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Pleasing God``You can do this. But you shouldn't do that.'' Are these not the words that you have heard from your childhood? Yes, isn't it? There is a good thing about it. It clearly teaches you what is wrong. But then there is a bad thing about it. It tells you nothing about what to do when choices have to be made--choices between good, better and the best. The fact is that you and I have to make a lot of choices each new day. And when faced with the options suddenly we realize that our old methods of thinking (do's and don'ts) doesn't help much. This difficulty becomes more when you try to love God. It is then that doubts come whether something is right, wrong or sinful. When you ask godly people, their opinions may not be the same. ``What to do now?'' becomes your problem. Then someone says, ``Seek God's will in the matter.'' Oh, yes, you would love to do so. But then you need to read the Bible much and pray. And you also need the guidance of the Spirit of God. Even then it is not sometimes as easy as it seems. And you are just beginning to know God! Don't despair. There is one thing that can help you. It is so simple that people often overlook and bypass it. The interesting thing is that Jesus used it to guide His life on earth! Surprised! Well, that simple thing was what made His life on earth one of perfect obedience to His heavenly Father. Are you now curious to know what the secret is. It is simple. Pleasing God. Yes, that is the secret. Jesus always tried to please His Father. Jesus was always eager to act in ways His Father delighted in and approved of. So when things are in doubt, just ask yourself this question: Will my thought, speech or action in this matter please God? If the answer is ``No,'' then better stop. But then you need a guide to know what pleases God; don't you? That is why reading the Bible regularly is so important. It helps you know clearly the things that please God. In fact there is no better goal in life than to please God. The Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God. It says that God is pleased with obedience rather than sacrifices. It tells us that God is pleased when we do not use our bodies for sexual immorality. It is tells us that God is pleased with a heart that acts in complete honesty. Again, it tells us that God is pleased when you fulfill your responsibilities in your family and at work. It tells much more things like when you give to God and the needy sacrificially, God is pleased. Finally, pleasing God can happen only if you have a different set of priorities in life. That simply means, putting God first always. When your relationship to God becomes important to you, it becomes easy to put Him first and thus please Him. Slowly, it becomes an effortless habit as you come to know God more and love Him more. And then a day will come when God will say about you: ``This is my beloved son/daughter whom I love; with whom I am well pleased!''
Theme: ``So we make it our goal to please Him'' (Ref. 2 Corinthians 5:9a). For further study References (NIV):
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