What Pleases God?

O. T. #2198  "What Pleases God?"

May 24, 2022

Micah 6-Part 6

LET IT GLOW

One time we went to the same restaurant where a couple of former church members were eating. They had caused some problems while we were serving there. However, I didn't even remember those things anymore, for I had forgiven them. We spoke to them, friendly like, and were concerned with the bad health of one's wife. Certainly, we were showing mercy that day. It does get easier as time goes by. (One man even bought our lunch.)

What does God require of us? Now that is a fair question, isn't it? What does God take delight in as He looks into our heart and life? In other words, what pleases our God? Micah was straight forward in relating the answer to the Israelites and to us in verse 8:

to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (NLT)

The KJV says to do justly.

It isn't a works religion nor are we saved by our works. Instead, it's a matter of the heart, an internal experience, a rebirth, where a new nature is given to an individual.

So whenever we are a Christian and believer in Jesus, how do we show His love to others?

1. We are just in our dealings with our fellow man and woman. We are honest and true. We keep our word when we give it. We do what is right in God's eyes and according to His Word. We lift up His standards and are an example.

2. Not only are we to love the mercy of God, but to be merciful in our dealings with others, too. We are to forgive in the same way we ask God to forgive us.

3. Our life is to be one of humility before our God, who is Holy, Almighty, and Righteous. We realize that He reached down, yanked us out of the pit of sin, and loved us all the way to the cross.

Is there one of those that you need to work on? If so, He has all the strength that you will need, so turn to Jesus.

LET IT GROW

What did Jesus tell His disciples in Matthew 16:24? If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

It's a mission for the followers of Jesus Christ, not an easy one, nor a lot of fun to deny our self. Putting God first and then others is a road to happiness and peace.

In the Greek language, deny means to deny utterly; disown; abstain.

In order to experience the lordship and provision of Christ on earth, you must be willing to say "no" to yourself. (Tony Evans)

So in order to please God, we must disown our will and do God's will, abstain from sinful acts, and do whatever God tells us in His Word and by the Holy Spirit's leading. Right? Be careful, for the flesh dies hard. It may even cause a war inside of us. Jesus is there to help us with the struggle.

When my husband felt the call to a church in West Virginia, it was one of the hardest things we had ever done together, I dare say. Our son had just graduated high school and was moving to grandma's to take a job with a well-known company. Our daughter had gotten married and moved to Rhode Island. And that new church seemed a million miles away from our parents.

Now, it wasn't easy to get into that U Haul and leave our state and family only 6 hours away, who would be double that. I cried that day on the road and so did my husband. (His mom had cancer.) He offered to turn around, but I told him we would never know what God had planned for us if we didn't go. That was denying our will and doing God's will. I think of it as a test similar to Abraham's when God told him to sacrifice his son Isaac. We did go and were received with loving folks. God blessed our denying our selves.

LET IT GO

Is there something that God is asking you to abstain from, disown, or utterly deny?

Surrender it to the Lord, or you will not know the blessings He has in store for you.

Thank You Jesus for denying Your self, leaving heaven, dying on the cross, and loving us.