LIVING TO PLEASE GOD  – Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:1

Preamble:

• Our focus for discussion this morning is “Living to please God” under the broad theme for the month which is “Living for Christ”.
• Today, we shall be satisfying our quest to understanding the theme better and deeper through God’s word- The Word of God is spirit and life (John 6:63); it is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and, when quickened by the Holy Spirit, has dynamic power to impart spiritual life to us.

A Call for concern in this scriptural text is to define what it means for children of God to live for God, then understand how to please Him in our daily living. How has God empowered us to live for His pleasure and what are the implications for our lives?

1. To Live for God:
2. To live for God is to have your root in God- John 3:3-5; Colossians 1:13. This is the starting point, a life outside Christ has not started with Him, so he cannot live for Him. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.-John 3:6
3. To live for God is to keep growing in Him.-Col.2:6-7 II Pet.3:18; I Pet.2:2-3; Col.1:9-10

•  When we become Christians, we enter into a relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit that will cause us to grow.
• With the power of the Holy Spirit, we are called to become more like Jesus and to become more holy. It is this spiritual growth that becomes a birthmark of our faith!As we grow physically so God expects us to grow spiritually ( I Sam.2:26; Luke 1:80)

• To live for Him is to have my entire life in God-Acts 17:27- 28; Job 12:10; Deut.30:20; Psalm 36:9

2. To Please God

• “Please” is cause to feel happy and satisfied.
• To please God is to be agreeable; acceptable; delightful e.t.c
• To please God is Living worthy of God’s call upon your life-Eph.4:1; promoting the business of  God’s kingdom and conducting yourself in manner worthy of gospel of Christ (Phil 1:27-29)
• To please God is Pursuing the goal of  satisfying God wherever you are and under whatever conditions you find yourself- II Corinthians 5:9
• To please God is Demonstrating utmost love for God-Matt.6:33: John 21:27
• It is allowing God to occupy 1st position in my priority for life. How much are you doing thi?

• Loving God is demonstrating my utmost for the highest -John 21:27;
• When we receive the life of Christ through the Holy Spirit, He unites us with God so that His love is demonstrated in us.
• The goal of the indwelling Holy Spirit is not just to unite us with God, but to do it in such a way that we will be one with the Father in exactly the same way Jesus was..
• Expressing the love of God permit you and I to live to satisfy God’s agenda “feed my sheep”- This is talking about mission/ spreading the gospel.

“The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”-John 21:27

3. How are We Empower to Live to please God?

Through the help of Holy Spirit

• God has given you His Spirit to enable you to live in a way that pleases Him.
• “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”- Gal.5:25
• “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”- Philippians 2:13 KJV

4 .Conclusion:  Implication of Living to please Him

God wants us to understand that every where you are as His children,  you are:

• We are Christ’s ambassador [ (2Cor.5.20);We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.] So we must be His representative wherever we go; church, market, in the car, offices e.t.c

Chrorus: “Any where I go I will be doing good, I will be like Jesus who cares for me, when the needy see, they will see Jesus,  anywhere I go o yes, I will be doing good”.

• Jesus must be prevailing and revealing in our lives; Wherever we sit, stand ,chat discuss, ( your spoken and unspoken expression).- Ps.1.1

Psalm 1:1; Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. (AMP)

• We are the shining light for Christ, a light that must not go hidden at any time and pointing others to Christ- Matt.5:14, 16- Matt.5.14 – “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matt.5.16 – Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.