Category: How to Please God

Hebrews 12:1b-2a
Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. 

“The point is to keep your eyes fixed on the finishing line and on the one who is at the center of the cloud of witnesses, waiting there to greet you himself. Jesus… pioneered the way, opened up the course and brought it to a successful completion. He made it across the finishing line, and [he is] the central motivation for us to continue in hope, faith and patience.”

(Wright, Nicholas Thomas. Hebrews for Everyone, p. 150)

2 Corinthians 3:16, 4:6
…Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
…God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

Our faith started when we turned to the Lord and saw Jesus! It didn’t come from looking at ourselves, or at the world, but from looking to Jesus. When we turned, he removed the veil, opened our eyes, opened our hearts, and gave us the gift of faith to see and believe in him, and to act upon that faith. By his Holy Spirit, we called upon him for salvation. And he answered us!

In God-given faith, we can ask for this to happen in others’ lives, while we go where he has called us.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for opening our eyes to see and place our trust in Jesus. Would you move in your love and power in the lives of those that you have given us, turning them to you. Please declare over their lives, “Let light shine out of darkness!” and cause them to see Jesus. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

– BR

Hebrews 11:1, 6 (NIV, ESV)
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. And without faith 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 11:1, 6 (MSG)
The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.

“The life of faith may be said to have three components:
(1) It involves a life of coming to God and seeking him earnestly… God’s people are called to live lives of radical openness to and in conversation with God.
(2) This life of faith involves believing that God exists. A foundational belief in God supports further acts of faith in which the believer comes to God for help.
(3) This life of faith involves confidence that God will reward those who exercise such faith. [This does not] go unnoticed or unrewarded. God, by his nature and in accordance with his promises, rewards those who act in faith toward him.”

(Guthrie, George H. The NIV Application Commentary: Hebrews. p. 376)

Prayer: Lord, we ask for lives of faith that please and move your heart. We exercise our faith now, asking you to move in your redeeming love in our families, campuses, ministries, churches, and cities. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Let’s worship and ask for God’s move with this song – God of Revival (Bethel Music, click here).

– BR

Let’s read aloud together the following scripture, confession, and prayer:

Psalm 96:1, 4, 9-10
1 Sing to the Lord a new song;

    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
4 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;

    he is to be feared above all gods.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;

    tremble before him, all the earth.

10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”

“God has all life, glory, goodness, blessedness in and of himself; he alone is in and to himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he has made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, to and upon them. He is the only fountain of all being, of whom, through whom and to whom are all things, and he has complete sovereign dominion over them, to do through them, for them, or upon them whatever pleases him… He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands. To him is due, from angels, mankind and every other creature, whatever worship, service, or obedience God is pleased to require of them.”
(Westminster Confession of Faith; Chapter II: Of God, and of the Holy Trinity)

Revelation 4:8
Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”

Prayer: Lord God, we confess that you alone are holy and worthy, that you reign, that you were, you are, and you will always be. There is none like you. Thank you for the privilege of worshiping you as your redeemed children. Fill us with your Spirit to worship and honor you alone today.

Let’s worship the Lord in song – Holy, holy, holy (Shane and Shane, click here).

– BR

Luke 7:7-10
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.  That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”  Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

“Normally in the gospels Jesus does and says things that surprise people; this is one of the few places where Jesus himself is surprised. And the reason is the sheer quality of the man’s faith. This faith isn’t an abstract belief about God, or the learning of dogmas. It is the simple, clear belief that when Jesus commands something be done, it will be done. He regards Jesus… with authority over sickness and health. If Jesus says that someone will get well, they will.”

(Wright, Nicholas Thomas. Luke for Everyone, p. 80)

Philippians 2:11b
… Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.

Let’s place all of our lives and all that we care about under the Lordship and authority of the one true Lord Jesus as we sing this song – Believe for It (CeCe Winans, click here).

Prayer: Lord, just say the word and we and others will be healed. We trust in and worship you, the holy, loving, good, and faithful God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

– BR

Luke 7:3-7
The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.  When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this…
Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof… But say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

“The basis of [the Jewish elders’] appeal is found in the idea that the centurion deserves it. That is where the vast difference between the soldier and the Jewish men lies. The centurion… sends a message to Jesus. He acknowledges that he is not worthy.

Behind the miracle of the silent, long-distance healing, there lies another miracle, miraculous enough to amaze even Jesus himself. Hidden within the story is the miracle of the faith of the centurion.

So what is it that amazes Jesus in this passage? [The centurion] asks for what he knows he doesn’t deserve and faithfully expects to get it anyway! He asks for hesed. He seems to understand that although he has a right to expect nothing from Jesus, still Jesus is willing to give him everything.”

(Card, Michael. Luke: The Gospel of Amazement. Kindle Location 1075)

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of faith. And thank you for your heart toward us, that is moved and amazed by our faith response to you. Help me to walk and live in the faith that you give today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

– BR