Week 10 My faith pleases God

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Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

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We are misguided in our thoughts about what it means to please God.

Sometimes, we get overwhelmed by the "thou shall nots," but what does God want from us?

Does he want us to be good rule followers and faithful churchgoers?

I'm sure you know that we are saved by grace. Jesus Christ paid for our sins on the cross.

The burden of carrying our sins is over, and we have freedom in Christ. This freedom allows us to live newly reformed lives.

Yet, we face a problem. After accepting Christ and being saved by grace, we aren't exempt from falling back into our sinful ways.

How can we please God when we are such fallible beings?

Take a deep breath, and remember that God gave his only son for you. His plan is for you to prosper and not fail.

Now that your life is in Christ, your responsibility is to follow God by faith. Your faith is what pleases God.

It is faith when you live your life ruled by the word of God. It takes priority over your emotions, opinions, and self-will. It overrides your human reasoning and leads you in the way of Christ.

Like a seed, your faith is small at the beginning of your walk with Christ. At first, you might follow your emotions and self-will, but you allow the word of God to correct your heart.

As you continue feeding your faith, your walk with God matures. You learn that it's better to put the word of God before your emotions and opinions.

The takeaway from this devotion is that pleasing God is a process we grow through.

As you grow in faith, God places his desires in your heart. Your heart is a field he has to cultivate.

God cultivates your heart when you read the bible and delight yourself in him.

Your journey to pleasing God will not be accomplished in one day. Know that his grace is sufficient, and his strength is perfect in your weakness.

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Pray this prayer

Father,

My heart's desire more than anything, is to please you. I will choose to separate myself from sin and distractions that draw me away from you. I give you my heart to cultivate and will take responsibility for doing the necessary work to grow in faith. In Jesus's name, amen.