Living to Please Jesus
Pastor Josh Slatten
Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I purchase as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.”
The Apostle Paul was a dynamic Christian. The one thing that he wanted people to remember about him was that he was a bondservant of Jesus Christ. In other words, his desire was to please his master not people. I know with 100% certainty that God has called me into ministry. I left a job of 13 years to answer that call. I have experienced God move in my life in a wonderful way, which in turn, has strengthened my relationship with Christ. My marriage has grown and I am slowly but surely becoming the leader that God wants me to be. God is working and God is moving and I feel his hand upon my life. It’s the greatest feeling in the entire world to be satisfied in Jesus. God’s desire for all of us is to fulfill his purpose both in our individual lives and in the church.
Everyday Satan tempts me to give up and to quit on God, but the bible says in Luke 9:62 “But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” When it comes to pleasing Christ we can’t have it both ways. We can’t straddle the fence. In order to experience His power and presence in our lives, we have to get off the fence and follow Jesus. I had it made in the secular world. I was comfortable and I had no stress. Life was good, but I was not satisfied or complete. I am so grateful for the Grace of God. God never gave up on me. He kept pursuing me. As I look back upon those years when God was dealing with me about ministry, I wish I had made the decision sooner rather than later.
Peter and the Apostles had been thrown in prison by the chief priests, and God miraculously sent an angel to let them out. They were told not to teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and the apostles replied, “We ought to obey God rather than people.” I am so grateful that God has chosen me to proclaim His word. I never desired to be a pastor or a preacher mainly because of the stress, and I really thought that I would never be satisfied in it. We are to seek God in every aspect of our lives. As God leads me toward his perfect will, I’m sure there will be setbacks and detours along the way, but I’m going to keep my eyes on the prize. When it comes to fulfilling our calling what matters most is what God desires for us to do.
Paul said, “I press on toward the goal.” He’s saying I have made it my duty and my goal to please Jesus above all else. Why? Because Jesus is the one who has given me life. I pray that we will have the same goal like Paul both in our individual lives as Christians and corporately as a church. God has tremendous blessings waiting for us and they are found in His son Jesus Christ.
תגובות