HOW CAN I PLEASE THE LORD?

This week's promise: Blessings come from obeying God

How can I please the Lord?

But Samuel replied [to Saul], "What is more pleasing to the Lord, your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Obedience is far better than sacrifice. Listening to him is much better than offering the fat of rams. Rebelling is as bad as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as bad as worshiping idols.

1 Samuel 15:22-23 NLT

If you love me, obey my commandments.… You are my friends if you obey me.

John 14:15; 15:14 NLT

True Friends of Jesus Obey Him

How do we demonstrate our friendship with Jesus? Quite simply, we do what he says. If we refuse, we have no right t o call ourselves his friends.

In 1 Samuel 15 the Bible tells how King Saul disobeyed the Lord's command to completely destroy the enemies and their livestock. When Samuel asked the king why he heard the bleating of sheep and the lowing of cattle, Saul basically replied, "Oh, right, thanks for reminding me. We're saving those to offer to the Lord later!"

Samuel recognized a lie when he heard one and replied, "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22 NIV). God wants the same from us, not some great annual recommitment that we soon break. He wants consistency. Regularity. Faithfulness. He wants our obedience.

Adapted from Breakfast with Jesus by Greg Laurie,
(Tyndale House) p 162

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House