PLEASING GOD IS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR LIFE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JULY 14, 2022.

SUBJECT: PLEASING GOD IS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR LIFE! 

Memory verse: "By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”, for before he was taken he had this testimony that he pleased God." (Hebrews 11 vs 5.)

READ: Hebrews 11 vs 5 - 6; Second Peter 1 vs 17:

Hebrews 11:5:: By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”, for before he was taken he had this testimony that he pleased God.

11:6: But 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 diligently seek Him.

Second Peter 1:17: For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in Whom al am well pleased.”

INTIMATION:

Since pleasing God is the first purpose of your life, your most important task is to discover how to do that. What do we do to be pleased with God? The apostle Paul, when writing his first letter to the believers in Thessalonica said this, "Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.” (First Thessalonians 4 vs 1 - 2.) 

There are clear examples in the Bible of those who pleased God. One of them was Enoch. Our memory verse tells us that before Enoch was taken away he had the testimony that he pleased God. The testimony of Enoch is that he was obedient to the will of God. The reward of his faithful work was that God spared him from experiencing physical death. Because of his righteous living by faith, Enoch did not physically die, consequently, he never experienced death, but was taken directly to heaven to continue living with God. 

Another man that pleased God was Noah. In his days the entire humanity had become morally bankrupt, degradation was the norm of social behavior, and thus society was beyond repentance as and everyone lived for their own pleasure, not God's. God couldn't find anyone on earth interested in pleasing Him, so He was grieved and regretted making man. God became so disgusted with the human race that He considered wiping it out. 

But there was one man who God spared because he pleased Him, living according to the standard of God’s law, although he was far from perfect. In Genesis 6 vs 8, the Bible says, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Though the Bible recorded that "Noah was a just man, and blameless in his time. And Noah walked with God." (Genesis 6 vs 9), but that does not mean he never sinned, rather it means that he walked with God, wholeheartedly loved and obeyed God.

Above all, the life and times of our Messiah, Jesus Christ, during His earth walk is a testimony of a life that pleased God. In one of the passages we read today, we saw how He received from God the Father honor and glory. He is highly exalted and given a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those beneath the earth. 

Pleasing God is occasioned by your faith in Him. “For without faith it is impossible to please Him.” Faith is reliance, loyalty, or complete trust in God. Therefore, how can you please whom you did not trust nor rely on? You must first believe and trust that God is what He says He is, and will do what He says He will do. Those who completely trust God are pleasing to Him, and are rewarded eternally. 

Jesus, our Messiah and role model, is more than just a great leader, a good example, a good influence, or a great prophet. He is the Son of God. God testified of Him when He said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" (Matthew 17 vs 5.) 

Jesus obeyed the Father to the letters. He never did anything outside of His Father. He said, "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgement is righteous, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of the Father who has sent Me." (John 5 vs 30.) 

Believers have been given the right to become children of God. And do like our Messiah, Jesus Christ. God is pleased when we put Him first in our entire lives. To put God first we must do the following:-

1. Love Him supremely.

2. Trust Him completely.

3. Obey Him wholeheartedly.

4. Praise and thank Him continually.

5. Use our abilities to benefit His course.

Therefore, look at your spiritual checklist to see how you are faring in putting God first, considering the lists above. 

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost desire is to please You, and consequently, obtain the crown of glory of eternal life with You. Engrace me with the strength and wisdom to please You at all times, for by my strength, and outside of You I can do nothing, in Jesus’ most precious Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!