Fear God -- Please God"The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person." Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NASB)
"So we make it our goal to please HIM, whether we are at home in the body or away from it." 2 Corinthians 5:9 (NIV)
I've often confessed to you that I am a slow learner! One would think that being 56, I would have learned some things a little sooner! But I am a slow learner.
I have struggled most of my life with pleasing people. I have been learning over the years that when I please people, I am not fearing God. When I fear God, I don't have to worry about pleasing people.
A fellow struggler shared this quote with me: "If you displease God, it doesn't really matter who you please. If you please God, it doesn't really matter who you displease." Pastor Richard Allen Duncan. That is a pretty powerful statement.
This summer has been an amazing one in terms of the number of people who were saved (all ages) and life commitments made. While it was a good summer, it was also a difficult summer in some respects.
This summer we had what seemed liked an enormous amount of people who felt it was their God-given call to tell us all the things we were doing wrong, why they didn't like this or that speaker, music, seminar instructor or content. The meeting rooms were too hot for some and too cold for others. And the list goes on.
For a people-pleaser-junkie, it was enough to put me over the edge. Then the light bulb went on. Well, the light bulb was the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart: FEAR GOD -- PLEASE GOD. I realized again that if I am fearing God, and my desire, my goal, my aim is to PLEASE GOD and not people, then what and how people think really doesn't matter. I can fear people and in trying to please them discover this: YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY!
We have used a wooden cross during commitment times and encouraged people to ask the Holy Spirit to show them what it might be in their life that is holding them back for surrendering everything to Him. We encourage them to write that on a 3X5 card and then come nail the card to the cross. When we have done this, it has been a very meaningful time.
BUT ... I have one or two of the "saints" who every time we do this exercise, make it their aim to get in my face to tell me how stupid or ridiculous this is. One will actually get up and walk out of the room. Ashamedly, there have been times that I have felt the Lord nudging me to close a service with this exercise, but then I see those "saints" and chicken out. How dumb!
This summer it happened. I knew that this was what God wanted me to do in closing the service. And immediately these two phrases popped into my mind: FEAR GOD -- PLEASE GOD! It was freeing because it really didn't matter what these two saints were thinking! It only matters that I be obedient to HIM!
BUT ... I have one or two of the "saints" who every time we do this exercise, make it their aim to get in my face to tell me how stupid or ridiculous this is. One will actually get up and walk out of the room. Ashamedly, there have been times that I have felt the Lord nudging me to close a service with this exercise, but then I see those "saints" and chicken out. How dumb!
This summer it happened. I knew that this was what God wanted me to do in closing the service. And immediately these two phrases popped into my mind: FEAR GOD -- PLEASE GOD! It was freeing because it really didn't matter what these two saints were thinking! It only matters that I be obedient to HIM!
So in my mind, when I stand up front, I know see in big letters on the back wall -- FEAR GOD -- PLEASE GOD! Now don't get me wrong -- that doesn't give me carte blanche to not think about people. But if I am fearing God and pleasing Him -- I have to believe that He will not direct me to do things that will outright offend or be hurtful to people.
Are you a fellow people pleaser? Then write these words on a 3X5 card and carry it with you: FEAR GOD -- PLEASE GOD. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
Dig This Quote: “The gospel is a powerful Word, but it cannot do its work without trials. No one will discover its power unless he experiences it. The gospel can only show its Power where there is a cross and where there is suffering. Because it’s a Word of life, it must exercise all its power in death. If death and dying are absent, then it can do nothing. No one would discover that it’s stronger then sin of death.” Martin Luther
Determined Digging: Level 1: Lamentations 3:21-23; Level 2: Psalm 139:1-6
Determined Praying: Intercession is standing in other people's shoes and representing them before God.
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