#314 - HOW TO MAKE GOD SMILE

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD. Psalm 69:30-31 (New International Version)

Do you want to please God?
Do you want to satisfy God?
Do you want to make God smile?

If you do, then

Praise Him.

Right now.

Praise Him.

For your body…praise Him.
For your mind…praise Him.
For your senses…praise Him.

For His love…praise Him.
For His mercy…praise Him.
For His goodness…praise Him.

Praise Him for everything.

For your struggles…praise Him.
For your difficulties…praise Him.
For your frustrations…praise Him.

Why?

Because He is worthy to be praised.

In spite of your struggles, He has progressed you. Praise Him.
In spite of your frustrations, He has protected you. Praise Him.
In spite of your difficulties, He has provided for you. Praise Him.

And then take a moment to imagine the big smile that is on your Heavenly Father’s face as a result of your heartfelt praise.

#313 - YOU WERE MADE FOR THIS

I will thank the Lord at all times. My mouth will always praise him. Psalm 34:1 (God’s Word Translation)

You do it all the time.

All day. Every day.

You worship.

When you wake up…you worship.
When you drive your car…you worship.
When you eat…you worship.
When you work…you worship.
When you spend time with friends…you worship.
When you go to sleep at night…you worship.

You are wired for worship.

So what, exactly, is it that you worship?

What is it that holds your attention?
What is it that holds your affections?
What is is that holds your adoration?

This is what you worship.

What is it that most controls you?
What is it that most concerns you?
What is it that most consumes you?

Is it your job?
Is it your kids?
Is it your dream?
Is it your money?
Is it your spouse?

Is it your abilities?
Is it your opportunities?
Is it your responsibilities?

Though these things are all “good” things, a very important principle must be understood:

“Good” things become “bad” things when they become “god” things.

And the truth is,

“Good” things were never meant to become “bad” things.
“Good” things were never intended to become “god” things.
“Good” things were never designed to become the objects of your worship.

You were created to only worship The Giver of these “good” things.

God.

To worship anyone or anything else is…

Idolatry.

#312 - HOW TO MAKE YOUR STORY MATTER

Everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory. Romans 11:36 (The Living Bible)

So much is being said about stories these days.

Tell a good story.
Live an exciting story.
Write a compelling story.

You are encouraged to tell a good story with:

Your words. Your pictures. Your marketing.

But for what?

To spark interest?
To increase sales?
To attract readers?
To gain customers?
To set yourself apart?

These reasons aren’t bad.

But these reasons aren’t enough.

Your story needs to be for God’s glory.

Your story must reveal the grace of Christ.
Your story must reflect the beauty of Christ.
Your story must redeem the purpose of Christ.

Your story needs to be for God’s glory.

Your story must share the love of Christ.
Your story must show the perseverance of Christ.
Your story must signify the gospel of Christ.

The bottom line is this:

If your story is not being told for God’s glory, it won’t matter in His story.

#311 - PLEASE AVOID THIS TRAGEDY

Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. 1 Peter 2:11 (The Message)

Imagine this.

You achieve success.
You attain notoriety.
You accumulate wealth.

You reach every goal you set.

Seems ideal right?

Well, not if this is the case…

You acquire every temporary earthly comfort, only to find your life void of every permanent eternal gift.

What a tragedy that would be.

So don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.

Because your ego is temporary. And your soul is forever.

#310 - YOUR GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY

Those who are trusted with something valuable must show they are worthy of that trust. – 1 Corinthians 4:2 (Today’s English Version)

Your perspective is everything.

How you see your life will shape your life.
How you define your life will determine your life.
How you perceive your life will produce your life.

So what do you see?

Do you see it as a race?
Do you see it as a game?
Do you see it as a party?

Do you see it as a gift?
Do you see it as a challenge?
Do you see it as an opportunity?

How you see your life shapes your life.

And I encourage you to start seeing your life as a trust.

You have been entrusted with time.
You have been entrusted with abilities.
You have been entrusted with resources.

You have been entrusted with money.
You have been entrusted with knowledge.
You have been entrusted with relationships.

I dare you to start seeing your life as a trust.

Because if you do, you will start to ask yourself a very empowering question…

What am I doing with the life that I have been entrusted with?

#309 - YOU WERE MEANT TO LIVE FOREVER

God has…planted eternity in the human heart. – Ecclesiastes 3:11 (New Living Translation)

Though this life is important.
Though this life must be enjoyed.
Though this life should be taken advantage of.

This life is only the beginning.

So wake up.
Snap out of it.
Realize.

The 70-80 years you have on this earth are only…

A speck. A slice. A snippet.

Of all that you will one day see.
Of all that you will one day become.
Of all that you will one day experience.

The truth is:

You were created for eternity.

And God did this for a very specific reason.

He desires to express His unconditional love to you…

Forever.

#308 - THE ONLY SOURCE FOR PERFECT PEACE

You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you. – Isaiah 26:3 (Today’s English Version)

Your current motivations will not do.

Your guilt. Your fears. Your anger.

Too unhealthy.

Your kids. Your parents. Your significant other.

Too fleeting.

Your goals. Your dreams. Your ambitions.

Too shallow.

It’s time to make you make an exchange.

An exchange for the purest motivation.
An exchange for the noblest motivation.
An exchange for the healthiest motivation.

God’s purpose for your life.

It won’t lead to perfect decisions.
It won’t bring you perfect circumstances.
It won’t result in you becoming a perfect person. 

But…

It will bring you perfect peace.

And isn’t that what you really want most? 

#307 - THE ONE THING YOU ARE NOT

I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born.  Isaiah 44:2 (Contemporary English Version)

You are not an accident.

Your skills. Your talents. Your abilities.
Your ethnicity. Your background. Your birthplace.
Your disadvantages. Your handicaps. Your deficiencies.

None of it is an accident.

Though others may not appreciate them, your tendencies are not an accident.
Though you wished you look differently, your physical features are not an accident.
Though you despise them, or may not even know them, your parents are not an accident.

Everything about you was created, by God, on purpose for a purpose.

Just don’t make the mistake of neglecting to discover what your God-given purpose is.

Because that would be an accident.

#306 - LIFE BEGINS HERE

For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible…everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. Colossians 1:16 (The Message)

Believe it or not…

Your life is not about you.

It’s not about your fulfillment.
It’s not about your happiness.
It’s not about your goals.
It’s not about your ambitions.
It’s not about your purposes.

It’s about God.

Your life is about God’s purposes.
Your life is about God’s interests.
Your life is about God’s plans.
Your life is about God’s glory.
Your life is about God’s fame.

And the sooner you embrace this truth, the more significant your life will be.