I am not one that follows the world news diligently. But the other day I decided to catch up on the things going on. It was like opening up a sewer pit. All of the heinous things being committed by man across the globe took my breath away. I had to stop and begin thinking about the Lord. I wondered what He thought as He looked down and saw all the evil committed by man. It brought me back to when God decided to destroy the earth by water the first time and how close we are to its destruction by fire the second time:
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth…but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:5,7-8 NKJV)
The current galaxies and earth are fuel for the final fire. God is poised, ready to speak his word again, ready to give the signal for the judgment and destruction of the desecrating skeptics. So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace. (2 Peter 3:7,11-12 MSG)
After reading these two portions of Scripture, my focus was no longer on mankind, but my focus now shifted to myself. Am I pleasing to the Lord?
Let me make two things clear:
1. I am not talking about salvation. This is way beyond salvation in Jesus Christ, where Jesus Christ did it all for me. I am talking about a whole other ball game.
2. This is not about striving by works to be better than anyone else. It’s not about ‘focus on me alone’!
It is simply loving the Lord and living my life so that it is a sweet aroma to Him. I want to be a bright spot when the Lord looks down. As He gazes throughout all the earth and sees the evil and sin abounding, I would like for Him to stop for a moment and smile as He notices a glimmer of light in an ever darkening world.
The following five Scriptures demonstrate that there is a dimension way beyond salvation. It is a dimension that not only involves being fully pleasing to the Lord, but also involves being approved by Him and receiving from Him:
For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:9-10 NKJV)
Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. (1 Thessalonians 4:1 NLT)
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. (I John 3:22 NKJV)
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1:8 NKJV)
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15 NKJV)
In conclusion, let’s all strive to be pleasing to the Lord. We are created in His image to be able to frown and to be able to smile. Let’s give the Lord a reason to smile. Let’s join the ranks of Noah and Job.
Annointing 