January 24, 2008 6:57 AM
Sam wrote:
"...and find out what pleases the Lord." Verse 10 of Ephesians 5. How does one actually go about this task? I suppose we could ask Him in prayer, but if you are like me, you don't HEAR Him reply with words. We have to be extremely observant to see how Jesus DOES respond to us in prayer. I guess we could read the Bible and glean just about everything that pleases the lord. Mt 3:17 said that God was pleased with His son, Jesus. Luke 13:32 says that God was pleased to have given us the kingdom here on earth. John 5:21 says that Jesus is pleased to give people 'life'. Romans 8:8 says that those who live by the sinful nature CANNOT please God. 1st Cor 1:21 says that "God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe." 2nd Cor 5:9 says its should be our goal to please God. Galatians 1:5 says that God was pleased when he set us apart at birth and called us to Him. SO, all well and good....good Scriptures to show that we need to please God, but HOW do we do it. Again, using Scripture, I think the best one which comes right out and tells us how, is Col 1:10-12 "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, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." If you re-read those verses, I think that pretty much explains how we can please God: Bear Fruit Grow in Knowledge Be Strengthened with Power Joyfully Giving Thanks Let's try this "BGBJ" (acronym for above four ways to please God) today. Pick one, or do all four...let me know how you do (you may want to write these four down to carry with you the rest of the day as a reminder to please God). Reply to this
January 25, 2008 1:30 AM
Rich wrote:
A late night. Many work projects going on. I had a great talk with my son tonight about angels, demons, God, heaven and much more. He asked many good questions and confessed some stuff to me. I share this only because I want you guys to know how much I have learned from you by being part of this blog. I see what you guys right every day and I learn from that. Writing myself forces me to think as I read the Bible. I have had deeper QTs since being a part of this than I have had my entire christian life. I am very grateful for the blog and for your knowledge, insights and wisdom. I would not have been equipped to have this kind of talk with him 6 months ago.
Interestingly the scripture that started our conversation was Ephesians 6:12. I will write more about Ephesians 6 tomorrow (actually later today!).
Eph 5. "Be imitators of God..." What a challenge! I am to imitate God. But actually that really makes a lot of sense. If I truly believe in God and if I respect him, I will try to imitate him. This is human nature. If I were in sales and I met someone who was very good and successful at selling, I would try to imitate what he does so that I could sell more. How many self help (i.e., "imitate me") seminars and movies are out there?
But, imitate God! That is a lofty calling. Yet, it is right. We should reflect God to others. That is a main purpose that we have here on earth. We are to live a life of love in the same way that Jesus gave himself up for us. If I really loved people like Jesus loved me, I would be so much more sensitive, compassionate, generous, .... It is a challenge just to think of loving my wife like this, or my kids. But that is what I want to do. God help me to imitate you.
Reading this chapter with the thought of "imitate God" in my mind makes much more sense. This chapter is really about God. These are some of the key characteristics of God and they are some of the key characteristics of the life of someone who is trying to imitate God. It shows in some concrete ways what a "God imitator" would act like with respect to real things like drinking, cursing, impurity, greed, being a husband or wife.
"Be imitators of God." This simple goal could change a life. I want it to change my life. Reply to this
"...and find out what pleases the Lord." Verse 10 of Ephesians 5. How does one actually go about this task? I suppose we could ask Him in prayer, but if you are like me, you don't HEAR Him reply with words. We have to be extremely observant to see how Jesus DOES respond to us in prayer. I guess we could read the Bible and glean just about everything that pleases the lord. Mt 3:17 said that God was pleased with His son, Jesus. Luke 13:32 says that God was pleased to have given us the kingdom here on earth. John 5:21 says that Jesus is pleased to give people 'life'. Romans 8:8 says that those who live by the sinful nature CANNOT please God. 1st Cor 1:21 says that "God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe." 2nd Cor 5:9 says its should be our goal to please God. Galatians 1:5 says that God was pleased when he set us apart at birth and called us to Him. SO, all well and good....good Scriptures to show that we need to please God, but HOW do we do it. Again, using Scripture, I think the best one which comes right out and tells us how, is Col 1:10-12 "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, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." If you re-read those verses, I think that pretty much explains how we can please God:
Bear Fruit
Grow in Knowledge
Be Strengthened with Power
Joyfully Giving Thanks
Let's try this "BGBJ" (acronym for above four ways to please God) today. Pick one, or do all four...let me know how you do (you may want to write these four down to carry with you the rest of the day as a reminder to please God).
Reply to this
sorry i did not blog today fellas.
Reply to this
A late night. Many work projects going on. I had a great talk with my son tonight about angels, demons, God, heaven and much more. He asked many good questions and confessed some stuff to me. I share this only because I want you guys to know how much I have learned from you by being part of this blog. I see what you guys right every day and I learn from that. Writing myself forces me to think as I read the Bible. I have had deeper QTs since being a part of this than I have had my entire christian life. I am very grateful for the blog and for your knowledge, insights and wisdom. I would not have been equipped to have this kind of talk with him 6 months ago.
Interestingly the scripture that started our conversation was Ephesians 6:12. I will write more about Ephesians 6 tomorrow (actually later today!).
Eph 5. "Be imitators of God..." What a challenge! I am to imitate God. But actually that really makes a lot of sense. If I truly believe in God and if I respect him, I will try to imitate him. This is human nature. If I were in sales and I met someone who was very good and successful at selling, I would try to imitate what he does so that I could sell more. How many self help (i.e., "imitate me") seminars and movies are out there?
But, imitate God! That is a lofty calling. Yet, it is right. We should reflect God to others. That is a main purpose that we have here on earth. We are to live a life of love in the same way that Jesus gave himself up for us. If I really loved people like Jesus loved me, I would be so much more sensitive, compassionate, generous, .... It is a challenge just to think of loving my wife like this, or my kids. But that is what I want to do. God help me to imitate you.
Reading this chapter with the thought of "imitate God" in my mind makes much more sense. This chapter is really about God. These are some of the key characteristics of God and they are some of the key characteristics of the life of someone who is trying to imitate God. It shows in some concrete ways what a "God imitator" would act like with respect to real things like drinking, cursing, impurity, greed, being a husband or wife.
"Be imitators of God." This simple goal could change a life. I want it to change my life.
Reply to this