Have you ever encountered someone who seems to apologize over everything?

I confess that I used to be that person and still am in the sense that I tell others I am sorry when I hear their woes. It isn’t the same ‘I’m sorry’ as an apology, but an ‘I’m sorry you are having such troubles.’ However, I no longer apologize when someone around me is offended by the way I look, the way I talk, or the way I act.

What changed? you might ask. Well, I’ll tell you.

Jesus changed me. He came into my heart and began to change me from the inside out. And one of the first things He did was to change me from a ‘people-pleaser’ to a ‘God-pleaser’. What a difference!

I no longer apologize when my worship gets loud, boisterous or downright explosive! I sing, I dance, I speak in tongues, I interpret, I prophesy and on rare occasions, I become a trumpet proclaiming the presence of the Lord! 🎉🥳🎈🪩👗🪅

Just yesterday my pastor showed a sign that said “Pardon our noise. It’s the sound of freedom.” I’ve adopted that as my tagline. Christ has set me free and I won’t, CAN’T, be quiet about it.

I no longer apologize when someone doesn’t care for my hair-style, clothing, or laugh! I feel distressed for them because they are so easily offended and critical of others — truly a sign of their own internal misery.

When Christ set me free from death and hell He also set me free to be me — whatever form He wants. HINT: He did the same for you.

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

None of this means that I go out of my way to offend others. Scripture cautions against that kind of behavior. In fact, I have become more mellow in every area of my life save one: Jesus.

1 Corinthians 8:9 But take care that this freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

Addictions are bondage and people-pleasing is an addiction. Striving to keep the peace and be accepted by everyone, people-pleasers betray their own selves. In an effort to accommodate everyone else’s needs they often undermine their own. They unwittingly sacrifice their very self to avoid the conflict caused by asserting their needs and desires.

Please don’t confuse people-pleasing with someone who is gifted in the area of service. The needs and desires of a truely gifted servant of the Lord is to serve. They don’t minimize their own self-worth and they derive great satisfaction in serving others. A people-pleaser is often someone with low self-esteem and low self-worth. True servants do not suffer from those traits. As Psychology Today states: “One of the most self-betraying traps of people-pleasing is the separation from one’s genuine sense of self. When someone is subservient to the needs and goals of others it reinforces a sense that their own needs aren’t worthy.”

Quoting from the Spiritual Gifts Project: “The spiritual gift of Servanthood is the engine that moves the body and “thank you” is the fuel. Truly the heart of a servant puts the needs of the body and others in front of their own, and they find great happiness and a feeling of love by doing this work. These are the people that are always first to raise their hand when a project or challenge comes their way. They are not introverts and seek to be with groups in performing their work. Appreciation and seeing the results of their work is key to their involvement.”

So I have provided all of that information as part of explaining that I have moved out of the realm of people-pleasing and into the realm of God-pleasing. And what pleases God? It’s no mystery. He tells us:

Psalm 150 1Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. 2Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. 3Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. 4Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. 5Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. 6Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Colossians 3:20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.

There are dozens of other Scripture verses that tell us what pleases God. Let me encourage you. These are not RULES AND REGULATIONS 👮🏼‍♂️🚓👮‍♀️👮🏿‍♀️🚨🚔 for us to follow. Jesus came to set us free, not put us in MORE bondage. These verses are guidance for those who love the Lord and want, as any good wife wants, to please the object of their affection. He tells us how to please Him and it’s up to us if we want to do so or not. As for me………. 😁

Joshua 24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

I will serve the Lord in whatever form He desires, without apology. May you experience the same freedom.

I listened recently as a dear friend mourned her spiritual condition and wondered if she were truly saved. Can you relate?

I reminded her that she must be, since unsaved people never wonder about their spiritual salvation. There were other things she needed to be reminded of, too.

1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by GOD’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

Kept.

We are kept in the hands of Jesus Christ, where we are safe and from where NO ONE can interfere. We are kept ON Christ, as a sure foundation, and IN Christ, as a stronghold, a strong tower against every evil work.

We are kept in the love of GOD BY GOD, in faith BY GOD, and on/in His heart, where we will never be separated.

We are kept BY GOD in the covenant of grace, out of which we will never be put.

We are kept in a state of justification BY GOD and never condemned by Him.

We are kept for salvation BY GOD. It is not our own efforts that keep us in a state of grace for that would mean we earned our salvation. NOT SO. Only GOD can keep us in a state of grace and once there, NO ONE can remove us.

GOD always takes care of His own. His plans for our salvation are set in stone – the foundation stone of Jesus Christ, our cornerstone. GOD is unchanging and He hasn’t changed His mind about us. Once we are accepted into His beloved, there we are secure.

This is the blessed assurance we sing about. This is the blessed hope and peace in which we dwell. Our destination no longer depends upon us – it depends upon GOD, and He is more than able to keep us.

One of the most amazing things about GOD’s keeping grace is the way it changes us into His beloved. We become like my sweet friend, constantly looking for ways to serve Him, to honor Him, to worship Him, to reflect Him. No one can pluck us from His hands and we, in our state of grace, will never remove ourselves.

So today, beloved of the Lord, take a minute – even thirty seconds – to lift your eyes to Him and say thank you for His keeping power and amazing love. What a mighty GOD!

Thank you Papa.

Passion

What image does that word project on your mind?

If you are ‘into’ movies and television then I am guessing the meaning of the word ‘passion’ translates to ‘lust’ in your brain.

Passion has other meanings and interpretations. There are people who are ‘passionate’ about their avocation – artists who can’t do anything but sculpt, or paint, or design, or write. Scholars who are never content, never settled, unless they are pursuing their passion – knowledge.

Another meaning is intense suffering, such as is portrayed in the movie ‘The Passion of the Christ’. Truly this meaning is the least popular and has even been removed from some dictionaries.

The meanings I am most interested in are those revealed in a relationship with Christ.

1. intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction: fervor, ardor

2. ardent affection : love

3. emotions distinguished from reason

It takes all three of those definitions combined into one to represent the ‘passion’ that Christ has for each of us. A passion completely devoid of lust. A passion that is completely devoid of reason – no one would look upon an unfaithful, lying, conniving, deceiving, cheating, thieving person and say “There’s someone I want to get to know better. There’s someone I want to spend all of my time with. There’s someone I will never leave or deny.” At least, we wouldn’t. It defies reason.

Yet that is just what Christ does. He looks at us with all of our warts and sin and disgusting habits and loves us with a passion beyond our understanding. His eyes are like fire when He looks upon each of us as He is consumed with His passion for us. He woos us with unending gentleness and everlasting love. He never gives up, gives in, or lets go.

Passion.

Christ’s passion for us is just the beginning. If we allow Him to work in our lives we will begin to reciprocate His passion with a passion of our own. A passion to be with Him. A passion to please Him. A passion to tell the world about Him and what He has done for us.

Passion. This passion is so much more satisfying than anything the world has to offer. Accept His free gift and begin to live a life of passion.

Revelation 19:12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.