How to Please God: Part 2

Good Morning World!
Here is our lesson for Sunday Morning November 4, 2012.  Part 2 of our ongoing series about Pleasing God.
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Joh 8:29-32  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.  (30)  As he spake these words, many believed on him.  (31)  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  (32)  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

We can see from this verse that Jesus did what He came to do, and obedience equalled pleasing God.  Not only did Jesus please God, but because He please God the Spirit of God was always with Him.

I know that this can sound kind of rhetorical as Jesus was the Almighty God wrapped in flesh come to reconcile the world unto Himself, but we must understand the principle of this lesson.  Sure Jesus always obeyed the Spirit within Him as it was what drove Him, but we too who are filled with the Spirit of God, which was in and apart of Jesus Christ also must learn to obey and be driven by this Spirit!

What was Jesus sent to do?
1. I am come to fulfil the law - Matthew 5:17
2. I am come to send a Sword - Matthew 10:34,35 (The sword that shows sin)
3. I am come to send Fire - Luke 12:49 (The Fire of the Holy Ghost is God's consuming fire!)
4. I am come in my Father's NAME - RECEIVE THE NAME - John 5:43
5. I am come for judgement - to show truth and hide it. John 9:39
6. I am come to give abundant life - John 10:0
7. I am come as a light to take away the darkness - John 12:46
8. Tell John this is what I am doing: The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. - Matthew 11:5
9. Luke 4:18,19 - I am anointed by the Spirit of God to: preach the Gospel to the poor, heal the broken-hearted, preach deliverance to the captives, the recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are bruised and preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
10. I am come to seek and to save that which was lost - Luke 19:10
11. I am come not to destroy lives, but to save them. - Luke 9:56

It sounds at the first glance that Jesus came to destroy, but in bringing a sword, fire and judgement He is shedding his Light into our lives.  This light of Truth is so powerful that we often reject it at first.  This causes turmoil where peace was intended.  It causes pain where life was intended.  It is not God who brings destruction  but it is our reaction to light and truth that brings destruction upon us.  Jesus didn't come to destroy, but to give us life in full abundance!

Jesus mission was to open up a door that lead all humanity back to the God who had created them.  The veil had been put in place because sin in men's heart and mind could not be allowed in the presence of a righteous God.

Jesus taught us how to live in this new union, and through the disciples spread this good news all over the world.

Jesus' death on the cross was the final piece to the puzzle, and even though it looked like the end, it was only the beginning!

The purpose of Jesus fulfilled and please God that He continued His purpose in us through the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Christ, which is Christ in us the hope of glory!

So, what is the lesson here, and how does it teach us to please God?
The lesson that we learn from Jesus is that we must learn to obey and follow His will.  How can we do this?  By learning to listen to the voice of the Spirit in us and doing what it says.  As Samuel said, "Obedience is better than sacrifice."

Fulfil God's purpose for your Life!

Leaving your Promise because of the Famine!

I know many people who have traded in their promise from God, because of hardship, sickness, temptations, trials, distress, pain, and/or loss that has torn at the heart of their life.

In the Bible Abramhan and Sarah did the very same thing, and it just about cost them their lives and the lives of the nation of Egypt.

They were living in their promised land, doing the will of God, and then famine hit the Canaan land area. So instead of walking by faith and not by sight they picked up their bags and belongings and headed down to Egypt, which wasn't hit by famine. Egypt in scripture seems to have always been a type or allegory of sin or living in this world, and not in the Kingdom of Heaven; a type of worldliness, wickedness, ungodliness and so on. So, Abraham and Sarah left their promise, and went away from God's will to let the "world" and the pleasures of sin take care of their needs for the time being!

It is never appropriate to let this world supply our needs and pleasures no matter how short we say that we will stay! If we trust in Jesus and rely on his Word, staying true to his promises, commands and obey, then he will make sure the "people of this world" will take care of us!

While in Egypt Abraham was scared that he was going to die for the sake of Sarah his wife, because she was so beautiful! There is one reason NOT to go to Egypt if you ask me! So, they said that Sarah was his sister, and Pharaoh almost married her! God had to step in and just about destroy Egypt with a plague so that Abraham and Sarah would get back to His promise and will!

It never pays to leave the will of God just to sooth your pain and anguish! Jesus died on the cross for that very reason! We must learn to completely trust in Jesus for everything in our lives! Does that mean do nothing, and just sit around and wait? NO! NO! NO!

Jesus told us to obey his commandments, and to occupy until he comes! We must work, but we must work and pray will doing God's will and commandments, and living within the promises that he has given us! Each one of us probably has a different promise that God wants us to fulfill, and each one of us is unique in the sight of God, so we must not let what others are doing turn us aside from our spiritual promise!

Let us be like Joseph, who endured through the hardships, distresses, pain, anguish and loss so that he could fulfill God's will even though he couldn't see where God was going to take him! Joseph went from Daddy's favorite and God's little dreamer to a hurt, bruised boy at the bottom of a pit. He went from a pit to slavery. From slavery to seduction. From seduction to prison. From prison to dreams. From dreams to being the President of Egypt! Even in death Joseph was still living in God's promise and will by requesting to have his bones taken from Egypt and buried in the land that God had promised the nation of Israel!

Stick with Jesus he will see you through!

Yours through the famine,

Pastor Fred