May 13, 2021: SOAP #4179: 2Samuel 24; 1Chronicles 21; Psalm 30; 1Thessalonians 2

SCRIPTURE:  1Thessalonians (NIV) 2:4 …We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.

OBSERVATION: Two things come to my mind as I think about pleasing God.  First, pleasing God is easy — He knows my heart.  Second, pleasing God is hard — He knows my heart.

APPLICATION: God does not test my efforts by how successful I am, but by how faithful I am.  People may judge me as a failure, but God knows my heart.  He knows my thoughts. He knows what I was trying to do. 

On the other side, it takes more than success to please God.  Just because something appears successful does not mean I have passed God’s test.  He is looking at my heart. He sees my motives.  He sees why I did it.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, there can be no more worthwhile goal in life than pleasing you.  Hearing your “Well done!” will make every struggle worth it all.    Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!