The bitter Truth (cover)

God alone.

Every good gift we have has come from God, and He wants to give us "pleasures forevermore." In gratitude for all He does for us, what can we do to please Him?

Talk about Someone who has everything! Finding a gift that will please God can seem challenging! But thankfully the Bible tells us not only what God hates (such as in Proverbs 6:16-19) but what He delights in as well.

And best of all, what pleases God is also what will make us happiest and most satisfied. Ultimately we will be most fulfilled when we fulfill God's purpose for our lives-because He loves us and wants the best for us forever!

So let's look at seven ways the Bible tells us we can please God.

HAVE FAITH IN GOD.
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

This passage identifies faith-belief in God and believing He will do what He says He will do-as a prerequisite for pleasing God. It also gives a prime example of this kind of faith: Enoch (verse 5). Enoch lived in the increasingly evil world before the Flood, but he didn't go the evil way other people were going. Instead, he "walked with God" and "he pleased God" (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5).

Enoch not only believed in the Creator God, he believed God would come to earth with "ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment" (Jude 1:14-15) and make everything right. Enoch knew that ungodly deeds bring evil results and must be replaced by godly deeds-walking the way God walks-for this world to experience real peace and joy.

When we believe in God and believe what He says, we will also be pleasing to Him.

(Our bimonthly Discern magazine covers issues like this regularly. We'd be happy to give you a free subscription to Discern. Digital subscriptions are available worldwide; print subscriptions are currently available in the United States, Canada and much of Europe.)

BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED.
"For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:6-8).

The Bible contrasts two mind-sets: the normal, human one (the fleshly, carnal mind) and the one led by the Spirit of God (the spiritual mind, verse 9). Thus having the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and leading us is another prerequisite for pleasing God.

In Acts 2:38 the apostle Peter summarized the process God has set for us to follow to receive His Spirit: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." You can study this vital process in more depth in our free booklet Change Your Life!

Leading up to the passage in Romans 8, the apostle Paul explained his own experience with the two mind-sets. As challenging as he shows the process of change is in Romans 7, he makes clear that Jesus Christ will deliver us (verse 25) and that as a result of the change we become beloved "children of God" (8:16-17). Does this please God? Yes! Jesus said there is "joy in heaven over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:7). God loves to add to His family.

FEAR GOD.
"The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy" (Psalm 147:11).

It's not that God delights in having us be terrified of Him. Psalm 147 describes God as the One who "heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (verse 3). The passage praises His mercy, His knowledge (He knows the names of all the stars!) and His power to save the humble (verses 4-6). The Bible tells us to fear God, not because it is good for Him, but because it is good for us to accurately recognize that He is more powerful than anything else. Acknowledging this shows our deep respect for Him.