PLEASING GOD?

PLEASING GOD?

Tuesday, November 08, 2016

Psalm [GW] 119:1-11  Blessed are those whose lives have integrity, those who follow the teachings of the LORD. … I have treasured your promise in my heart so that I may not sin against you.

Romans 12:1-3 Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God's compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. Don't become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants-what is good, pleasing, and perfect. Because of the kindness that God has shown me, I ask you not to think of yourselves more highly than you should. Instead, your thoughts should lead you to use good judgment based on what God has given each of you as believers.

2Timothy 3:16-17 Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's approval. They equip God's servants so that they are completely prepared to do good things.

  Today is a big deal, USA national elections of president and V.P., others, and local issues. Romans 12:1-3 Christians, knowing that to please God they must be salt and light, will be voting. Howbeit gritting their teeth while doing so, but fulfilling their mandate as followers of the Word nonetheless. And they will not be following the maddening crowd, but with Biblical thinking discern how to please Jehovah God Almighty with “good judgment” that He has provided. (2Tim.2:15; 3:16-17; 2Pet.3:18)

  In this morning Omaha World-Herald local lampooner Brad Dickson posited “Welcome to Omaha, where we sleep outside a new Chick-fil-a for 72 hours before it opens and go to the polls on Election Day ‘if we have the time.’” Christians desiring to please God are not of such campy ilk.

  One local issue on our ballot is capital punishment. A few years ago the Nebraska unicameral repealed it. It continued as a topic of lively discussion. Then by the efforts and funding of a group of people more than enough verified signatures brought us to today’s deciding by the people of Nebraska.

  The lively discussions by media, politician, priest and pastor, Jack and Jill, included the many justifications for and against; religious, humanitarian, emotional, intellectual, and even financial reasoning. When referred to, the Bible was touted as both for or against, depending on the interpreting expositor. But not once in the past years writings and debate did I hear God’s original reasons for capital punishment, declared as The Great Flood subsided: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” (Gen.9:6)

  Reason #1: Murderers are to be punished by death because man is created in God’s own image (Genesis 1:27). Murder destroys His image-bearer, therefore it is a direct affront to God Himself. We are unique among God’s creations—none of the animals are created in God’s likeness—murder is a unique crime.
  Reason # 2 is quite practical. The immediate context in God’s Word includes another command given to Noah and his three sons: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). Murder, of course, would work against humanity’s being fruitful and multiplying. The death penalty for murder thus served as a deterrent to anyone who sought to thwart God’s plan to replenish the earth. This was especially important when Noah’s family first departed from the ark, at which point only eight people were alive.

(The above 2 paragraphs are from resource https://gotquestions.org/capital-punishment-murder.html )

  Please do be salt and light this day, and do so to the best of your Bible knowledge pertaining to all of life’s issues, for voting also involves pleasing the Lord, or not.

EBB4