Galatians 1:10 | Audience of One
Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
-Galatians 1:10 BSB
-Galatians 1:10 BSB
Are you a man pleaser? Or are you a God pleaser?
In my childhood, I was often warned of the dangerous influences of peer pressure. But not even they knew just how large of an issue it would become. As the internet grew and everyone became connected, eventually those who were warning me of peer pressure were themselves suffering the pressure of their own peers. Social media made it incredibly difficult for people to be their own persons. The approval of those around them became critical. Many well meaning believers stumbled into a realm they were unprepared to face. Their efforts to please God were not acknowledged. Their acts of obedience were slandered. Their testimonies were labeled as fake. Before long, the content of many believers changed from pleasing God to pleasing man. And we saw this in the day to day lives of many of these believers.
Approval of men. Let's examine ourselves together. Just how much of your life is dictated by what others think? When you got dressed this morning, were you considering what others would think of your outfit? When you took care of your hair or when you showered, how much were others in consideration? Consider your activity today. Did you laugh at a joke you shouldn't have, simply to fit in? Perhaps you joined in some gossip because you were being included in it. Are you listening to music, or watching shows or movies so that you might be able to join the conversation? Do you restrain offering praises to God or sharing testimony of the Lord in order to not ruffle any feathers? These questions barely scratch the surface of how the approval of men can affect us. But it is in our face all the time, and it was for those in Galatia. Paul had to reject the approval of men and was persecuted for it. He opted instead to live for the approval of God.
Approval of God. Let's continue our examination. How much of your life is dictated by what God thinks? When you got dressed this morning, did you consider if God was pleased with what you were wearing? How about how you did your hair, or when you were showing? Was God considered in that? Consider your activity today. Have you restrained yourself from participation from sinful things that you may be pleasing in the sight of the Lord? Have you contended for justice and righteousness in your workplace, in your family, and among your friends? Have you sat in prayer and meditation with the Lord? Have you studied His word instead of engaging in the trap of entertainment? Are you willing to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow after Him?
These are challenging questions. Do not allow yourself to be deceived in one direction or another. Simply pray and ask that the Lord would reveal to you whose approval you are living for. He is faithful. If you find that you are living for the approval of men, I call you into repentance and want to remind you that the grace of God is sufficient to bring you into His righteousness and cleanse you from all wickedness. Live now for the approval of God and God alone! If you find that you are indeed living for the approval of God, praise be to Him! Pray that the Lord would keep you in that! I also want to remind you that the grace of God is sufficient to keep you in that. You need not stumble in darkness as you walk in the light.
I pray for all of us that we would learn to live for the audience of One. Would our goal not be for the praise of man, but for the praise of God. His grace empowers and enables us to live faithfully for Him. So let us do that in His favor.
How can you live for the approval of God today?
In my childhood, I was often warned of the dangerous influences of peer pressure. But not even they knew just how large of an issue it would become. As the internet grew and everyone became connected, eventually those who were warning me of peer pressure were themselves suffering the pressure of their own peers. Social media made it incredibly difficult for people to be their own persons. The approval of those around them became critical. Many well meaning believers stumbled into a realm they were unprepared to face. Their efforts to please God were not acknowledged. Their acts of obedience were slandered. Their testimonies were labeled as fake. Before long, the content of many believers changed from pleasing God to pleasing man. And we saw this in the day to day lives of many of these believers.
Approval of men. Let's examine ourselves together. Just how much of your life is dictated by what others think? When you got dressed this morning, were you considering what others would think of your outfit? When you took care of your hair or when you showered, how much were others in consideration? Consider your activity today. Did you laugh at a joke you shouldn't have, simply to fit in? Perhaps you joined in some gossip because you were being included in it. Are you listening to music, or watching shows or movies so that you might be able to join the conversation? Do you restrain offering praises to God or sharing testimony of the Lord in order to not ruffle any feathers? These questions barely scratch the surface of how the approval of men can affect us. But it is in our face all the time, and it was for those in Galatia. Paul had to reject the approval of men and was persecuted for it. He opted instead to live for the approval of God.
Approval of God. Let's continue our examination. How much of your life is dictated by what God thinks? When you got dressed this morning, did you consider if God was pleased with what you were wearing? How about how you did your hair, or when you were showing? Was God considered in that? Consider your activity today. Have you restrained yourself from participation from sinful things that you may be pleasing in the sight of the Lord? Have you contended for justice and righteousness in your workplace, in your family, and among your friends? Have you sat in prayer and meditation with the Lord? Have you studied His word instead of engaging in the trap of entertainment? Are you willing to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow after Him?
These are challenging questions. Do not allow yourself to be deceived in one direction or another. Simply pray and ask that the Lord would reveal to you whose approval you are living for. He is faithful. If you find that you are living for the approval of men, I call you into repentance and want to remind you that the grace of God is sufficient to bring you into His righteousness and cleanse you from all wickedness. Live now for the approval of God and God alone! If you find that you are indeed living for the approval of God, praise be to Him! Pray that the Lord would keep you in that! I also want to remind you that the grace of God is sufficient to keep you in that. You need not stumble in darkness as you walk in the light.
I pray for all of us that we would learn to live for the audience of One. Would our goal not be for the praise of man, but for the praise of God. His grace empowers and enables us to live faithfully for Him. So let us do that in His favor.
How can you live for the approval of God today?
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John 14:22-31 | What's the lesson for me today?John 14:22-31 | What am I going to do about it?John 14:22-31 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:1-11John 15:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:1-11 | What's the connection?John 15:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:12-27John 15:12-27 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:12-27 | What's the connection?John 15:12-27 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:12-27 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:12-27 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:12-27 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:1-15John 16:1-15 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:1-15 | What's the connection?John 16:1-15 | What’s a lesson for the original audience?John 16:1-15 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:1-15 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:1-15 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:16-33John 16:16-33 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:16-33 | What's the connection?John 16:16-33 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 16:16-33 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:16-33 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:16-33 | Prayer Prompts
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Passage of the Week: John 17John 17 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 17 | What's the connection?John 17 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 17 | What's the lesson for me today?John 17 | What am I going to do about it?John 17 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:1-11John 18:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:1-11 | What's the connection?John 18:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:12-40John 18:12-40 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:12-40 | What's the connection?John 18:12-40 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:12-40 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:12-40 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:12-40 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 19John 19 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 19 | What's the connection?John 19 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 19 | What's the lesson for me today?John 19 | What am I going to do about it?John 19 | Prayer Prompts
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Passage of the Week: John 20John 20 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 20 | What's the connection?John 20 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 20 | What's the lesson for me today?John 20 | What am I going to do about it?John 20 | Prayer PromptsJohn 21 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 21John 21 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 21 | What's the connection?John 21 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 21 | What's the lesson for me today?John 21 | What am I going to do about it?Passage of the Week: Hebrews 1:1-4Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What is a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 1:5-14Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:5-14 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:1-4Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the connection?
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Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 2:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:5-9Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the connection?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What am I going to do about it?
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