“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Gal. 1:10 ESV)

Please God: 1) believe that He exists and 2) believe that He rewards those who seek Him!

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 ESV)

 Please God: and receive from Him!

“And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.” (1 John 3:22 ESV)

Please God: and be in peace with your enemies!

 “When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Prov. 16:7 ESV)

Please God: you have been entrusted with the gospel!

“But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.” (1 Thess. 2:4 ESV)

“The steadfast love of the  Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lam. 3:22-24 ESV)

 With every day comes a fresh start for you! That’s because God’s Love is steadfast and NEVER ceases. Therefore, no matter what things may look like, the Lord Himself, is truly your portion! So you can put your hope securely in Him!

 Don’t fear, God is with you!

 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isa. 41:10 ESV)

 Hold fast, God is faithful!

 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Heb. 10:23 ESV)

 He has called you into Christ’s fellowship!

“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:9 ESV)

 Therefore, He supplies your every need in Christ Jesus!

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19 ESV)

“Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.” (Acts 17:23-24 NKJV)

He gives to all life, breath, and all things!

“Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.” (Acts 17:25 NKJV)

God has preappointed exactly WHEN in history each person will live 

“And He has made from one blood[c] every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times…” (Acts 17:26a NKJV)

God has preappointed exactly WHERE each person will dwell

“... and the boundaries of their dwellings,” (Acts 17:26b NKJV)

God did it for a reason, that people will seek and find Him

“… so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’” (Acts 17:28-29 NKJV)

Therefore …

From the above passage we learn that God has made us. He has also determined when in history we should live as well as where we are to live. And He did it all for a reason, to enable people to find Him. In other words, you were born when you were born, at the time you were to live, exactly where you live, in order for you to help your neighbors come to know Him. Wow think of that! That begs the following question:

What are you doing to reach your neighbors for Him?

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31-32 NKJV)

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10 ESV)

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:14 NIV)

You we’re born a winner!

On the day you were conceived over a million of your “brothers and sisters” raced to reach your mother’s egg. And you got there first! You won! That’s right, you were truly the winner that day! And you are still a winner today! (Psalm 139:15 NKJV)

You were skillfully made in secret 

“My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” (Psalm 139:16 NKJV)

God’s thoughts are still with you today, and they are precious! 

“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.” (Psalms 139:17-18 NKJV)

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (2 Thess 5:11 ESV)

The gift of encouragement 

There is the gift of encouragement or exhortation found in Paul’s list of gifts in Romans 12:7–8. The word translated “encouragement” or “exhortation” is the Greek word paraklésis, related to the word paraclete. Paraklésis basically means “a call to one’s side.”

Even though there is the specific gift of exhortation (encouragement) that some have been given by the Holy Spirit, as members of God’s family we are all expected to encourage and build each other up in Love. To relate to others with understanding, sympathy and positive guidance.

Friends stir each other up to love and do good works

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Heb. 10:24-25 ESV)

Friends use their gifts to serve one another 

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.” (1 Peter 4:10 ESV)

“Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.” (Prov. 22:24-25 ESV)

Friends keep confidences

“Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” (Prov. 17:9 ESV)

An honest friend does not gossip 

“A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.” (Prov.16:28 ESV)

Good friends keep good morals

“Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals.” (1 Cor. 15:33 ESV)

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2 ESV)

God daily bears our burdens

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:19 NIV)

Friends look to the interest of others

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:4 ESV)

 Friends outdo each other in showing honor 

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” (Rom. 12:10-11 ESV)

“Two better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Eccles. 4:9-12 ESV)

Jesus is among friends who Father in His Name

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matt.18:20 ESV)

Friends sharpen friends 

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Prov. 27:17 ESV)

Jesus calls you friend 

“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15 ESV)

No greater friend than this

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13 ESV)

“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.” (Prov. 27:9 ESV)

How Good and pleasant it is

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalms 133:1 ESV)

A friend loves constantly 

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Prov. 17:17 ESV)

Thank God for them 

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Phil. 1:3-5 ESV)