Heroes of Faith: Pleasing God Or Not


 Without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to God, must believe HE exists and HE rewards those who earnestly seek HIM.

Perhaps one of the most interesting questions that a Christ Follower can pose is, "How can we please God?" After all, it would be insane to live a life where we displease God. Right?  Is this pleasing God even possible?  Consider this: It is clear that the Heroes of faith pleased God some multiple millennia ago, but can it be accomplished  in the 21st century? Let's think about this.

It's Impossible

If we consider Hebrews 11:6a, we discover a sure fire way to make it impossible to please God. "Without faith it is impossible to please God..." period. You can work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and you can do so until you have worn yourself out, but without holding tightly to God, by faith, embracing HIS promises as if they are already fulfilled, and living as if they are already fulfilled, though none of them have happened yet,   no matter what we do, it is impossible to please HIM. Yes, pleasing God is possible, but it is NOT in anyway possible without faith.

Pleasing God Requires We Come To God By Faith.

Pleasing God begins when we seek Him out for a relationship with HIM. (Hebrews 11:6b) And faith tells us there is only ONE way to do this, Listen to what our LORD and Savior Jesus says: "I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life. No one can go to the FATHER accept through me."  (John 14:6.) Yep. If we want to please God, we need to decide to place our faith in Jesus, believe in HIM and follow Jesus, by faith.  (John 3:16-18.) We need to confess our sins, by faith.  We need, by faith, to turn from our sins. By faith, we need ask forgiveness for our sins, by faith. We must have faith HE will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9) We need to receive HIM, by faith, as our LORD and our Savior. (John 1:12)  And we need to constantly abide with Him.  (John 15:1-15.)

Just as God invited all the Heroes of faith to come to HIM, and  they did accept God's invitation, Jesus knocks on our hearts doors for a daily relationship with HIM.  As he said, "I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in, and I will fellowship with them, and they with me." (Rev. 3:20) God desires we have this relationship, and it is only when we have this relationship, by faith, that we can please HIM.

Pleasing God Requires We Believe God Exists.

Now, a lot of folks may accept the fact that there may be a God out there somewhere, but it is a whole other thing to believe so much that you bet your life on God's existence.  It is a whole other thing to take the Word of truth, the Bible, and govern your life by this WORD. It is a whole other thing to daily seek to be sensitive to the Spirit of truth, and then, give it your all to keep in step with the Spirit.  Finally, it is a whole other thing to completely take the teachings of Jesus, receive them as THE Truth, and walk according to these teachings, NO MATTER WHAT because you absolutely, positively, undisputedly dogmatically, and without any question, or reservation, believe GOD IS.

Pleasing God Requires Diligence

Hebrews 11:6c, and we must believe, "HE rewards those who earnestly seek HIM."  Now, this is big.  God wants people, who have God pleasing faith, to be diligent in their walk with HIM.  Pleasing God, as John the revelator said, is NOT being lukewarm. Being lukewarm makes God sick. He wants us to be either earnestly hot or earnestly cold.  God wants us to be conscientious as we seek HIM, and sincere as we do so.  Putting God second or third or fourth is not going to please God.  HE wants us to "seek first the Kingdom of God and HIS righteousness," and then everything else will be just fine.  When we live with God as our priority in life, HE will reward us. IF we do NOT, HE will NOT.

Challenge: No Matter What...
  1. Do you want to please God?
  2. Have faith. Or it will be impossible.
  3. By faith, go to God, through Jesus.
  4. By faith, abide in Jesus.
  5. By faith bet your life on HIS existence everyday.
  6. By faith seek HIM first and above all else or all others.
  7. Do so, in Jesus's name.
AMEN

SoJourner






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