Find Out What Please the Lord ~ Part 2

Find Out What Pleases the Lord ~ Part 2

By Pastor Gary Wayne

Times of transition are important for me to sharpen my focus on the things of God. September has seemed for me to be a month of transition, of season change. So I see this month as Spiritual Emphasis Month. As we transition from summer to fall, I think this is a good time to re-focus on the priorities of my relationship with God.

Text: Mathew 25:1-13, 1 Samuel 2:35, Ephesians 5:8-10
Ver.10 “…and find out what pleases the Lord. NIV
Ver.10 “…trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. NASB
Ver.10 “…trying to learn [by experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [and letting your lifestyles be examples of what is most acceptable to Him…”. Amplified

I believe that requires a single focus. Sole purpose. The center of my attention.

1Sam.2:35
1Pe 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…”

God calls us to be His royal priests – not for just pastors or preachers, but His followers to represent who He is to those around us.

Putting these two scriptures together – God is raising up faithful priests who have their priority on following what is in His heart, not just priestly duties.

What happens when His royal priests trade intimacy for routine?
What happens when the very ones who have been called by God to represent His heart to those around them continue to do “good God things”, religious activity, but don’t maintain an intimate heart connection with the one they gave themselves to serve?

What happens when the people appointed by God, His royal priests, lose sight of His heart and begin to live their lives in view of their heart?

Not giving into sinful living, still going to church, but their Christianity is for their benefit.
Living in Godly principals just makes sense.
I’m not opening the door for the demonic to mess with my life.
I live inside the blessings of God. I get to go to heaven when I die.
But if I don’t pursue His heart, my Christianity is about me.

Do you remember in the OT the different times the ark of God that represented His presences was taken away?

What happened at the tent of meeting while the ark was gone?
The priests continued to do their worship routine – without the presence of God.

Is it possible to do church without the oil of the Holy Spirit?

Mat.24:3, 25:1-13.
The things that I want to point out is that 5 of them had the oil they needed.
And Jesus called them “wise” because they had maintained preparedness.

We need the fire of God in our lives.
Everyone wants to experience signs and wonders, the fire of God manifest where we see EVIDENCE of His presence.

But if we have fire without oil, it is just a flash, a happening, not a lifestyle.
In order to have His fire on a regular basis, we have to have the oil of the Holy Spirit filling our lives on a regular basis to sustain God’s fire.

Where do we get that oil? From the Holy Spirit – submitting, presenting ourselves to His presence on a regular basis.

The problem is we are like a vessel with holes. We are filled, but we leak.
So we have to present ourselves frequently to be filled.

Eph.5:15-21 “…be filled with the Spirit…”
This is not a onetime thing, but on going.
If you read this in the Greek, it would read something like: “be you being filled…”

This more than a Sunday morning church thing.

God is raising up faithful priests who out of relationship with Him, seek His heart and “…and find out what pleases the Lord.”

What is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart this morning?
What is He saying to you personally?