heart check

How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?  ~ John 5:44

Why do we do what we do?  For those of us who strive to be Christ-like or response is often, 'to please God".  But is it always?  Think about it...

God knows that there are those who claim to love Him and appear to be following him, but in the end....well not so much.  Luke 6:46 tells us that there are those who call out His name but in the day to day grind they go their own way, do their own thing, rather than obey His commands.  They are more concerned with looking good to others than seeking God's glory.

1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us to do everything (whatever we do) to the glory of God.  What we do in the day to day matters, and it should matter to us that it be done to give God the glory.  Matthew 5:16 tells us that what we do is not only a way for us to give God glory, but it allows others to see our actions so that they may give glory to God also.  We don't seek glory for ourselves, but so that it goes to the One who gave us the talents, the gifts, the abilities that we have.  For without God we can do nothing.  (John 15:5)  If we can do nothing without Him, why do we seek the glory for our actions from others?

Remember, man may look at the outward appearance of things, they may look at our actions and believe that we are sold out for Jesus, but God knows our heart and that is where the truth lies.  Take a few minutes today and examine your heart.  The good news is that God loves us unconditionally, and that He is willing to forgive and wipe it all away, we need only acknowledge and ask. 

If you knew....

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."  ~John 4:10

If you knew.  I look at my teenage children and have often thought that.  If only you knew how your choices are impacting your future.  If only you knew that your decision to remain stubborn rather than to humble yourself was only hurting you.  If only you knew how your words said in anger affected those around you.  If only you knew that this heartache would pass, and that God has a truly special person out there for you.  The teen years are hard.

But I wonder how many times Jesus says to me, "If only you knew"?  His word tells us that He has so many gifts for us.  He offers the gift of hope (Jeremiah 29:11), the gift of rest (Mathew 11:28-29), the gift of peace (Proverbs 1:33, John 14:27), the gift of strength (Isaiah 40:29-31), and the gift of supplying for our needs (Philippians 4:19).  The best gift of all is the gift of eternal life with Him (Romans 6:23).  And yet so many of us don't ask for, and as a result don't receive, these gifts.  

Jesus points out that the woman didn't know the gifts that God was offering.  We don't have that excuse.  Everything He offers is spelled out for us in His Word, including how to accept the gifts.  Isn't it time we quit trying to quench our thirst with something that isn't lasting and start quenching it with something that is?