Q: Why did you first become a Christian?

Q: Why are you now a Christian?

Think about your life : Are you looking for praise from God or from men.

Galatians 1:10
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Romans 2:28-29
28 A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.
29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.

1 Corinthians 4:4
My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

John 5:44
How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God ?

John 12:42-43
42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;
43 for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

1 Thessalonians 2:3-6
3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.
4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed--God is our witness.
6 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,

We've got to get our hearts pure in our evangelism.

Q: Are you a people pleaser or a God pleaser?

What is the difference.

No.	People Pleaser	God Pleaser
1	Easily discouraged	Consistent
2	Encourage others to be approved themselves	Happy when others do well
3	Loves compliments	Will not compromise on the facts or statistics to make them look good
4	Does better when leaders are around	Does not have to be pushed
5	Insecure when not approved	Praise peers to their leaders
6	Neglects to mention mistakes	Doesn't proclaim the good things he does
7	Questions what people say and why they say it	Joyful always because God is in control
8	Not very open	Will openly talk negative points about self
9	Not that good quiet times	Great quiet times

Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,

Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Matthew 6:1
Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

"Others" first or "Me" first

Philippians 2:3
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

1 Corinthians 10:24
Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

Genesis 13:5-18
5 Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.
6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.
7 And quarreling arose between Abram's herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
8 So Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers.

Abraham-humble, wanted best for Lot. Lot-worldly, didn't think the way God thinks.

Q: How does God work?

C: When your motive is good God will bless?

Learn to think like God.

Abraham understood that God was in control.

Conclusion

Matthew 16:25
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

Q: How much are you putting the Kingdom first in your life? Don't worry about yourself but others.