How do you appear to God? Welcome to Church that meets at Ashley Heights. Thank brothers and sisters for this opportunity, and God that I can preach from His word. Today I want talk about How do you appear to God? Because ultimately as a Christian we work to please God and to do things according to His commands. Someone of course may ask the following question.

Is it important how you appear to God? Matthew 6:1-8 If you want to be rewarded, yes it is Proverbs 16:1-9 Hebrews 11:6 Must have faith to be pleasing and be rewarded Hebrews 12:25-29 Read script… yes if you wish to be rewarded by God, if you want a place in heaven. So a man can even be at peace with his enemies according to this passage. Familiar passage, if we consider ourselves pleasing to God, we must also consider our faith. We must take care of our reverence and worship towards God, if we wish to see heaven. So the short answer is yes.

How do you appear to God? 1. Among Christians. 2. Among people of the world. 3. When you are alone. Look at three circumstances in life of how you appear to God, 1 2 3.

1. Among Christians? In the assemblies? James 2:1-5; 8-9 Show partiality to others? What do you see when you look at a brother? In social settings? I Thessalonians 4:1-6 First place that comes to my mind is in the assemblies or bible class. In a worship it could happen that we get too concerned with things like what we’re wearing, how we’re singing, where is our focus? On pleasing God? Worshipping Him in spirit and truth? Is God pleased with that? Is God a respecter of persons? Make sure we know ho w to conduct ourselves if we are calling ourselves Christians.

Your conduct toward visiting Christians. Galatians 1:10 Paul’s former conduct verses now he is pleasing God. Galatians 4:18 We should always be zealous for God. 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 Take care of our behavior Are we concerned with pleasing men? Have we started out answering the call of God with a good conscience through baptism and then later grown concerned with men? Do we pull out all the stops when there is a preacher coming to visit? Shouldn’t we always know that God is among us and we desire to please Him? Take care of our conduct, examine the examples we have in the bible.

2. Among people of the world. Do we leave worship, only to forget what we learned? James 1:23-27 How much does it matter? Do we take it as an opportunity to leave behind our Christianity? Are we Christians only on Sunday and Wednesday night? How much does this matter to us, that people know we are Christians and that we are honest about our faith?

Is the inside of your cup clean? Matthew 23:25-30 Too worried about appearance to men rather then God? Luke 12:2 Remember our works will be revealed I Corinthians 3:11-13 Look at what Jesus said about the Pharisees, religious leaders of His day that were concerned with appearing religious to other people, but not to God. Ultimately, we can’t hide who we are. Something will come out and not just on the day of judgment, many times things we do have a way of catching up to us. But God is the one we should be concerned with how we look to Him. We read how Jesus described the Pharisees, do you want that to be you?

3. When you are alone. Matthew 6:1-7; 16-18 Charitable deeds in secret pray in secret fast in secret All these should be done for God and before Him. Finally, when you are alone, God sees you. So do you do things you wouldn’t normally do in public? I’m not talking about things that should be kept private, but things you do in darkness because you know them to be wrong. Look at passage we read earlier. Only read, 16-18 Three things. All these done before God.

Is who you are in public who you are alone? Proverbs 21:2 God knows your heart John 3:19-21 Desire to serve God, to be seen and approved by Him. You can fool men and hide, doing your evil deeds in darkness but God knows you. What is your desire to do for God? How do you know whether it is approved by Him or not? We must study and work everyday at it, though we may stumble, we should always keep trying.

So how do you appear to God according to the Bible? 1. Among Christians. 2. Among people of the world. 3. When you are alone. Matthew 6:19-21 Where is your heart? 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 Let God persuade you. Wrap it up. Ultimately, where do you plan on going. Where is your sites set. If you plan on being a doctor, what do you do? Or get a job? Preparation, study, practice, and diligence. Let God persuade you to serve Him. By His word, love, mercy, rewards, and promises.

Invitation Are you a Christian? Acts 17:30-31 Are you a Christian and need the prayers of the congregation? Please come as we sing the chosen song. Are you a Christian? Read….do you understand what you need to do to be saved, or do you need help in seeing what the bible says? Or….can we help in anyway? Then please come.