Is it possible to please God? If you are asking that question, then this scripture will help.
Can God, who is so holy and shrouded in mystery that he is hidden from the human view, be pleased by anything sinful fallen human beings do?
"And without faith is it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6, NIV.
There are many things that people do to try to please God.
- Some try good deeds.
- Some try religion.
- Some try prayer or meditation.
- Some try mystical disciplines.
- Some try penance or self-punishment.
- Some try self-denial, such as fasting.
- Some try sacrificial giving of time, money, or other things.
It is possible!
If we say it is impossible to please God without faith, then the other side of the matter is that with faith, it is possible to please God. The Bible gives many examples of people who were unlikely to be accepted by God yet were made right with God by their faith...
- Noah made wine, got drunk, and cursed his son.
- Abraham was a liar concerning his wife.
- Moses was a murderer of the Egyptian taskmaster.
- Rahab was a harlot.
- David was an adulterer.
- Isaiah confessed his unclean lips.
- Jonah ran from obedience.
These patriarchs fell far short of perfection, but each one pleased God because they expressed faith in God's promise either in word or deed. Each found acceptance with God.
When God looks for faith, what is He looking for?
God honors the smallest seed of faith. He wants us to believe that he exists and rewards those who earnestly seek him. He promises that if we seek him with all our hearts, we will find him. (Jeremiah 29:13).
What is faith for me?
Faith is paramount; we come to God through faith, and it is by the same faith that we live our lives. Just as we trust God to give us salvation because of his work through his Son on the cross, we trust him to give us blessings through the same work of his Son on the cross.
Where do I find faith?
Faith comes through the Word of God. "Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17.) We must experience God's Word, the Bible, by reading it faithfully and daily, find a community of faith who live the Gospel, and who participate and practice the discipline of prayer. These things build our faith.
Grace and Peace
(c)Adron Dozat 6/21/12
