I cannot recall the hundreds of times I have shared with people one of our (Christians) primary goals in life: We make it our goal to please Him…says 2 Corinthians 5:9. It is the thing I strive for. It’s part of the two-part purpose of living: to please God and to glorify God (the chief end of man). I’ve said this so often that it has almost become a mantra. The idea of pleasing God is not limited to this one verse! It is spread throughout the pages of Scripture and today I’ll share just a few reminders:
- You cannot please God apart for being regenerate. It is faith, taking God’s Word for reality itself, that pleases God. Hebrews 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…“
- You cannot be like Christ, living as He lived, apart from pleasing God. John records for us (8:29) “…and He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him…“
- You, as a passionate pursuer of God, will always be learning what it means to please God. The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:9,10 “…(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord…”
- You demonstrate the ‘normal’ Christian walk when you please God. Again, the Apostle Paul, (Colossians 1:10), “…so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;…“
- You affect the lives of others as you please God. The writer of Hebrews states (13:16), “…and do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased…”
So, do you please God? Ask yourself:
1. Do I believe what God says about Himself, and has that belief changed my life?
2. Am I becoming more like Christ in everything I do?
3. Am I passionately desirous of learning more about what God would have me do?
4. Am I bearing fruit in good works, and increasing in godly knowledge?
5. Do I sacrificially seek ways to meet the needs of those around me?
ht: Jay Adams; as I read his book, “How to Help People Change: The Four-Step Biblical Process“
