Following Jesus From the Edges – The Pleasing of Light – Morning Devotions

Following Jesus from the Edges –

Pastor Calvin Cook – June 24, 2024

The Pleasing of Light –

Scripture focus – John 12:41-43 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

This past week I have been focusing most of my attention on seeing, feeling, knowing, and understanding the purpose of the presence of the Holy Spirit. I have been joined on this journey by many who helped and encouraged me. I engaged in conversation with Gail, those in the Bible Study that gave me an opportunity to talk it out, and with Isaya and Eliana who joined me in deep study and reflection about this needed understanding of the Holy Spirit’s purpose. If you caught the sermon this past Sunday; Isaya, Eliana and I poured out what the Holy Spirit had poured in through the study of God’s word for the glory of God and building up of the Kingdom of God.

One of the areas that I heard the Holy Spirit speak was in pleasing others. With this revelation I have asked, who am I spending more time pleasing?  Am I striving in my everything to please God or self or others. We try so hard to please others and make others happy many times sacrificing our “one needful thing”. (Luke 10:38-42)   As these thoughts were swirling around in my heart, I heard clearly the Holy Spirit speak “You say, I am going to please you and do for you, serve you – but then you strive to please man, make the world priority, please others”.

I have been humbled through these thoughts that we all to long have strived for the accolades of people of the world and instead have sacrificed seeking the approval of God. The scripture I was drawn to was from John 12:36-43 where as much as Jesus had done that glorified God the people would not believe. They doubted and it seems that they went around continuing in their old ways without allowing the change that Jesus had brought.

When we deny the presence of the Holy Spirit and or cast it off as coincidence, we are not allowing the Holy Spirt to move. After time of reflection without throwing anyone under the bus, I confessed that I have been trying to please others before pleasing God. I fear that is a trap that many of us have fallen in to. Because of this the movement of the Spirit has been hampered for the work the Holy Spirit has been directed to.

So here is what becomes important, in the words of Jesus “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light.” John 12:35-36.

There it is – the choice is yours. Are you going to strive to please God or something or someone else. Are you going to become a child of the light or remain the cast of darkness?