WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO PLEASE?
We sometimes get caught up
trying to please people around us that are not godly. We try to still fit in
with them even though we know we shouldn’t be! As Christians we should be
winning the unsaved to Christ and not the other way around! We can’t be dragged back from the place God got
us out of. One of the main reasons, we give in and
become people pleasers is because we don’t want to feel left out, talked about
or become an outcast to everyone around us. So we give in and do what people
expect us to act like and live like. We completely ignore what God says about
how we should live/act like while living in this world! We are more fearful and care more about how
people are going to view us or say about us, then we are in obeying and fearing God! Jesus
says, this is who we should all "FEAR" (Reverence and Respect), “But I will show you whom you
should “FEAR”: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to THROW
you INTO hell. YES, I tell you, “FEAR” him.” (Luke 12:5)
The Bible says: “Whoever claims to live in
him must walk as Jesus did.”
(1 John 2:6) Friend, If this is the road that you’re traveling on right now
(The People Pleasing Road) this road will lead to a separation from God, many disappointments and lots
of devastation; it will always be a dead end road. You will soon discover that
you’re NEVER going to make everyone happy. Nothing good will come out of this
way of living, Nothing! In my own personal experiences I found out that if I
obey the Lord FIRST, everything else in my life, people, and circumstances all
line up to the will of my heavenly Father (ALL things workout for my own good in the end…
BUT I have to put God FIRST! Romans 8:28/Matthew
6:33).
Note: My friends remember what
James says, “You adulterous people,
don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who
chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4). Not only are we committing
adultery against God by trying to fit in with the world but we have also made
ourselves an enemy of Gods also! We have to make up our minds and decide
whether we are going to follow Jesus and act like Him, as the “Holy Scriptures”
commands for us to do or do we live and act like the world! We can’t have it
both ways… “…For a man is a "SLAVE" to whatever has mastered him.” (2 Peter 2:19)
GOD
says…
“DO NOT be yoked together
with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? OR
what fellowship can light have with darkness? WHAT harmony is there between
Christ and Belial? WHAT does a believer have IN common with an unbeliever?..."Therefore COME
out from them and BE separate, says the Lord. Touch NO unclean thing, and I
will receive you." (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
Note: We Christians have to live
a life that is separated from all wickedness and live a righteous and holy life
before our God and our fellow man! “In the same way, let your light shine before
men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” And
the Apostle Peter tells us, “Live such good lives among the pagans that,
though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify
God on the day he visits us.” (Matthew 5:16, 1 Peter 2:12)) Taking this road (The
Pleasing People Road) will only alienate us from our God and Savior! We are
redeemed, washed by blood of the Lamb of God, transformed and made new in
Christ… We’re supposed to live like it and act like it! (John 1:29, 2 Corinthians 5:17/ Ephesians 4:22-24, Ch. 5:8)
If we are not careful and continue to disobey the
Lord we will find ourselves in the same situation as the “unwise virgins” in
that they were NOT ready/ prepared when the Master arrived…"Later the others (The
unwise virgins) also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'
"BUT he (Jesus Christ because He is the Master) replied, 'I tell you
the truth, I DON’T KNOW YOU.' (Matthew 25:11-12)
Note: GOD needs vessels that are
going to do His will, people He can completely depend on. NOT people (Worldly)
pleasers! We must follow the examples of Peter and John because they were
definitely God pleasers… “But Peter and John replied, "Judge for
yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you RATHER than GOD.” (Acts 4:19) Remember
always that an obedient lifestyle to God is a happy, successful, prosperous and
blessed life…Leading right to Heaven! Jesus says, “He
who DOES NOT love me will NOT obey MY teaching.” (John 14:24)
The Apostle Paul says this to the Galatians church…
“Am I NOW trying to win the approval OF men, OR
of GOD? OR am I trying to please men?(Watch This… Don’t Miss It!!) If I
were still trying to please men, I would NOT be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians
1:10)
Note: Here Paul telling the
Galatians church that if he was trying to be a people pleaser, he would "NOT" be
a servant of Christ! Paul was more concerned on how God saw him than what
people thought of him. And this should be the same attitude/mind set that all
the followers of Christ should have in their daily lives. We all have examples
from Jesus and his disciples on how to live godly and righteous lives in this
world… So we have no excuses for not obeying the Lord! The ONLY reason the Lord
said we wouldn’t obey His teachings is because we “DO NOT” love Him! (John
14:24) James gives us this exhortation… “DO NOT merely listen to the
word, and so deceive yourselves. “DO” what it says.” (James 1:22)
Jesus says…
I know that his command leads to
eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say." (John
12:50)
Note: Jesus is our example as the Apostle John said, “Whoever claims to live in
him must walk as Jesus did.”
(1 John 2:6) Jesus knew that the Father’s
command leads us to “Eternal Life” (Heaven). And so Jesus carried out the plan
of salvation for the souls of mankind exactly like He was told by God the
Father. Jesus did not deviate from any of the Father’s commands. In The book of Hebrews it says… “Then he
(Jesus) said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will (God the Father
will)." (Hebrews 10:9)
And so we must also do the same… Live and act like
Jesus has commanded us to do and that is to “Love” God and to "Love" People…"Teacher,
which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: (Watch
This…Don’t Miss It!!) "'LOVE the Lord your God with ALL your heart and
with ALL your soul and with ALL your mind.' This is the first and greatest
commandment. And the SECOND is like it: 'LOVE your neighbor AS yourself.'
(Matthew 22:36-39) In the book Of 1 John it says, “And this is his command:
to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he
commanded us.” (1 John 3:23)
Note: I just want to point out
something that is very important… Some pastors and some Christian people
believe that they “CAN NOT” loose their salvation… But according to “The Holy
Scriptures” that teaching is false! If you are not living like the Lord
commands and continue to live a sinful lifestyle, Heaven is NOT going to be
your home! “and, once made perfect, he (Jesus Christ) became the source
of eternal salvation (Watch This… Don’t Miss It!) For “ALL” who OBEY him…” (Hebrews 5:9)
See my blog teaching on (“Can
You Lose Your Salvation?) If it’s between pastors and people teaching that
you can’t lose your salvation or what the word of “The Living GOD” says… I
personally am going with what GOD says! I’m NOT a people pleaser, but a God
pleaser! Loving God, Loving People! And submitting myself daily to God so that
I might live a life here on earth that is pleasing to my Father in Heaven! “So
you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do
not expect him.” (Matthew 24:44)
The
Apostle John warns all of us of this… “ANYONE who hates his brother
is a murderer, and you know that “NO” murderer has “Eternal Life” in Him.” (1 John 3:15)
Paul warns the Galatians Church…
Remember friends, these are “SAVED” people! “The acts of the sinful nature
are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and
witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. (Watch This…
Don’t Miss It!!) I WARN you, as I did before, that those who live like this
“WILL NOT” inherit the kingdom
of God.” (Galatians
5:19-21)
To the “Corinthian
Church” Paul gives them
the same warnings…
“Do you not know that the wicked “WILL NOT”
inherit the kingdom
of God? “DO NOT BE
DECEIVED”: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male
prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards
nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
And that is “WHAT” some of “YOU WERE”. But you were washed, you were sanctified,
you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of
our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
Note: You can clearly
see in “The Holy Scriptures” that if we as “Christ’s Church” do ANY of these
things that the apostle Paul warned the Galatians and the Corinthians “NOT” to
do and we ignore these warnings and do them anyway… Heaven won’t be our home. (See also Ephesians 5:5-6)
Friends, we must stay in daily prayers and Bible studies… Seek God
constantly and in this way of daily living is how we stay purified, sanctified,
a spotless bride ready/prepared to meet our King in the clouds! "At that time men will see the Son of
Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.” (Hebrews 11:6, Mark 13:26, Daniel 7:13,
Matthew 24:30, Matthew 26:64, and Revelation 1:7-8) Amen and Maranatha!!
In
conclusion, I just wanted to stop here for a moment and say this… As I
meditated on this teaching the epidemic of “bullying” in this country came to
mind. If we as Christ followers remember to always obey GOD, in that we should
always; "Love your neighbor as
yourself." (Matthew 19:19, Mark 12:31,
Luke 10:27, Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:14, Ephesians 5:1-2, James 2:8) we would not give in to
approving/cheering the bullies in their bad behavior. As a people, parents, grandparents, etc, we
should teach our children not to follow the crowds in the approval of the
bullying and the taunting of others (Because this, my friends falls right into
people pleasing!) The bullies always get fueled by the crowd’s reactions. So if the crowd’s reaction is one that “DOES
NOT” approve of his/her bad behavior … The Bully has no other choice but to
stop. Eventually he will have to stop the bullying behavior all together
because he will no longer be pleasing the crowd. It will no longer be “COOL” to be a bully. We
should all be “Anti-Bully” and love everyone like the Lord commands.
“To
“OBEY” is better than sacrifice, and to “HEED” is better than the fat of
rams”…. “For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the
evil of idolatry.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
GOD BLESS YOU NOW AND ALWAYS
YOUR FRIEND,
VICKY RIVERA
