The reading for today’s blog comes from Matthew 6: 1-18:
In these passages Jesus talks about giving to the needy, praying, and fasting.
Initially I read the scripture in the NIV translation. I then changed the translation to The Message. The Message translation gives such a clear picture of what Jesus was saying. The following are a couple of key verses from the reading:
The World Is Not a Stage
1 "Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be applauding.
Pray with Simplicity
5"And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?
God wants us to love ourselves the way He loves us, and to be secure with the person that He made. When we are secure with the person that He made, we will focus less on pleasing others.
I think when we are focused on pleasing God, we reach out to others just as He does. We can’t reach people effectively when we are trying to please man. If we are pleasing man, we aren’t pleasing God.
Lord, I want to be more like you in everything I do. Please help my main focus be on what You think and how I can please you rather than what others think. Thank you that you truly love me for who I am.
Krista Dudte
No comments:
Post a Comment