Pleasing God: Part 3

Two prime examples of pleasing God.

Everything I believe is based on one of four things: a Biblical command, statement, principal or example. We have seen many statements and commands about pleasing God, but let me give you two Bible examples.

Jesus Christ

Obviously, the prime example of One Who pleased God was Christ Himself. Three of the four Gospel give an account of God speaking publicly from Heaven concerning His Son:

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matt. 3:17

While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said,

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Matt. 17:5

And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Mark 1:11

And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said,

Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

Luke 3:22

Enoch:

The Father of Methuselah and the great grand father of Noah; the Old Testament figure, Enoch had a reputation: he pleased God.

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him:

for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Heb. 11:5

Enoch walked with God. He loved to hang around with God. Enoch was not looking for the minimum daily requirement to keep God off his back. He was not trying to get through his "Read the Bible in a Year" chart like some tedious task or chore. Nor was he parading his righteousness before every one around him like hyper-spiritual window dressing. It does not please God when we have to tell everyone else what we did to please God. I hate it when people want to tell me how good they are in the name of "testimony." Enoch desired a close abiding fellowship with God, and God gave it to him in a most unique way. Enoch had a one-of -a-kind walk with God. When your motive is to make God happy, that is pleasing to God.

Five simple things will transform a life of simply obeying God, to a life that pleases God:

1. Obey God: We can give "eye service" obedience without pleasing God; but we cannot please God without first obeying Him.

2. Obey God purely: Obedience with an impure heart does not please God

3. Obey God for the right reason: Remember God the Father is to be the focus of our desire. An impure motive does not please God.

4. Obey God with the right attitude: "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." 2Cor. 9:7

5. Serve God by serving others: We can never be the focus. As we teach our children in Sunday school, the key to JOY is Jesus, Others and You.

Just a thought. Thank you for reading.