1. úYajdih weoys,a, hemSu www.leaderintouch.com05Jan16 Week 1

2. ms,smams 3(8-11 Pleasing God Have you ever thought about what most pleases God? Or what things He most desires to see in the lives of His believers? For many in the world, in all religions, desire to please God, but their zeal and commitment are not accepted for they are not based upon the solid truth that God has revealed in His word, the Bible. So what pleases God? And what displeases Him?

3. ms,smams 3(8-11 Work out your Salvation Eph 5:8-10, Phil 2:13 God is working within us, and we are working it out! And combined it leads to ‘His good pleasure’ for we are instructed by the Apostle Paul to ‘learn what is pleasing to the Lord.’ It clearly shows us the attitudes and actions which delight His heart God is not emotionless

4. ms,smams 3(8-11 Pleasing God Study Overview Inward Transformation External working of this reality When combined ….. It is “How to please God”

5. ms,sma ms 3(8- 11 Pleasing God Inward Transformation External working of this reality His Good Pleasure

6. ms,smams 3(8-11 1. Faith : The Overriding Principle Hebrews 11:5-6 God is pleased by Faith We must be dependant upon its creator Isaiah 64:6, Rom 14:23 Mat 9:29 Everything that doesn’t stem from a faith and trust in the Lord is sin : it’s called missing of the mark! And that includes a lot of religious activity! John 15:5 Apart from Him we can do nothing John 4:24 Worship that He accepts comes from those spiritually alive, and based on Biblical truth.

7. ms,smams 3(8-11 1. Faith : The Overriding Principle Forgotten tense of the Lord Jesus. That is, we talk about what He did (on the cross), and that is good. We talk about what He will do (at the return) and that is exciting! But we must never forget who He is for us right now. The faith that is pleasing to God believes that ‘God is!’ and takes Him into account in our daily lives. ‘My grace IS sufficient for you’, God told Paul. Not was, not will be, but is right now. Heb 11:1 Now faith

8. ms,smams 3(8-11 2. Desires of the Heart 1 Kings 3:10, 2 Chr 1:1-12 King Solomon had to face it What would you have asked God ? How interested are you in spiritual riches compared to the temporal earthly riches? Rev 3:17-18 But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

9. ms,smams 3(8-11 2. Desires of the Heart..cntd When His people desire to have a true understanding and knowledge of Him so that they may walk in His ways and accurately testify about Him. The most pleasing answer in the ears of God would be that we want to truly KNOW and LOVE Him. Phil 3:8-10. Eph 1:17 Everything else should stem from that. (Acts 22:4 5:24 Gamaliel was Paul’s teacher yet he did not know Jesus)

10. ms,smams 3(8-11 3. Inward awe at the Majesty and faithfulness of God Psalm 147:10-11 The Lord is not looking for those who are naturally strong, nor does He delight in the legs of a man He is not impressed with talk Mat 26:33 But Love for the Lord John 21:15-18 Well, those who fear Him and put their hope in His unfailing love! It delights Him! Isaiah 11:1-3, John 5:19 Father first.. Mat 17:5, 2 Tim 2:13

11. ms,smams 3(8-11 4. Forget Religion get real Psalm 51:16-17 ? God himself commanded ? (Isa 1:11-14, Jer 6:20, Amos 5:21-24) It is like a performance – light camera action Time, Praise, Money, Prayer – Offerings Pharisees substituted outward conformity for inward reality and fully ticked Jesus off! John 5:39-40 Zeal for the law of God The thousands of extra laws that they added to God’s word were an attempt to be ‘outwardly correct’ in all facets of their life. Yet Jesus couldn’t stand it!

12. ms,smams 3(8-11 4. Forget Religion get real..cntd Be real with God! Be real about your condition. Be real with other Christians. God is pleased with honesty and a heart that is humble and contrite before Him. At the end of his life, David uttered these words, which still ring true today. 1 Chronicles 29:17 Pleased with Integrity, Honest intent Be encouraged ! If you are feeling dead as a hammer then that is what the Lord would like to hear.

13. ms,smams 3(8-11 4. Forget Religion get real.cntd The Holy Spirit doesn’t work the reality of His presence into our life while we are still just putting on ‘a show’. But He does delight in those who are honest about the condition of their own heart and in humility, look to Him for the reality of the Christian life. It’s meant to be about pleasing him, not pleasing other Christians!

14. ms,smams 3(8-11 4. Forget Religion get real..cntd The life of many Christians today is largely pretence. They live a ‘spiritual’ life, talk a ‘spiritual’ language, adopt ‘spiritual’ attitudes, but they are doing the whole thing themselves. It is the effort involved that should reveal that something is wrong… Nothing is so hurtful to the life of the Christian as acting; nothing is so blessed as when our outward efforts cease and our attitude become natural… an unforced expression of the life within.’

15. ms,smams 3(8-11 4. Forget Religion get real..cntd Pharisees looked good. With their grand announcements when they gave to the poor, and their pious prayers on the street corners so everyone could hear them… Or their gloomy faces so that everyone would know when they are fasting. Get real. Be normal. Be honest! Through the Lord’s grace we have been given a gift of righteousness so that the theatre masks of religion and performance can come off!