Sunday Rhapsody Of Realities - Faith To Please Him

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 (Hebrews 11:6). To please God, you have to walk by faith. That's what our opening verse clearly underlines; it says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him...." Let me show you a picture here: Genesis 2:16-17 says, "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest, thereof thou shalt surely die."

This was God instructing Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; he could eat from any other tree in the Garden. Now, in that garden was the tree of life; he didn't eat of it; he went for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the one God told him not to eat of. He ate of it and died. You may ask why God put that tree there; did He put it there to tempt Adam? No; Adam demonstrated a lack of faith in God when he chose to go contrary to God's clear instruction, and that choice brought death. Faith is the response of the human spirit to the Word of God, and to go contrary to the Word is to walk according to the flesh.

Those that are in the flesh and are carnally minded can't please God. Romans 8:6-8 tells us, "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, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." If you live in the realm of the senses, you're like Adam, who unwittingly chose death instead of life.

Meanwhile, God wants you to choose life and not death. He says, "...Choose life that you may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19). Galatians 3:11 says the just shall live by faith. Living by faith means living in, and by the Word; believing and doing God's will. Anyone that believes in God and does His will has eternal life. When you have the life of God in you, you live out that life; manifesting His righteousness, living by faith in His Word. That's how to please Him.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank you for giving me your life and the faith to live it successfully. I do not walk by carnal reasoning and I do not try to justify myself by good works, but I live by faith and therefore, pleasing to you in every good work by the power of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Further Study: John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Daily Scripture Reading
1-Year Bible Reading Plan: Luke 1:1-25, Deuteronomy 3-4
2-Year Bible Reading Plan: Matthew 23:1-12, Exodus 24