“Now the God of peace…equip you in every good thing to do His will, working IN US that which is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”- Heb 13:20-21
Let me ask you some questions…
Have you ever felt so tired … what’s the point… I just can’t … when it comes to Pleasing God? Feeling you just can’t, you don’t even know How, or what it is that pleases Him?
Pleasing God is not dependent on whether you “feel” you have or have not. For that can be so treacherous and dangerous, to interpret your walk with God on how you perceive it subjectively, rather than Objectively, through what God says! Don’t listen to the lies of the evil one whispering in your ear…”you’re no good, you don’t count, you will never amount to anything, what you do is so unimportant…your such a complete failure…always promising and failing…why don’t you just quit…” Lies, all Lies! You do count! You are worthy – Because He has declared you worthy through His blood. You are an Ambassador of God, you are a child of the King… “God SO Loved…” YOU that “He gave His only unique Son to redeem YOU. Your value is immeasurable because He has placed His Value upon you. Turn away from the lies and assaults to your mind to discourage and depress you and and focus on the reality… YOU CAN PLEASE GOD -TODAY!.”
PAUL’S PRAYER – Col 1:9-14
Did you know Paul prayed for Christians that they “would be filled with a Knowledge of Gods will … that they may LIVE PLEASING to Him..” So dear Friend, don’t be discouraged or disheartened, this letter goes out to you from a fellow pilgrim who has prayed this prayer for you, THAT YOU may be encouraged in the journey and know How to please Him. You can know. God has told us How…in His Word… Let me share some thoughts on “How can I please God?” from my studies…”And remember we DO NOT Live to Please God that He may accept us, BUT because He has Accepted us based on the work of His On- Jesus Christ we now live to please Him out of Appreciation and Adoration not that we may gain merit, “He saves us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, But according to HIS mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of His Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us, Richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, SO THAT being JUSTIFIED by HIS GRACE we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”-Titus 3:5-7….{Read-Ephesians 1:6;Ephesians 2:8-9;}
CONSIDER…
1. -The POWER to Please God – is From God!
“…for it is God who is at work IN YOU both TO WILL AND TO WORK for His good PLEASURE” {“Pleasure”- {Eudokias} expresses enjoyment and satisfaction.} – Phil 2:13
2. -The PURPOSE of Pleasing God – Heb 13:20-21
“Now the God of peace…equip you in every good thing to do His will, working IN US that which is PLEASING in HIS Sight through Jesus Christ, to whom BE THE GLORY, Forever and ever. Amen.”- God Himself, the God of Peace is… working IN US to DO His will!
We are not left to our own devices which are deficient but God Himself taking a PERSONAL interest in you to PROVIDE “…equip you in every good thing…” and to PRODUCE that which is Pleasing to Him, namely “… to DO His Will.” The POWER to Please God is from God, the PURPOSE of Pleasing God is the GLORY OF GOD, The Scriptures Reveal what it is that Please God, so we must Pursue the Word of God to find out what and how to please Him, that we may Glorify Him in all we do, for which He has created us for- 1 Cor 10:31, Ish 43:7.
It’s a joint Participation. He works the desire, the enabling and empowering in us and we work it out according to His strength and Grace, Joint-Participation! What God works in, You work out, Phil 2:12
For the believer the potential is unlimited, attainable and Possible, you can Please God! Not a seeking to please Him to gain favor with Him. For as His child having received and submitted to His Son as Lord to rule over you, and Savior to save you, you are now
A. – “Joined to Him”, -1 Cor 6:17
B. – “United with Him”- Rom 6:5
C. – “Accepted IN Him ” -Eph 1:6
D. -“Complete in Him”– Col 2:10. Joined, united, accepted completely, unalterable forever! Rest in that and meditate upon Rom 8:38-39
THE MOTIVATION FOR CHOOSING TO PLEASE GOD. – It Glorifies Jesus Christ!
A. – The Purpose of the Church – The Glory of Jesus Christ- Eph 3:21
B. – The Purpose of Spiritual Growth– The Glory of Jesus Christ- 2 Peter 3:18
C. – The Purpose of Your Existence– The Glory of God- Ish 43:7
D. – The Purpose in Everything you do– – The Glory of Jesus Christ- 1 Cor 10:31
E. – The Purpose of Living to Please God– The Glory of Jesus Christ- Heb 13:21
THE GREAT MOTIVATION for Choosing to Live to PLEASE God?
Is the GLORIFYING of GOD! That in itself is THE great motivator for CHOOSING to obey God, The Glory Jesus Christ receives in us and through us…this is our Ultimate Pleasure, because He is the Pleasure and treasure of our Hearts.- 1 Peter 2:7 “Unto us who believe He is Precious”
Isn’t it wonderful we can live to Please God and, empowered to do so by Him, we bring Glory to the Lord Jesus Christ! It is not only Possible it is Practical. Consider these Six ways TODAY you can PLEASE God and in doing so Glorify Jesus Christ.
6 WAYS TO PRACTICALLY PLEASE GOD;
TODAY YOU CAN PLEASE HIM BY…
1. LIVING BY FAITH IN HIM– Pleases God – Heb 11:6
“And without faith it is Impossible to Please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is and that he is a rewarder of those who Seek Him.”
2. PREFERRING OTHERS – Pleases God – Rom 15:1-3
“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should PLEASE HIS NEIGHBOR for his good, to build him up…”
HOW?
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you REGARD one another as MORE IMPORTANT than himself; do not merely look out for your own interest but ALSO for the Interests of OTHERS.”- Phil 2:3-5
3. DOING GOOD AND SHARING SACRIFICIALLY – PLEASES GOD.
Hebrews 13:15 -“And do not forget to do good and to share with others for with such sacrifices God is PLEASED.”
4. MAINTAINING SEXUAL PURITY – PLEASES GOD.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-3 “…we instructed you how to live in order to PLEASE GOD,…it is God’s Will that you should be holy; that you should avoid sexual immorality…”
5. CHILDREN OBEYING THEIR PARENTS. – PLEASES GOD .
Colossians 3:20 – “Children, be obedient to your parents in ALL THINGS, for this is WELL-PLEASING to the Lord.”
HOW IS THIS WORKED OUT?
Ephesians 6 :1-2– “Children OBEY your parents IN the Lord, for this is Right. HONOR your Father and mother…”
OBEDIENCE -speaks of the ACTION
HONOR – Refers to the ATTITUDE.
It is Possible to do the RIGHT thing from the WRONG Motive.
A dad had told his young daughter to sit on the couch several times… she finally did and was not to happy about it and expressed so by saying, “I am Sitting down but I am STANDING in my heart!” You see she DID the right thing but, look at her attitude.
ACTIONS are EXTERNAL…ATTITUDE are INTERNAL… Honor Refers to RESPECT…
How can a child e taught to show Respect? By Focusing on the MOTIVATION? IT PLEASES GOD.
{Suffice to say, that the child is not been asked to do anything which is sinful and contrary to Gods Word}
6. – SPREADING THE GOSPEL. – PLEASES GOD – 1 Thessalonians 2:4
“… we have been entrusted with the Gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men BUT GOD, who examines our hearts.”
You can spread it by “Prayer”- Matt 9:38; “Proclaiming it”, Rom 10:13-15; “Partnering” with those who are going with it, Phil 1:5 and by “Practicing it”-Living it out- Phil 1:27; John 13:34-35
CAN I KNOW I PLEASED GOD TODAY?
Is it possible to put your head on your pillow at the end of the day and Know you have brought Pleasure to the heart of God? Sure it is…!
As you review your day,
Did you Trust him and His Word today, living it out? You say “yes, I did.” Well, you Pleased Him…and in doing so, Glorified His Son!
Did you Put the welfare of someone else before yourself today? “Yes, I did.” Well, you Pleased Him … and Glorified His Son!
Did you do a good thing for someone today? Did you give to someone sacrificially? “Yes,” you say. Well, amen! You pleased Him again and Glorified His Son!
Were you tempted to look or listen to someone or something that would have caused you to sin sexually today? Did you turn from it…when tempted…? “Yes…I did.” You did well, wonderful, again you have pleased Him and Glorified His Son.
Did you obey your parents today with the right attitude and right action [Eph 6:1-3]… If you did, you pleased God and Glorified the Son of God….
Did you Model and share the Gospel today?
A NEW BEGINNING WHEN WE FAIL;
Now put your head on your pillow and thank Him who works in you the desire and the enabling to live to please Him…If you have recalled your day and see opportunities to PLEASE Him and you did not. Confess it and turn from it and start afresh, depending upon The Spirit of God to give you the desire to live to please God and the strengthening when you need it to choose to please Him, and DO IT, You have The Power to do so…and in doing so you are Pleasing Him and Glorifying God!
In Joshua 7 a man called Achan had disobeyed God and stole. Joshua came to him and said “Give GLORY TO GOD and give PRAISE to HIM and tell me now what you have done…” And when Achan CONFESSED his sin in doing so he GLORIFIED God. And so as you and I, dear friend choose to examine ourselves in light of Gods Word {1 Cor 11:31} and call sin what God calls it and agree with Him in what His Word calls it, as we do so then we have Glorified Him in doing so. How kind and Gracious of our God because of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ when we “Confess our sins He is Faithful and Just to Cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.” Even in our sin- He holds out Hope to us, that through confession we may Glorify Him!
Now begin a fresh with the same Purpose as Paul’s…Depending upon the Spirit of God to empower you – Phil 2:12-13; The Word of God to Govern you- 1 Thessalonians 2:13…and now DO IT- James 1:22 from this moment on knowing THE PRIVILEGE AND PURPOSE OF YOUR LIFE is “to Please Him in all aspects…” -Col 1:9-10. Consider Paul’s Ambition and make it your own today… whatever situation you find yourself in be it in school, at the kitchen sink, changing diapers, or a CEO of a corporation, a coach, a minister, or ministers wife, a dear widow or widower, one who has been abandoned or betrayed … whether you are a shut in or have been shut out, whether you have resources or not- whatever your present situation make THIS YOUR AMBITION that in “ALL ASPECTS ” of your life, You may Live this very moment to PLEASE HIM! May the intent of your life along with Paul be – “We have as our AMBITION … to PLEASE HIM!” 2 COR 5:9
Today you have the
1. – POWER to Please Him
2. – The PURPOSE of Pleasing Him
3. – 6 ways you can PRACTICALLY CHOOSE to Please Him
4. – Purpose in your heart to Please Him
5. – Pray for me and others to Please Him- Memorize Paul’s prayer in Col 1:9-11
Why do we live to Please Him through obedience?
1. It is an evidence of Love for Him -John 14:21
2. It is an evidence of our Friendship with Him. – John 15:14
3. It is the only evidence we are in His Family. – Matthew 12: 47-50
Application for you
1. Commit the above six verses to Memory “How to Please God”
2. Submit to what it SAYS.
3. Transmit, Live a Life Pleasing God that is for His Glory! It is Possible to Please God- Phil 2:13 God is at work in you do so. It is Practical. YOU CAN Pursue and Please Him today! The Choice is yours.
Now, no more ignorance, condemnation, guessing… OBJECTIVE truth of Gods Word shows us these six ways to please Him… Go ahead and live to Please Him today, Motivated by His great Love for You- “…the Son of God LOVED ME and gave Himself for ME…”- Gal 2:20
In Closing let me share with you THREE things that DO NOT, CANNOT and WILL NEVER Please God. Those who…
1. Rebel against God’s Word. – Romans 8:6-8
2. Resist the spreading of the Gospel. -1 Thessalonians 2:14-16
3. Rest their faith in anything or anyone other than God . – Hebrews 11:6
Dearly beloved God is well Pleased with His Son…. and you are in right relationship with Him through His finished work…and you cannot do anything that will make Him love you more … your privilege is to offer up a bouquet of gratitude by choosing to obey out of love for Him- John 14:21 because of His Great Love for you- which never changes
Sweet dreams, Knowing He has afforded you, and you have chosen to Please Him this day, not that you may be accepted, but out of appreciation for Him. You are accepted “In the Beloved”{Read Eph 1:6, Rom 1:7}