Today's Passage - 1 Thess 2:5-6

1 Thessalonians 2:5-6   You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed - God is our witness.   We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you...   Paul mentioned several things that those who serve God must learn.  First, we must not be greedy.  We often have many expectations for God.  Peter has asked Jesus: Lord, we've laid down all these things for you, so what can we gain from you?   Even though we may not dare to ask, the same expectations exist in our hearts, as if we are running in order to gain rewards.  May God help us, let us simply run for our beloved Lord.  The rewards in the heaven will be our relationship with God.  The more we love God now, the more satisfied we will be in heaven.  I trust that everyone in heaven will be satisfied, because we'll be satisfied once we encounter the Lord who loves us.   Next, we cannot seek glory from people, which is "praise from men".  We like to hear praises from others, please they please our ears.  They make us feel good about ourselves and satisfy our ego.  Everyone likes to hear compliments, not criticism.  Praises from people, however, must be treated like perfume, which we simply smell, but must not drink.  Very often when we hear praises from others, we feel more valuable than we really are and we become proud, so much that our hearts end up departing from God.  The Lord, however, has clearly said that "apart from me you can do nothing."  Sometimes we don't really agree with it, but the truth is that we can do a lot of things on earth without being recognized by God, because we can end up doing a lot of things that are not in His will.   May God help us to seek His glory but not people's glory.  Let us thirst for a closer relationship with God and not to become greedy for worldly possessions, so that we may live before God and please Him all our life.   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, help us to please you with our ministry.  May the Lord examine our hearts and remove any self-centeredness and sin of pride from inside, so that we may serve you with clean hands and pure heart.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!   Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow the project on Facebook ! Help us to reach our Phase I Target, and witness how God expands His Kingdom on earth!  Click here to donate online.