The way that pleases God by Pastor Gbenga Aluko

 

Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Topic: The way that pleases God

 

The study will be done with the following sub-heading:

Background

Why did they need to please Him

How to please him

Rewards for pleasing Him

Conclusion

 

Background

 

Apostle Paul as inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote the letter to the Thessalonians brethren/church, Paul was forced out by the vehement opposition and persecution that he encountered in that region Acts 17:1-9, he then wrote them basically to do two things viz: to express his gratitude to them for their faithfulness to God and His course despite of the prevalent situation. (can anyone including God attest to our own faithfulness today? God attested to Abraham’s and Job’s Gen.18:19, Job 1:8, 2:2-35 respectively) Secondly he wrote to encourage everyone in this young church to remain firm/resolute in and for God. May we receive grace to remain in and with God irrespective of circumstances in Jesus mighty name .amen

 

Why did they need to please Him

 

Ø  They were urged  vs. 1

Ø  They were taught by God’s authority Vs.1 & 2

Ø  It is God’s will Vs.3 & 9

 

In the same trace we are urged, it also possible to have been taught earlier which is further reiterated now and Jesus laid a very practical example in the scriptures as detailed in His saying in John 4:34 which says my meat is to do the will (to please, to do the bidding) of He that sent me and to finish it.

How to please him

Ø  Holy living vs. 3-5 Rom.12:1-2

Ø  Don’t harm or cheat anyone at all vs.6

Ø  Loving one another vs.9,1 John 4:8

Ø  Living a quiet life, minding your business and working with your hands. Vs.11, it may be close to impossible to mind your business when you have to do the following:

 

1. Conversion of souls to Christ

2. When you intend to correct in love

3. When you want to help others/less privileged with Godly/pure intentions

4. When invited to intervene in an issue/rift

5. When you have physical or spiritual oversight over a people and you have to carry it out with Jesus model.

Rewards for pleasing Him

 

Ø  God will be pleased

Ø  Believers and unbelievers alike will respect the decency and rewards that pleasing God attracts and displays. Vs.12

Ø   There won’t be need to depend on others as God and good work will also be blessed by God. Vs.12

Ø  We receive what we ask from Him 1 John 3:22

Ø  God’s presence and support always John 8:29

Conclusion

 

If the persecution was not an alibi for the Thessalonians against pleasing God it won’t be for us, in fact we were created to please God Rev.4:11 the earlier we realize and align appropriately the better for us and the earlier we stopped defeating essence.

 

Shalom.

 

 

 

 

Enemies in Canaan by Gbenga Aluko

                                                                                    

Text: Judges 3:1-11

Topic: Enemies in Canaan

                                                                  

This will be done with the following sub headings:

Background

The nations left in Canaan and why

The Israelites failures

God’s reaction to their failure

God’s mercy to the rescue

Conclusion

 

Background

To the mind of a Christian once Canaan is mentioned one of the things that comes to the mind is bliss, comfort and fulfillment which started with a promise from the burning bush as recorded in Exodus 3:8 & 17 during that powerful encounter God emphatically and repeatedly made some statement/comments: 1.rescue thee (the Israelites) from the Egyptian, 2.lead you into a land flowing with milk and honey.3.Where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites NOW LIVE, specific place and also implying that maybe all of them will be wiped out.

 

God’s word are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1:20, all that was promised the children of Israel as regards the milk and honey in Canaan was fulfilled to the glory of God as they began to stay and take possession from Josh. 1 ff, but they weren’t free from having other persons occupying Canaan with them, coupled with that they weren’t just sipping milk and honey they had confrontations, agitations, issues and challenges same suffices for you and I, it doesn’t matter what level the Lord has helped you to, as far we are still in this flesh we will have issues/challenges we are only sure of winning as long as we are properly aligned with God. John 16:33, Rom.8:30, 2 Chr.26:5.

 

The nations left in Canaan and why 

( a ) The nations left in Canaan vs. 3

They are the Philistines, Canaanites, Sidonians and Hivites

(b) Why did the nations remain in Canaan vs. 1-2 & 4

 

·         To test and teach  warfare to a generation without such experience vs 1-2

·         To test the obedience to God’s commandment vs.4

 Have you prayed enough to find out why there are Sidonians even in our Canaan today? But let’s know that by and large if we are truly God’s i.e we serve Him exclusively then what He takes us through or allows to happen to us are to teach/train us or test our loyalty to Him or both. 

The Israelites failures vs. 6-7 

The children of Israel misbehaved in the passage by doing the following:

·         Serving strange Gods  vs. 6

·         Forgot about their God vs. 7

This may serve as a warning to those already enjoying God in a way that makes them feel they are beginning to arrive like the children of Israel in Canaan or have arrived already and are forgetting God, please repent of this sin before it attracts God’s punishment.

God’s reaction to their failure vs.8

God was bitter with the children of Israel, He turned them to slaves of King Cushan Rishathaim of Aram-naharaim for eight years. Roman 1:28 paraphrased says that they did not permit God in their though/heart/deed then He gave them over to reprobate mind to do what is not right and in this case He gave them over to servitude for eight years.

What servitude are you or am I going through that is as a result of our disobedience/sin, come to Jesus today his arms are always wide opened.Rev.3:20

 

God’s mercy to the rescue vs.9-11

Before God’s mercy spoke for them, they cried to Him and our merciful saviour responded by doing the following:

·         Raised a rescuer Othniel vs.9

·         Released His spirit on Him vs.9

·         God gave Him victory against King Cushan Rishataim.

Conclusion

There were other nationals in Canaan but they sincerely had little or no impact until the children of Israel became unequally yoked with them by marrying their women and gave them their daughters’ hands in marriage and from that point they began to fall further till they fell flat into slavery. We can as well say that the children of Israel were the enemies of themselves, so they were the real enemies in Canaan, may we receive grace not to be enemies of ourselves this New Year and beyond in Jesus mighty name

 

Amen.