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Volume. XXIII, No. 11 Pleasing GodRecently, I came across a short “side” article on “Pleasing God” that appeared in the Lively Hope in the late 1980s. It starts with this statement: “One of the ways we know that we are truly saved is that we want to please God.” I thought I will use and expand it for our edification. When we say we are saved, it means that we believe in God and in His only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Then, one may ask this question: how do we know we are saved? When we become His children, we love Him and would want to do everything and anything to please Him. There are many ways we can do to please God. We please God by doing the following: 1. When we love Him – with everything we have in our possession! Our Lord commanded us to love God with all our heart, soul and mind. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matt 22:37). In fact, our Lord went further in the next verse “This is the first and great commandment” (Matt 22:38). Loving God is far more important than anything else in this world. It is a command, an order! That means God is to be number ONE in our lives! If we love our family, relatives, friends, wealth, cars, parties, food and drinks first – then we are not putting God first. We either love God or mammon! “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Lk 16:13). 2. When we abide in Him, study His Word and pray to Him. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (Jn 15:7). To abide in Christ means that we are to be in close communication and relationship with Him. We are to treat our Lord Jesus Christ not just as God but also as a personal Saviour and Friend, as someone very close. To have His “words abide” in us means that we are to keep His sayings and commandments constantly in our memories and minds, and to make His words “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps 119:105). The Word of God is like a torch that provides us with light when we walk in darkness – a guide to our behaviour and conduct. To know the Word of God we have to study it. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15). If we do not study the Bible, how else do we know the truth, everything about God, about His will, and about His place which He has prepared for us (John 14:2-3)? We also please God when we pray to Him. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (Jas 5:16b). For our prayers to be effective we must have faith! “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matt 21:22). Whatever we ask in God’s will, we shall obtain. If it is not in God’s will, our prayers will not be answered. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss” (Jas 4:3). 3. When we obey Him. When we love God we obey Him. When we obey Him we please Him! “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 Jn 5:3). God’s commandments are not burdensome. Our God does not require us to keep a shrine to honour Him, and to perform rituals, to please Him like the heathens do! When we love Him we want to do things that please Him. 4. When we trust in Him. “The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy” (Ps 147:11). The Lord loves those who “fear” Him – that is, those who hold Him in great respect and reverence. He is pleased with those who put their faith, hope and trust in Him. Instead of keeping all our problems that we face everyday to ourselves we should commit them to Him. “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass” (Ps 37:5). By committing everything to Him, He will help us to solve our problems – whether it be study, work, health, family, or relationships. Many of us are suffering from stress at work, study, and family. He will give us rest from the stress of this life. Our Lord Jesus promised with these sweet words of encouragement “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28). Yes, come to our Lord Jesus Christ and lay your problems before Him and He will give you comfort, reassurance and strength. Trust Him! 5. When we thank Him. It is easy to thank God when everything goes our way and is to our benefit. What happens when it does not? Some of us may become sulky when that happens and blame God for the unfavourable outcome. There are others who turn against Him. Whether it is good or bad, whether it is beneficial or disadvantageous, whether it is a pass or a failure, we must accept and understand that “….that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28). As we grow daily, God is moulding us to prepare and strengthen us to fight spiritual battles that are before us. There are more problems ahead of us. So, we must thank Him. This pleases God! “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess 5:18). Yes, in everything! 6. When we want to know more about our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity is the revealed Word. Our Scriptures declare that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (Jn 1:1-3). That Word is none other than our Lord Jesus, God in the flesh. He is the only ONE who can save us from our sins and eternal damnation. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Our Lord Jesus is SOMEONE we need to know. When we become a believer, we please God by learning more about His Son. “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Pet 3:18). In our daily prayer, we must seek God’s help for us to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”. 7. When we are faithful in our church attendance. Many professing Christians believe that they do not have to attend church services, and they even think that there is nothing in the Bible that requires them to do so. They will be disappointed. Heb 10:25 declares “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching”. This verse clearly states that we are to assemble together for worship services and other fellowship activities. Are we glad to come to God’s house for all these? “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD” (Ps 122:1). It will please God if we could say that we are glad to come to church and fellowship with His redeemed! In doing so, we get to know God’s people and give support and encouragement to one another. We must not cause strife and division in the church. We must all strive for unity of doctrine and fellowship. We must have this desire – “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple” (Ps 27:4). How many of us will come to pray to Him and study His Word day and night at our church “The Stone Mansion”? The Lord God will be pleased if we do! 8. When we are kind to others. Kindness is one of the most difficult deeds to pass on to others. Kindness involves giving on our part. There is an element of sacrifice. However, when kindness is given it is usually returned. As believers, we are to be kind. We please God when we are kind to others. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” (Rom 12:10). Kindness involves our thoughts, words and deeds. “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” (Col 3:12). When we are saved by God we want to please Him by being kind to others. 9. When we forgive others, even our enemies. To forgive someone who has done wrong to you is no easy task. But, God commands us to forgive. This is what our Lord Jesus Christ says “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matt 5:44). We are not only to forgive, but to love them, even our enemies. We do not have to like them, but we have to love them. This is a special divine love. It is a love known as “agape” – meaning that we are willing even to die for them. We can only love if we forgive. “Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting” (EC McKenzie). There are many other ways we can please God. I will continue this article at a later date. God bless. Elder Michael D Lee |
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