Please God, Not Men

Focus: Romans 2:29 - KJV

29. But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:3-6

The basis of discipleship in the Christian world is for the servant to be pleasing to the Master. No disciple is a disciple because of any man. Even if there is no man to interact with, a disciple of Christ will not cease from being a disciple. The disciple is one who submits himself to Christ for the circumcision of the heart by allowing Him to cut off the foreskin thereof, which foreskin is responsible for making the heart stony. With a circumcised heart, the disciple works, walks, preaches, teaches and does everything with God in mind first, before having consideration of the audience. It is when we put the audience first that we go about teaching and preaching about living well on earth where everything is ephemeral, rather than teach about God and godliness. Those who because of men teach wealth and prosperity are not pleasing to God.

The Lord Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith was no respecter of men but did only those things He saw the father do and commanded. Hence, it was not difficult for Him to declare that all that came before Him were thieves and robbers. It was not difficult for Him to redirect the people to focus on Himself and the father as against their old champions whose teachings He gave some knocks. When many disciples deserted Him because of His hard teachings against the fathers of faith and He was left with only His Apostles, rather than commend the Apostles, He asked if they were not going to leave also. For Him, for as long as He pleased the father, every other person could be gone.

The Lord is saying we cannot make disciples out of men if we teach the things they seek to hear. Unless they do know their God, they cannot offer Him to others as they cannot give what they do not have. Hence, God is demanding that we teach the truth of the Gospel which is about focusing on heaven as our goal, and looking unto Jesus as our example of how to live on earth, to attain the goal. If we therefore must hit the target and make the goal, then we need to stop being men pleasers but strive to please God only.

Please receive this:

The one who has not given you the spirit of fear but of boldness and of sound mind will help you to be bold to speak the truth about the Kingdom always, in Jesus’ name. Every man that stands before you to prevent you from being God focused, the Lord will whisk away for your sake even now, in Jesus’ name. You will not miss the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus, in Jesus’ name.

Please share. God bless you.