2017 40 Days of Prayer, Day 8
The Abiding Presence of God:
A Life of Complete Dependence
Day 8
“and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:8
Pleasing God
On the subject of pleasing God, the Scripture says that this is the goal of our lives, II Corinthians 5:9, “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.” Scripture gives clear indications as to how we may please God. In pleasing God, faith is absolutely essential, Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” In pleasing God we cannot seek to please others more than pleasing God, Galatians 1:10, “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” God is most pleased in the exaltation of His Son, especially in the work of salvation brought about in the work of His Son’s death and resurrection to save us. Colossians 1:19-20 tells us, “For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”
These parameters give clarity to Paul’s statement in Romans 8 that “those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” First, wrong motives keep “those in the flesh” from pleasing God. Individuals who live according to their own desires do not seek to please God. They seek to please others (themselves, friends, family, etc.) more than God. Therefore they are incapable of pleasing God. Second, self-reliance prevents “those in the flesh” from pleasing God. Individuals who live according to their own desires do not live by faith. Instead, they trust in their own abilities, relying on their own righteousness or their own goodness. God pleasers give God all the credit for righteousness and goodness. Faith is the means by which God provides us the opportunity to give Him full credit. By faith we give God all honor and glory for who He is and for all that He has done. Self-exaltation prevents “those in the flesh” from pleasing God. God created the universe with the express desire to bring glory to Himself. His primary means of bringing glory to Himself is through the exaltation of His Son. Individuals who live in the flesh seek their own glory. Even acts that appear to be “good” are done by “those in the flesh” with the motive of self-glory. Believers, “those who are in the Spirit” do good works in the name of Christ for this is the Father’s will, Christ exalted in us.
Cannot Romans 8:6-8 holds a grim view of the ability of humanity apart from the work of God. Apart from God we are driven by our selfish desires. Apart from God we seek to please ourselves. We do not want God in our lives. We hate His word. We revolt against His glory. We are incapable of doing anything else. There is nothing good in us, apart from the good that God brings. This maximizes the glory of God. If we possessed some hint of goodness apart from God, then we would share in the glory of our own salvation and steal glory from God. Instead, our salvation comes entirely from God. This maximizes His glory for no one can share in the credit for this glorious work of salvation. Before coming to faith in Christ, we were unable to do anything to please God. We had no faith, no submission to God’s Word, and no desire for the exaltation of Christ. Now, because God has overcome our inability, we can and do please Him. Now, because of Christ, we can submit ourselves to His will. Now, through faith, God brings us into right relationship with Himself. Through faith, we can please God in the way that we live for Him. This reality is summarized in Christ’s statement to His disciples, “Apart from Me you can do nothing,” John 15:5. We are to live a life of complete dependence on God. This is God’s will for us, our complete dependence upon Him.
Prayer Focus
Thank You, God for saving me. I have nothing good in me apart from You. Christ Jesus, I long to walk with You so that I may please You in all things. Do good works in me today. I confess that any good that I do this day is done in Your name and for Your glory. By the power of Your Spirit, help me to live in complete dependence upon You, renouncing sin and doing good works for Your everlasting honor and glory. I confess that in my own power I cannot please You, but you have overcome my inability.
From DL Moody’s Secret Power
THE RESERVOIR OF LOVE (con’t)
Paul when writing to Titus, second chapter and first verse, tells him to be sound in faith, in charity, and in patience. Now in this age, ever since 1 can remember, the Church has been very jealous about men being unsound in the faith. If a man becomes unsound in the faith, they draw their ecclesiastical sword and cut at him; but he may be ever so unsound in love, and they don’t say anything. He may be ever so defective in patience; he may be irritable and fretful all the time, but they never deal with him. Now the Bible teaches us, that we are not only to be sound in the faith, but in charity (love) and in patience. I believe God cannot use many of His servants, because they are full of irritability and impatience; they are fretting (worrying) all the time, from morning until night. God cannot use them; their mouths are sealed; they cannot speak for Jesus Christ, and if they have not love, they cannot work for God. I do not mean love for those that love me; it don’t take grace to do that; The rudest Hottentot in the world can do that; the vilest man that every walked the earth can do that. It don’t take any grace at all I did that before I ever became a Christian. Love begets love; hatred begets hatred. If I know a man loves me first, I know my love will be going out towards him. Suppose a man comes to me, saying, “Mr. Moody, a certain man told me today that he thought you were the meanest man living.” Well, if I didn’t have a good deal of the grace of God in my heart, then I know there would be hard feelings that would spring up in my heart against that man, and it would not be long before I would be talking against him. Hatred begets hatred. But suppose a man comes to me and says, “Mr. Moody, do you know that such a man that I met today says that he thinks a great deal of you?” and though I may never have heard of him, there would be love springing up in my heart. Love begets love; we all know that; but it takes the grace of God to love the man that lies about me, the man that slanders me, the man that is trying to tear down my character; it takes the grace of God to love that man. You may hate the sin he has committed; there is a difference between the sin and the sinner; you may hate the one with a perfect hatred, but you must love the sinner. I cannot otherwise do him any good. Now you know the first impulse of a young convert is to love. Do you remember the day you were converted? Was not your heart full of sweet peace and love?