Question:
How can we keep from looking for man’s approval?

Answer:
Read 2 Timothy 2:1-6.

1. Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Realize His grace–His love we do not deserve, and derive strength from our relationship with God which is by His grace alone!

2. Whatever we know from the Word pass on to others. When you give it away you really keep it for yourself, and it becomes more precious to you. We’re saved and remain here to be a witness to others.

3. Endure hardships as a “good” soldier of Jesus Christ.

4. A man that wars, does not entangle himself with the affairs of this life. Be separate!

5. We’re in the world, but we’re not of it. Two very important words: Please  Him!

“Approved of God” means that we have passed the test, and He sees that we seek to please Him and not ourselves!
Read Hebrews 12:6-11. God disciplines or trains those He loves. If we are saved He will train us in the way He wants us to go, because we are His children. Discipline may hurt, but it won’t harm us because it is for our good. Verse 7 tells us that “if [we] endure” God’s dealings with us, we benefit from this discipline. Verse 11 says that no training seems good at the time, but if we are “exercised” or seek to learn from His training–realizing that God has a purpose in it–we will enjoy the peaceable fruit of righteousness in our lives. Don’t ask, “Lord, why did you do this to me?”, but “Lord, what do you want me to learn?” Everything that happens is to make us more like Himself. Only when we give all to Christ can we be filled with Christ.
Read Mark 10:17-22. The rich young ruler had many good qualities: (1) He was in earnest—he ran, (2) He was reverent—he kneeled, (3) He was inquiring—he asked, but he was looking for the wrong thing: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” No one can do anything to inherit something—someone must die for us to inherit, and no one can inherit eternal life for it is a gift of God (Romans 6:23). Jesus tested him to see what he thought of Himself by saying, “Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but one, that is God,” but he didn’t believe Jesus is God. The Lord observed him and loved him although he was on the wrong track. He said to him: “One thing thou lackest” (actually–eternal life). Christ told him to give up everything, but he went away grieved for he had much. He thought more of earth (the world) than heaven (Christ). “Take up the cross” speaks of death to our wills, which will make us to be hated by the world, but it is the only path of real joy for the Christian.
Read Luke 9:23,24. If we are going to follow Jesus we must tell our heavenly Father like He said: “Not my will but Thine be done.” We must say “no” to our wills “daily” to follow Him. Adam disobeyed God to please his wife. Dare to be a Daniel. Dare to stand alone—and we may have to if we choose to live for Christ. But we are not alone for the Lord is with us!Read Luke 9:28-36. Christ, in constant dependence on His Father, went into a mountain and His garment glistened. Moses and Elias (Elijah) appear talking with Jesus about His death which He would “accomplish.” The greatest work ever done was accomplished by Christ on Calvary and all heaven was talking about it before it happened, and will continue to speak of it throughout eternity to come. Peter, James, and John fall asleep—shows how we can become insensitive and miss what is right in front of us. Peter says make three tabernacles. He put Moses and Elijah on the same level as Jesus, not realizing what he said. The voice from heaven speaks: “This is my beloved Son: hear Him,” and Jesus was alone with them. The Father will not tolerate for us to have anyone but His Son as our object, nor for us to listen to anyone but Him.