Hebrews 11:6.
This week in worship, Pastor Doug shares that if you lead “A Life Pleasing to God” by trusting, loving, enjoying, obeying and serving God, you will also find that your life will be more pleasing to you. He shares three ways that Paul tells us we should do that from 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12.
Ecclesiastes 2:26 American Standard Version (ASV)
For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
DEFINITIONS1. used for expressing a strong wish or hope. Let her be alive, please God. Synonyms and related words.
God Desires Us to Love Others
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
God's desire is that man yield completely to Him and cooperate wholeheartedly with Him for the highest of all beings and of the universe. Also, it is God's will to give to all men liberally without rebuking them for asking any and everything in line with the promise that they want or need for their good and His glory.
Giving the sacrifices He wants pleases God.
“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:15-16).
Loving kindness, justice and righteousness make Him happy. God not only delights in these things, but does them! God not only delighted in loving kindness, justice and righteousness. He delights in them now.
What kind of heart is God looking for? Deuteronomy 10:16 says “God needs a circumcised heart”. We must therefore open our hearts to God by removing all reservations, coverings, secrets and unbelief. Only when we circumcise our hearts, can we be obedient and walk in the ways of the Lord.
Whole-life worship is the kind that pleases God. "let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise and do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased (Hebrews 13:15, 16 NIV).
God wants our joy to be full, as Jesus says in John 15:11, "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." This may or may not include those evanescent and effervescent feelings that all people desire.
There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
While unbelievers cannot be pleasing to God, believers can seek to please the Lord as they are motivated by their love for Him. Through their identity in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit working in their lives, a believer can live in a way that brings great pleasure to the Lord.
Praise facilitates access to God.
Obviously, it's the blood of Jesus that paves the way for our forgiveness from sin and relationship with God (Hebrews 10:19). That being said, our perpetual praise provides a clear and unhindered passage.
God smiles when I praise and thank Him continually.
God loves it when I praise Him. It brings Him pleasure when I give Him the praise and worship He deserves.
The faith that makes God proud is faith that hopes in God's reward. Hebrews 11:6 reminds us that the faith that makes God proud is a faith that believes “…he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Do we really believe that? More important, does our professed belief show up in the choices we make?
Why Does God Get Angry? In the Bible God gets angry at human violence. He gets angry at powerful leaders who oppress other humans. And the thing that makes God more angry than anything else in the Bible is Israel's constant covenant betrayal.
"What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
To be loved and to give love. It really is that simple.
Humanity's greatest desire is to belong and connect. And now we see each other. We hear each other. We share what we love, and it reminds us what we all have in common.
God does not expect you to be famous, rich, popular or beautiful. God expects you to trust Him, Love Him and pattern yourself after His Son, Jesus Christ. “What would Jesus do?” is still the best question to ask for every decision we make and every action we take.