Pleasing to God

Ezekiel 33:11-  ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!

God isn’t like humans. To God, your call, or rather your calling truly is important. You, as an individual are important to God. When you do evil, it makes God unhappy. When you repent and turn to obey Him, it makes God happy. You as an individual can be pleasing to God.

“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)

You can give God joy, not because you would be doing Him any big favor, but because you would be doing yourself a very big favor. God would much rather grant you glorious eternal life as one of His children than cast you alive, kicking and screaming, into the lake of fire on the day of Judgment (Revelations 20:12-15). Sounds harsh, but the plain and simple reality is just that. If you believe in the promises of God, you also have to believe in the consequences of not pleasing God. God is not this almighty punisher, in fact He is the Almighty Lover and He’d rather not have a single person perish.

2 Peter 3:9- The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Pleasing God by far is not an impossible task. In fact, pleasing God is simple and its not something we even need to try, all we need to do is ask the Holy Spirit to lead our lives and be willing every day to surrender our lives, deny ourselves and pick up our cross (Luke 9:23).  We will never be perfect and complete until the day the Christ comes for us, but until then we must make an honest attempt every day, with the power of the Living God to do what is honorable and pleasing in the Lords sight.

Eph 5:8-10 ‘You are light in the Lord; walk as children of light…trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.’

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.’

Psalm 147:11- ‘the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.’

1 Chronicles 29:17 ‘I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent

This is also a good time for those who profess faith in Christ to evaluate our lives too. We need to be shaken from our “religiousness” so that we will be spurred to a deeper relationship.  Take some time and evaluate you walk, answer these questions below with honesty and integrity and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you into a deeper relationship that is pleasing to God.

• We may talk about our faith but the question to ask is: do others see that faith in your lives?
  • Do they see it in the way you handle tough times?
  • Do they see it in the way you deal with difficult people?
  • Do they see it in the way you talk about those who are different from you?
  • Do they see it in the way you talk about other Christians? (Ouch!)
  • Do they see it in your business ethics?
  • Look at your life . . . What do YOU see?
• Are you doing anything to grow in the knowledge of God?
  • Are you reading your Bible?
  • Are you spending time alone with God?
  • Are you reading anything that stretches you?
  • Are you listening to those who disagree with you?
• Are you living gratefully?
  • Have you thanked God today for the blessing that surrounds you?
  • Do you appreciate the nature of your salvation in Christ?
  • Are you working to get better acquainted with Him so you can love Him more fully?

If we will step out of the pretend and dreary world of superficial faith and into a genuine, humble relationship with the Lord who calls us to Himself, our lives will be pleasing to God . . .

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone could point at us and say, “Now, that’s what it’s like to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord? May God lead us to a life that is pleasing unto Him.

In Jesus Name- Amen