If pleasing God was based upon works, how will you ever know if you have done enough? You can not find peace with God based upon works. You will never be able to do enough and you will never know if you have arrived at the required destination. So what is it that pleases God? How can I know that Him and I are at peace with one another?
One day a student of the "Law" approached Jesus with this very thought in mind.
Read about it in Matthew 22:34-40 or click to view http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A34-40&version=NIV (Click back arrow on web browser to return)
What is the greatest commandment? What is it that I can do to make God happy with me? Those are the questions that are filling this guys mind. We have lived with those questions in mind too. We wonder at times if we did enough good things, would God make life easier for us. We wonder if we were nice enough, or gave enough, would he give us more than we could ever imagine. We all want God to be happy with us. But what does Jesus say to answer his questions?
Love! Love God. Love people. It's not in doing, it's in loving. Loving will be reflected in some sort of doing but loving and doing are two distinct things. If you do and have no love, it means nothing. If you love without doing, it means nothing. This love is a choice. It is a choice to love God and by choosing to love God, you are also choosing to listen/follow Him. If you choose to love others, you are choosing to do that through compassion, mercy and generousity.
What pleases the heart of God is love for Him. That means you have chosen to believe in Him and have chosen to surrender your life to Him. As a result, you experience a new start in life, forgiveness of sin and the willingness to listen/follow Him. This is the peace that you can find with God. This is what pleases the heart of God.
Do a little heart examination. Do you love God? Do you believe He is God, Creator of all things, Redeemer of mankind, and Guide for your life? Are you willing to follow Him to whatever end?
If you can say, "I love God. I have given Him my heart, mind, soul and all my strength," you have peace with God.
As you close: God is looking at your heart. Be honest with Him about your heart right now. Let Him know where you need His help in loving God to the fullest.
God Bless!
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