Check Yourself: Pleasing God?

“Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-2)

Can you imagine what it would be worth to know how to make God happy – if you didn’t already know how to make God happy? For an insignificant human being, one among billions, to be able to please God is a mind-blowing idea.

check_350And that’s exactly what today’s verse says those who are in Christ already know how to do: We make God happy by trusting him enough to obey him in every area of our lives.

We’ll be talking this week about some of the specific ways we can please God by obeying him – or how we can make sure we’re not being two-faced in our relationship with him. Are you ready and willing to check your life to see if it lines up with God’s instructions to you? Don’t be afraid; it’s the way to make your life more joyful, too.

Think: How motivated are you to “live in order to please God”? Do you think that should matter more in your life?

Pray: Ask God to help you to live in order to please him more and more by trusting him enough to obey his instructions for your life.

Do: Read (and memorize?) Hebrews 11:6 and compare it with today’s verses.