Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was cold this morning but nothing that a hot cup of coffee and a warm blanket couldn’t handle, so I ventured outside for a few minutes to say “good morning” to my God and to fill my lungs with fresh country air. One day soon it will be too cold for comfort and we’ll be doing all of our morning meetings inside. Until then, I’ll go to extremes to Meet with Him outside even if for just a few minutes. This morning I gave Him my Praise, I gave Him my Thanks, I gave Him my Requests and then I ventured into His Word to see what He has for me…and He was Full of Surprises. The same Words that I’ve read so many times before took on New Life today because that’s the way His Spirit speaks to my Soul! A willingness to Meet, coupled with a Heart to Please equates to Messages that nobody else on this planet could ever get across to my Heart. Isn’t that the way it is when you Seek what He has for you too?

It’s a Blessing to have a Life full of family and friends who have your best interests at heart, but nobody offers Advice and Direction t he way God does. He sometimes uses His people to Confirm what He has in mind, but He Speaks for Himself if we just ask Him to (and believe He will). He can Heal a hurt, Remove fear, Reveal the Truth, Mend a Broken Heart, and force us to make U-turns in the blink of an eye, and He’s Ready to do all these things when we are Willing to Meet with Him with a Heart to Please. There is no place for doubt in the Life of a person of Faith, but sometimes when we turn to people for the advice we should be getting from God, we can become consumed with doubt based on their man-made input. If we feel the need to ask family and friends for approval for what we “think” God wants us to do, then it’s time to go back to the Drawing Board and build a Stronger Relationship with Him to be SURE about what He wants. When we have the Heart to Please Him, He gets First Priority, and we’ll push against the flow of our family and friends regardless of how hard they push back. When we have the Order of Business right, and we have the Heart to Please, we can count on Him to send a Messenger to Help us in the Journey, and when that Messenger Speaks we know it came from God and not from the opinion of man. It’s pretty amazing how God Works the relationships out and how He uses everybody for His Purpose WHEN we’re willing to Meet with Him for Direction and we Have the Heart to Please.

It’s impossible to make everybody happy, and sometimes we find ourselves working hard to please the world around us instead of having the Heart to Please Him instead. We look for approval from everybody else and we easily forget what Pleases Him when we do. We strive to “keep the peace” but until He comes back there is no real Peace. We pick and choose what part of His Character we’re willing to take on, and we kick all the difficult pieces aside for comfort. We rub elbows with lost people every day and we keep our mouths shut about Hope all because we fear what they might think of us when we do…and they’ll often die before they find Hope because of it. As people of Faith, we WILL find ourselves working against the flow of the world if we’re doing the Work of the Lord, and we’re inclined to settle into “comfortable” when we do. But when we’re diligent about Meeting with Him and we have the Heart to Please…sitting back is never an option and the opinion of the world dims in comparison to what He Calls each one of His Children to do. When He gives us Marching Orders He will open doors and pave the way – He’ll give us the Help that we need to do His Work – He’ll surround us with Protection – He’ll give us the Right Words and the Strength to do whatever it is He’s called us to do…if we have the Heart to Please Him, that is.

I wish I could make everybody in my world happy but it is not possible. I live out my Faith with Love and Compassion and I’ll extend Kindness to everybody He sends my way…with no regard for their status in life and no matter what they might think of me when I do. It Pleases Him when I “love thy neighbor as thyself” and it Pleases Him when I go about my Father’s Work trying my hardest to do my Work reflecting His Character within me. The Willingness to Meet and the Heart to Please can produce the Miraculous in the Mighty and Merciful Name of Jesus. Imagine that.

Is there any other way for a child of the Living God to live?