LIVING TO PLEASE GOD

Romans 12:1-2 New Living Translation

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

            If you truly want to worship the Lord, live a holy life. I don’t feel this means you must cloister yourself away from the world, unless you know in your heart that is what God is calling you to. It means to live a holy, godly life in spite of the world around you. It means to focus on one thing in the midst of a hundred other things. We have responsibilities to family and church, but if our personal relationship with Christ is the driving force in our life then we will incorporate every other area of our life with our walk with God.

            Paul had told the Roman believers not to imitate the customs and behavior of the world, for nothing the world does is pleasing to God. We can do as we please but not all things are for our benefit. The Lord knows what we could never know and that is the future of things. He knows where we’ll end up if we go it alone as opposed to following the path he has charted for us. The only way we can grow into the person God knows we can be is to draw close to him and listen. 

            We all like to talk, perhaps a little too much at times. God needs us to listen to the still, small voice of the Spirit as he speaks to our spirit. Those things that apply to the church in the Apostles day hold true for us today. So when Paul admonishes, instructs or praises his contemporaries, we need to stiffen up and look at ourselves hard in the mirror. Is God talking to me thru his word? We must be teachable. If we aren’t, well, the Holy Spirit isn’t going to ram teaching down our throat. You need to be willing to receive what God wishes to share with you. Trust God in all areas of your life and you will become a mighty force for God. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.