are where we are, and who we are today because somebody prayed for us.  It may have been our mother or grandmother, our sister or brother, a relative or friend, a loved one or a preacher, but somebody, probably more than one somebody prayed for us, and they prayed for us more than once.  Likewise, as believers we need to pray for one another.  There is power in prayer, and the prayers of the righteous are effective. (James 5:16)  Again, we all need prayer, and not only because of our current situation.  Each of us could benefit by learning more about The Word of God.  We all could also do a better job of doing things which are pleasing to God.  We all need His help and strength to make it through each day.  We also need to be grateful and thankful for that which we have already been blessed with. (Colossians 1:12-14)

BELIEVERS NEED SELF-DISCIPLINE

Proclamation:

“Do you not know that in a race all runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.  No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the crown.”  1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Corinth.  Paul begins this chapter by talking about his rights as an apostle.  He provides a justification for them using worldly and Biblical examples to support his claim. (1 Corinthians 9:1-12)  Then he goes on to say that he did not use or claim that which is rightfully his. (1 Corinthians 9:13-18)   He ends by describing the need for self-discipline among believers, apostles, and preachers, including himself.  He states that we ought to run our race in such a way as to make sure that we get the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24)  For the prize which we seek is an eternal crown.

Application:

In an athletic race event, there is only one winner.  Athletes must train and practice and make sacrifices to prepare for the race in order to win the prize.  However, in our spiritual race all of us can be winners and get the prize.  We must also work and make sacrifices in order to get our prize.  We must walk His way (Psalm 128:1) and exercise faith and self-control. (Hebrews 11:6)  If we live by The Word of God and follow His way, we will all receive a crown as our reward.  Our salvation is not our reward; our salvation is a gift from God for those who believe in Christ.  Our rewards will be based upon the work we do during this life which gives God glory.  One day we will receive our crowns. (2 Timothy 4:8 and James 1:12)

WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD

Proclamation:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”   Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)  In other words, “Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”  Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)  “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by an unknown human author under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter he discusses “faith,” including what it is and how it is put into action.  He begins with a definition of what “faith” is.  Faith depends on The Lord God and He is the object of our faith.  It is based upon our belief in Him and not in the things that we can see.  The author then presents several practical examples of how faith was demonstrated in the past by certain individuals. (Hebrews 11:2-11 and 11:17-31)  Then he mentioned some of the things that people went through and endured because of their faith. (Hebrews 11:32-38)

Application:

Faith requires a belief in God.  Our salvation is based upon our belief in The Lord God.  Our earthly and heavenly rewards are based upon our works, living a Christian life.  Our salvation comes by faith, and our Christian walk also depends on our faith.  It was by faith that Enoch walked with God. (Genesis 5:24)  The faith which guides our walk cannot be seen, but the people around us can see the effects of our faith in our behavior and actions.  We are blessed for believing without seeing. (John 20:29)  The only way we can please The Lord God is by having faith in Him.  If we have faith, then we must walk and act in such as to demonstrate it because faith without works is dead. (James 2:26)

MAY THE MEDITATIONS OF MY HEART PLEASE THE LORD

Proclamation:

“I will sing to The Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.  May my meditation be pleasing to Him, as I rejoice in The Lord.”  Psalm 104:33-34 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The psalm begins by repeating the phrase, “Bless The Lord, O my soul …” which the psalmist also began the previous psalm.  (Psalm 103:1)  This psalm of praise presents the glory and majesty of The Lord God and recounts some of His marvelous acts and creations.  David ends it by saying that he will praise The Lord as long as he lives, and he hopes that his thoughts and reflections on the awesomeness of God will be pleasing to Him.

Application:

We spend a lot of time thinking and talking about things which are really insignificant and unimportant.  What if we spent one whole day thinking and talking about the things which The Lord God has done, created, and caused to occur.  The sun and the stars; the place where rivers begin and how they flow; the cycle of water, clouds, and rain; the beasts of the fields and the fowls of the air; the blades of grass and the trees like the cedars of Lebanon; the majestic mountains, the fields of grains, and the sands of the deserts; the animals both large and small; and man, so similar and yet each is so different; these are all created by the awesome God that we serve.  It is humbling to think of how insignificant we are in comparison to all of God’s creations.  We ought to praise Him and thank Him for our very existence, as brief as it may be.  Try spending one day thinking only thoughts which would be pleasing to God.  Think on this, how long can you praise The Lord before you stop and do something else?  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart please The Lord. (Psalm 19:14)  We all should spend more time praising and pleasing The Lord.

LET YOUR WORDS THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS BE PLEASING TO THE LORD

Proclamation:

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”  Psalm 19:14 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm is a song which was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David to be used and sung in public worship.  David begins this psalm by declaring that the heavens declare the glory of God. (Psalm 19:1)  He states that “the law of The Lord is perfect … the testimony of The Lord is sure … the statutes of The Lord are right … the commandment of The Lord is pure … and the judgments of The Lord are true and righteous …” (Psalm 19:7-9)  Each of these is more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. (Psalm 19:10)  He prays and asks God to cleanse him from his unintentional sins, to keep him from presumptuous sins, and let sin not have rule or control over him. (Psalm 19:12-13)  David ends this psalm by asking The Lord God to let his words and thoughts be pleasing in His sight.

Application:

All of the celestial bodies that exist in what we call outer space, are by their existence a declaration to the glory of God.  The existence of that which we call life on earth is also a declaration to His glory.  As great, and as powerful, and as awesome as God is, we ought to do all that we can to please Him.  We should ask for His help with our moral failures and to keep us from willful and intentional sins.  We ought to pray that He will keep us from letting sin rule over us.  As believers we want our words, thoughts, and actions to be pleasing to The Lord.

PRAY THAT GOD IS PLEASED WITH YOU

Proclamation:

“God is just; He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled … He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus … With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.  We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and The Lord Jesus Christ."  2 Thessalonians 1:6-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul to the believers in Thessaloniki.  Paul prayed for them because they were growing in faith. (2 Thessalonians 1:3)  He prayed that God would be pleased with them, and that through them The Lord Jesus Christ would be glorified.

Application:
This is also an appropriate prayer for present day believers, that our every act would be prompted by our faith and that our actions would give God glory.  We should pray that God would be pleased with us and that He would use us for His good purpose.  We should include these words in our prayers for ourselves and for other believers.  We should pray that our faith in God would continue to grow and that our love for one another would continue to increase.  We know that God has said that vengeance belongs to Him and He will repay those who cause us trouble. (Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30)  As believers, we are to love one another, (John 13:34-35) and share The Word of God with others. (Matthew 28:19-20)  We are to tell them about salvation through belief in Jesus, The Christ.  It is the job of The Holy Spirit to convict, convince, and convert them as He sees fit.  If we are obedient to The Word of God and share it with others, God will be pleased with us.

AIM TO PLEASE GOD IN ALL THAT YOU DO

Proclamation:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for The Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from The Lord as a reward.  It is The Lord Christ you are serving.  Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism."  Colossians 3:23-25 (NIV)

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom ... The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.  Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come … " Ecclesiastes 9:10-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These two passages of scripture basically make the same point.  Both passages were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The first was written by the Apostle Paul to the believers in Colossae.  The second was written by King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, (2 Chronicles 1:11-12) to all of the people of God who would listen.  Both passages of scripture encourage believers to do their best when they work whatever the task, "... do it with all your might ..." and "... work at it with all your heart ..." as if they were working for The Lord.

Application:

Everyone who is old enough to have even a vague understanding of life knows that they will die, they just don't know how, when, or where it will happen.  There is a purpose for our life, and a purpose for everything that we say and do.  However, if that purpose was not to give God glory, then it was a wasted effort.  We should do our best at everything that we do, because ultimately we are doing it to please God.  Man's abilities do not guarantee good results or a positive outcome during life, or at life's end.  In the end, God will judge our efforts, and the reward for our labor will come from God, not from man.

RENEWING OUR MIND

Proclamation:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is; His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in Rome.  Paul offered them practical examples of how they should live the theological truths and principals which he had presented to them earlier.  He exhorted and encouraged them to yield themselves to God.  Paul told them not to imitate the behavior of the unsaved people around them.  They were to transform their mind by the study of and the meditation on the scriptures until they were saturated with and controlled by The Word of God.

Application:

As Christians, we should live our lives in such a way as to be pleasing to God.  We live in this world but we are not of this world.  Our real home is in heaven and we are on our way there.  We just need to get our mind, focus, and actions right while we are here on earth.  How do we "renew our mind"?  By reading, studying, and meditating on The Word of God.  We should read our Bible more often.  None of us is perfect; we can all improve and do better.  Don't be like the unsaved folk in the world.  When we accepted Christ as our personal savior we were changed, transformed into new creators.  We need to grow spiritually and renew our mind and our commitment on a daily basis.  Now that we belong to God, we can expect the devil to get busy in our lives.  We need to be on guard and constantly renew our foundation in God’s Word.  If we love someone, telling them that we love them once a week is not enough.  We need to show them that we love them by our actions and our behavior daily, if not several times each day.  In the same manner, just reading The Bible on Sunday is not enough.  We must read it and live it each day of the week.

Fear The Lord And Hope In His Unfailing Love

"The LORD delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love."  Psalms 147:11 (NIV)

The human author of this psalm of praise and thanksgiving is unknown, but the psalmist clearly expresses thanks to God for His blessings.  After praising God for all of the wonderful things that He has done, including caring for the plants and animals, the psalmist states two things that The Lord does not delight in. (Psalms 147:10)  Then he states two things which The Lord does delight in, those who fear Him, and those who put their hope in Him.

To fear The Lord is to adore His majesty, to acknowledge His authority, to stand in awe of His power, and to dread His wrath.  The Lord God delights in those who fear Him.  To hope in The Lord is to believe in Him, to have faith in Him, to trust in Him, and to know that His love is eternal.  The Lord delights in those who put their hope in Him and His unfailing love.  So, let us please The Lord our God.  Let us fear The Lord, and put our hope in Him and in His unfailing love.  Good things are sure to come to us if God is pleased with us.

We Are To Live Self-Controlled Godly Lives

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ ..."  Titus 2:11-13 (NIV) 

Under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, the Apostle Paul wrote these words in his letter to Titus, one of his young proteges, to encourage him to tell the people of God that were to live Christ-like godly lives in this sinful world while they awaited the return of Jesus, The Christ.

This advice which Paul gave to Titus is not just for preachers and pastors, it is for all believers.  We are not to conduct ourselves as the unsaved sinners behave.   We belong to Christ, and just as He was, we are in this world but not of it. (John 8:23)  As believers we are to live self-controlled, godly lives as examples to a lost world.  One day, Christ will return and we will have to give an account of our stewardship. (Romans 14:12)  All believers will be saved, but our rewards will depend upon our works. (Matthew 25:14-23)

Pray For One Another

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.  And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of The Lord and may please Him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,"  Colossians 1:9-10 (NIV)

In his letter to the believers in Colosse, the Apostle Paul said that he and the believers with him prayed for them daily and asked God to bless them with the knowledge of His will.  They prayed for them to receive the wisdom and understanding that they might walk worthy of The Lord, and please Him with their efforts, and produce fruit in every good work, and grow spiritually.

We ought to sincerely pray for one another. (James 5:16)  Pray for those who are doing well and being productive in their work for The Lord, and for those who are struggling.  We all need more knowledge of His will, and more wisdom and understanding.  We all also need His help in order to live a life that is worthy of The Lord.  Let us pray for one another that our efforts will be good works, and that we will produce good fruit as we grow spiritually.  Let us also thank God that some one prayed for us.

You Can Be A New You If You Choose

"And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.  So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view ... Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ ... not counting men's sins against them.  And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us."  2 Corinthians 5:15-20 (NIV)

In a letter to the believers in Corinth, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, the Apostle Paul wrote that because Christ had died and rose for them, they should live for Christ and they should view each other differently.  As believers in Christ they were new creatures, the old persons had passed away and they were now new people.  The Lord God had reconciled them unto Himself through Christ, and they were now ambassadors to the world for Christ.

Unfortunately for us, when we accepted Christ as our personal savior, our old sinful nature did not cease to exist.  There is a constant battle going on within us, between our sinful fleshly nature and our spiritual nature, as it was within Paul. (Romans 7:15-23)  We simply are no longer controlled by our sinful nature, we now have a choice.  When we focus on Christ and The Word of God, we can choose to behave in a Christ-like manner.  When we submit to The Lord and focus on Christ, then we can resist the devil and sinful temptations. (James 4:7)  However, when we choose to focus on worldly pleasures and the desires of the flesh, our old sinful nature influences us.  We must choose to do the right thing.  We are ambassadors for Christ, and we should choose wisely.

As We Sow So Shall We Reap

"Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.  The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please The Spirit, from The Spirit will reap eternal life."  Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV)

When he wrote to the believers in Galatia, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, the Apostle Paul told them that The Lord God is not to be played with.  He said that a man will receive the same thing as he gives out to others.  He who lives to please his sinful fleshly desires, will be destroyed by them.  However, he who lives to please The Holy Spirit of God which is within him, will receive eternal life.

God sees all that man does. (Job 34:21)  He can judge the heart of man and his intentions. (1 Samuel 16:7)  We need to understand that we will reap only if we sow.  He who does nothing, will receive nothing. (James 2:26)  We also need to understand that what we sow is what we will receive.  We will get back the same thing that we give out. (Matthew 7:17-18 and Luke 6:43-44)  We will reap more than the amount which we sow.  A seed will produce more than just one seed, it will produce a ten, twenty, forty, or a hundred fold increase.  That which we receive will be a multiple of that which we gave out. (Luke 6:38)  If we live to please our sinful flesh nature, we condemn ourselves. (Romans 8:1 and 8::4-5)

Don't Do That Which God Hates

"There are six things The LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers."  Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV)

In this proverb of King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, (1 Kings 4:30 and 1 Chronicles 1:12), he told the people of God that there were seven things which were an abomination to The Lord that they should not do.

There are a number of things which The Lord God hates. (Deuteronomy 12:31)  This list of seven things which are an abomination to The Lord is not exhaustive.  The Lord God also hates graven images (Deuteronomy 7:25), a perverse person (Proverbs 3:32), a false balance (Proverbs 11:1), and the thoughts of the wicked (Proverbs 15:26).  As believers we are to do the things which are pleasing to The Lord.  Those who love The Lord will keep His commandments. (John 14:15 and 14:24)  If we say that we know The Lord and do not keep His commandments, then we are liars. (1 John 2:4)  Let us obey The Lord God and let our words and actions please Him.  Let us not do the things which are an abomination to Him.

Be Quick To Listen And Be Slow To Speak

"My dear brothers, take note of this; Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.  Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept The Word planted in you, which can save you."  James 1:19-21 (NIV)

These are The Holy Spirit inspired words of James, the half brother of Jesus, who became a pillar of the early Church after the resurrection.  James wrote to the people of God to provide them with guidance regarding their behavior.  He was encouraging them to exercise self-control, to listen to others more often, and to be think before they speak or become angry.  He told them that they should not say or do anything which would displease God, and they should humbly accept and display The Word of God, and The Holy Spirit of God, which was within them.

It has been said that we have two ears and one mouth, maybe we should spend twice as much time listening as we do talking.  James encouraged believers to listen to others, but he did not say to believe everything that we hear.  He said we should be slow to speak, meaning that we should hear what the other person has to say before we respond, and we should think about what they said and what we are going to say, before we say it.  James said that we should be slow to get angry, because when we get angry, we often say and do things which are not consistent with the Christ-like life that we should live.  We also should always be ready to listen to The Word of God, and we should welcome every opportunity to gain a better understanding of it.  We should be very cautious and slow to teach or tell others about The Word of God without first giving our words careful consideration and much thought, least we mis-speak.  If The Word of God is within us, then we should let it shine forth for others to see by our actions, which will speak much louder than our words.

Honest Is The Best Policy

"Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living.  Now we ask you and urge you in The Lord Jesus to do this more and more.  For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of The Lord Jesus.  It is God's will that you should be sanctified; that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him.  The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.  For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life."  1 Thessalonians 4:1-7 (NIV)

In his letter to the believers in The Church at Thessaloniki, the Apostle Paul gave them instructions regarding holy living in order to please God.  He urged them to live a sanctified life, to control their bodies, and to live in an honest, holy, and honorable manner.  He also warned them that God would punish them if they chose to do otherwise.

We know that we are all sinners, we all fall short when it comes to obeying The Word of God. (Romans 3:23)  However, we are all encouraged to make an active effort to do the will of God and live a Christ-like life.  It would please The Lord God if we would consciously choose to sin less and less each day.  We may not know all that is contained within The Word of God, but we know right from wrong.  God said that we should be holy because we are His and He is holy. (1 Peter 1:16)  We have been called and set apart from the world to behave in a Christ-like manner. (Psalms 4:3)  Our bodies are His temple, and we should treat ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him. (1 Corinthians 6:19 and Romans 12:1)  We should be honest and helpful in our dealings with each other.  We are children of God, and our actions should reflect that we are in this world but not of this world. (Romans 8:16, Galatians 3:26, and John 8:23)  "God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life." (1 Thessalonians 4:7)

Commit To The Lord And Purify Your Thoughts

"Commit to The LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.  Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)  The King James Version of this verse reads: "Commit thy works unto The LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established." 

These are the words of King Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived. (1 Kings 3:12)  His divinely inspired word to the people was that if they committed their efforts to pleasing The Lord God, then their thoughts and plans would be purified and brought to fruition.

All to often our thoughts are not pure, they are sinful more often than they are not.  Our sinful words and deeds begin as sinful thoughts and plans.  Even when we do not act upon them, our sinful thoughts are still sins. (Matthew 5:28)  We are what we think, and as we think, so we are. (Proverbs 23:7)  On judgment day, we will also be judged on our thoughts and the intents of our heart. (Hebrews 4:12)  The Lord knows our thoughts. (Psalms 94:11 and 1 Corinthians 3:20)  The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to The Lord. (Proverbs 15:26)  We need to renew our minds, and pray. (Romans 12:2)  We need to pray about everything, read The Word of God, and think about things which are true, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:6-8)  We need to commit ourselves to The Lord and to His way.  We need to let the mind which is in Christ Jesus be in us also. (Philippians 2:5)  We need to pray that The Lord will create within us a clean heart and mind. (Psalms 51:10)  

Put God First

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

After speaking with His disciples and teaching them about prayer, fasting, treasures in heaven, and telling them not to worry about earthly concerns like their next meal, or drink, or their clothing, Jesus then told them that they should first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all of their earthly needs would be provided.

If we put God first in our lives, and obey His Word, then He will supply all of our needs.  The phrase "... and all these things ..." does not refer to everything that we want.  It refers to the food, drink, and clothing, mentioned in the preceding two verses.  God knows what we need. (Matthew 6:32)  We should be more concerned about the salvation of our soul and about pleasing God, than about our earthly comfort and satisfaction.  We need to sincerely seek God,  to desire, to pursue, to strive for, to aim for that which is pleasing to God; and we need to do it  as best as we can. (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27)  Pleasing God should be our number on priority. (Mark 12:30)  If we first seek to please God, He will be pleased, and we will be blessed. (Psalms 119:2)

Walking In The Overflow

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."  Colossians 2:6-7 (NIV)  

In his letter to the believers in Colossi, the Apostle Paul told them that they should continue to live in Christ, with the gusto which they had at the beginning, and they should continue to grow and strengthen their faith in The Lord.  He also told them that they should be overflowing with thankfulness for what Christ has done for them. 

Jesus, The Son of God, came to earth so that we might have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10), a better life now and eternal life later.  When we first believed and received Christ as our Lord and Savior, we were blessed, in fact we were abundantly blessed.  We should be thankful that as we walk with Him we are walking in the overflow of His abundant blessings.   Jesus, The Christ, is the rock of our solid foundation, our belief and faith are rooted in Him. (2 Samuel 22:47, Psalms 18:46, Psalms 89:26, and Psalms 95:1)  However, we need to be built up and have our faith strengthened by our continued close walk with Him, by praying, by reading and obeying His Word. (Luke 17:5 and 2 Corinthians 10:15)  Some times reading The Word of God is not enough, we must be taught. (Acts 8:29-31)  As we grow from babes in Christ to mature believers, we will graduate from milk to meat (1 Corinthians 3:1-2 and Hebrews 5:12-14), and we will develop a greater appreciation for The Lord and for His Word.  We will then have even more reasons for overflowing with thankfulness as we walk in the abundance of His blessings.