PLEASING GOD

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves. The poor will see and be glad — you who seek God, may your hearts live! The Lord hears the needy and does not despise His captive people.

Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them, for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it; the children of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will dwell there.

Psalm 69:30-36

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

How do we please God in life?

I think if the question were asked to a broad range of people in society today, we would find a large number feeling that being a good person and living in that fashion would be what would bring us into favor with God. But is that the right focal point? Does God just want our good works?

Looking at the remaining verses of the 69th Psalm, I think the answer is no. God wants far more than works.

For as we look at the words of David, we see him telling us that what pleases God is not what we do unto others as much as what we do unto Him. The Lord doesn’t want worldly sacrifice (in David’s time this was an offering of an ox or bull) as much as He wants us to praise His holy name in song and to bring Him glory with thanksgiving for all He has been, all He is, and all He is yet to be. In other words, He wants us to sacrifice ourselves for Him, to place ourselves second so He can be first.

Consider these words that reinforce this from Romans, Chapter 12:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Paul shares with us that true and proper worship unto God – worship that brings Him praise and glory in thanksgiving – comes through offering ourselves as living sacrifices to God, ready and prepared to carry out His will which leads us to His righteousness through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, actively living inside us. And when we are carrying our God’s will, our works will then be good, not works that we thought of on our own but rather works that came as an extension of God’s direction in our lives.

Want to ensure you’re living in a way that pleases God?

Sacrifice yourself fully unto Him and let Him be the Lord of your life.

Worship Him fully in spirit and in truth as He transforms you in His image and guides you through life in accordance with His good and perfect will. This kind of worship will always bring you to a place of praise and thanksgiving as you bring all glory and honor the God, the only One worthy to receive it.

And as you commit yourself fully to God’s will, He will lead you to acts of righteousness, works that will be good and pleasing to Him as you selflessly serve others and help them find salvation just as God’s Son Jesus did when He lived and walked the earth.

This is what pleases God and come to think about it, that's what being a Christian is all about.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to ourchristianwalk@aol.com