I’m a dude. Although He has changed much of my dude thinking ways since 1984 when I came to Jesus, I am still a work in process. One of the areas He is working on is my entrenched way of focusing on performance.

Performance is a core attribute of our culture. Did you make the grade? What is your position? How much money do you make? Where do you live…what do you drive and what do you wear are all things we use every day to evaluate others and ourselves.

This “dude” way of thinking creeps into our relationship with God. I now see how I first responded to my born-again experience of September 20, 1984. It was a “What can I do” response. I was at the church every time the doors were open. I attempted to change my profession to full-time ministry work. All of this was a desire to please Him through doing. My normal was doing things, a lot of things so it would please Him. Note: doing things for the Lord is wonderful but there is a catch. Why? The why is something I have discovered over the years through being in at FirstNLR (a Bible-Centered Church) and daily being in God’s Word through individual Bible study and Bible Study Fellowship. Here is the “Why” question, “Am I working to put trophies in my showcase or do I just want to be near Him?

I would never have discovered this truth…the truth that unlocks His love that is found in His Love Letter, the Bible without Bible study. Tucked in the middle of Psalm 147 we find the key to God’s heart. “His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.” Psalm 147:10-11

What’s Fear of the Lord? From the Fire Bible, “Fear of the Lord… 1. God is a loving, merciful & forgiving; but He also is Holy, just and righteous… 2. Being in awe of His Holiness… 3. Causes Believers to place their faith & trust in Him alone for Salvation…4. Recognize He is angry about & has the power to punish those who stand arrogantly against Him and break His laws.”

There are 2 good examples of people searching for how to please God. One was Nicodemus found on John 3. Jesus responded to him in a way he never expected. He told Nicodemus “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” Then in Mark 10:21, when Jesus was approached by the wealthy & successful young man wanting to join Him, “Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” He said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Both men were very successful. Both approached Jesus from a “Performance Based” or Transactional view. Nicodemus chose to later give Jesus his heart, the other walked away to serve himself.

With Jesus, it’s always a matter of the heart. We know from God’s Love Letter in Acts 13:22, “God testified concerning him (David): ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’”

Isn’t it time to stop “trying” and simple give Jesus your heart?