Thank you and Please!

 Thank you and Please!

When our children are very young, we teach them to say 'Thank you' and 'Please'. When they receive a gift or someone does them a good deed, we prompt them to say thank you. If the gift is not to the child's liking, the child will hesitate and will need much coaxing to get these two words out of his or her mouth because they come out of the attitude of the heart! However in adults, these words are simple expressions of mannerism and may or may not come from the heart!

It is more important to inculcate the attitude of gratitude in ourselves and in our children. The words 'Thank You' should come out of our hearts with an attitude of appreciation for whatever we receive.

The Scriptures speak about the importance of giving thanks.

First of all, we must thank GOD for His goodness in our lives. When we recognize the fact that we do not deserve anything from the LORD and that every blessing we receive is a gift of grace from Him, we will be grateful.

 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, 

Nor punished us according to our iniquities. 

For as the heavens are high above the earth, 

So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 

As far as the east is from the west, 

So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Psalm 103:10-12

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, 

and comes down from the Father of lights, 

with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

James 1:17

We should develop the habit of constantly giving thanks to the LORD.

He is good and He is merciful towards us always. He loves us and gives us what it good for us.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100:4-5

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!

Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;

Let us shout joyfully to Him with Psalms.

Psalm 95:1-2

Praise the Lord!

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 106:1

..giving thanks to the Father

who has qualified us to be partakers

of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Colossians 1:12

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks;

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Our LORD JESUS Himself set the example.

And He took the seven loaves and the fish

and gave thanks,

broke them and gave them to His disciples;

and the disciples gave to the multitude.

Matthew 15:36

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said,

"Take this and divide it among yourselves;

for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine

until the kingdom of God comes."

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it,

and gave it to them, saying,

"This is My body which is given for you;

do this in remembrance of Me."

Luke 22:17-19

 Then they took away the stone

from the place where the dead man was lying.

And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said,

"Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

And I know that You always hear Me,

but because of the people who are standing by

I said this,

that they may believe that You sent Me."

Now when He had said these things,

He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"

And he who had died

came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes,

and his face was wrapped with a cloth.

Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

John 11:41-44

 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15

PLEASE

Please is derived from the word pleasing.

Pleasing means pleasurable and agreeable.

When we say, "Please go with me", we are saying, "let it please you, to go with me" or, "let it give you pleasure to go with me."

 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. 

Psalm 115:3

Whatever the LORD pleases He does, 

In heaven and in earth, 

In the seas and in all deep places. 

Psalm 135:6  

Since the LORD, Who is Sovereign, does whatever pleases Him, it will be good for us to know what pleases the LORD and what doesn't please Him.

 For the Lord will not forsake His people,

for His great name's sake,

because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people.

1 Samuel 12:22

Do not fear, little flock,

for it is your Father's good pleasure

to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32

just as He chose us in Him

before the foundation of the world,

that we should be holy

and without blame before Him in love,

having predestined us

to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself,

according to the good pleasure of His will,

to the praise of the glory of His grace,

by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:4-6

It pleased GOD to make us His people and He chose us before the foundation of the world. Our response should be to receive His Kingdom by receiving JESUS, and be holy and without blame, to the praise of the glory of His grace!

What are the ways of man that bring pleasure to the LORD?

• GOD is never pleased with wickedness.

For You are not a God

who takes pleasure in wickedness,

Nor shall evil dwell with You. Psalm 5:4

We should therefore turn from every wicked way.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

The LORD is also not pleased with the death of the wicked.

The wicked, turning from the path of destruction to the path of life, is what brings pleasure to the LORD!

Do I have any pleasure at all

that the wicked should die?"

says the Lord GOD,

"and not that he should turn from his ways and live? Ezekiel 18:23

Our prayers also should be on those lines for those whom we consider as wicked.

• GOD is pleased when we ask for His wisdom so that we may do what is right in His eyes.

GOD was pleased with the prayer of Solomon.

 The speech pleased the LORD, 

that Solomon had asked this thing.
Then God said to him: 

"Because you have asked this thing, 

and have not asked long life for yourself, 

nor have asked riches for yourself, 

nor have asked the life of your enemies, 

but have asked for yourself understanding 

to discern justice,
behold, I have done according to your words; 

see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, 

so that there has not been anyone like you before you, 

nor shall any like you arise after you. 

  1 Kings 3:10-12

 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, 

And in the hidden part 

You will make me to know wisdom. 

  Psalm 51:6

 My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice-

-indeed, I myself;
Yes, my inmost being will rejoice 

When your lips speak right things. 

  Proverbs 23:15-16

 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, 

who gives to all liberally and without reproach,

 and it will be given to him. 

  James 1:5

• GOD is not delighted with the beauty or the strength of our legs.

He takes pleasure in those whose legs walk in His fear and in the hope of His mercy!

He does not delight in the strength of the horse;

He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,

In those who hope in His mercy. Psalm 147:10-11

• GOD, in His word, has instructed us to walk according to the structure of authority He has set for us.

Children, obey your parents in all things,

for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

Colossians 3:20

• We should walk in integrity that even if we make a vow, we fulfil it.

When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it;

For He has no pleasure in fools.

Pay what you have vowed-- Ecclesiastes 5:4

 

• GOD has no pleasure in anything we sacrifice or the great works we do, towards justifying ourselves. The LORD JESUS has already made a well sufficient sacrifice on our behalf! He desires that we love Him and simply obey Him.

In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin

You had no pleasure. Hebrews 10:6

So Samuel said:

"Has the LORD as great delight

in burnt offerings and sacrifices,

As in obeying the voice of the LORD?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

And to heed than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22

When sacrificial giving of time, energy, effort, money or possessions, is done in obedience to the LORD's prompting, it is well pleasing to Him.

Indeed I have all and abound. I am full,

having received from Epaphroditus

the things sent from you,

a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice,

well pleasing to God. Philippians 4:18

• When we come to faith in the LORD JESUS, GOD is pleased with us.

But 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 diligently seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6

We must endure in faith until the end of our life on earth so that we might please the LORD.

Now the just shall live by faith;

But if anyone draws back,

My soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who draw back to perdition,

but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. Hebrews 10:38-39

• GOD was not pleased with most of the children of Israel, because they did not have faith and so we are asked not to follow their example of lusting after worldly and evil things, idolatry, sexual immorality, tempting the LORD and complaining.

For indeed the gospel was preached

to us as well as to them;

but the word which they heard did not profit them,

not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. Hebrews 4:2

But with most of them God was not well pleased,

for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples,

to the intent that we should not lust after evil things

as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them.

As it is written,

"The people sat down to eat and drink,

and rose up to play." Nor let us commit sexual immorality,

as some of them did,

and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted,

and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained,

and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples,

and they were written for our admonition,

upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 1 Corinthians 10:5-11

Moses set the example of making the right choice and desiring the presence of the LORD above all else!

By faith Moses, when he became of age,

refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather

to suffer affliction with the people of God

than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches

than the treasures in Egypt;

for he looked to the reward. Hebrews 11:24-26

Now therefore, I pray,

if I have found grace in Your sight,

show me now Your way, that I may know You

and that I may find grace in Your sight.

And consider that this nation is Your people." Exodus 33:13 And he said, "Please, show me Your glory." Exodus 33:18

GOD's word cannot come to fruition in hearts that are burdened with worldly pursuits.

Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who,

when they have heard,

go out and are choked with cares, riches,

and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. Luke 8:14

It is selfish desire that brings about rifts and hurts.

Where do wars and fights come from among you?

Do they not come from your desires for pleasure

that war in your members? James 4:1

Spending time and money on worldly pleasures will bring one to poverty.

He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;

He who loves wine and oil will not be rich. Proverbs 21:17

Rather than seeking worldly pleasures that are passing, we should seek the lasting pleasure that comes from living in the presence of the LORD.

You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

• We cannot please GOD if we live with our carnal mind.

We must be renewed in our mind to have a spiritual mindset to please GOD.

So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,

he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin,

but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him

who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,

He who raised Christ from the dead

will also give life to your mortal bodies

through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:8-11

• As the example set by our LORD to please His Father at all times, we also must seek to please GOD.

And He who sent Me is with Me.

The Father has not left Me alone,

for I always do those things that please Him."

John 8:29

 When He had been baptized, 

Jesus came up immediately from the water; 

and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, 

and He saw the Spirit of God 

descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 

"This is My beloved Son, 

in whom I am well pleased." 

Matthew 3:16-17

We then who are strong

ought to bear with the scruples of the weak,

and not to please ourselves.

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good,

leading to edification.

For even Christ did not please Himself;

but as it is written,

"The reproaches of those

who reproached You fell on Me."

Romans 15:1-3

We shouldn't live to please ourselves but to please others, for their edification.

 just as I also please all men in all things,

not seeking my own profit,

but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

1 Corinthians 10:33

But I want you to be without care.

He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord-

-how he may please the Lord. But he who is married

cares about the things of the world-

-how he may please his wife. There is a difference between a wife and a virgin.

The unmarried woman

cares about the things of the Lord,

that she may be holy both in body and in spirit.

But she who is married

cares about the things of the world-

-how she may please her husband. 1 Corinthians 7:32-34

In the marriage relationship, the husband must seek to please his wife and the wife must please her husband, except in situations that would displease the LORD.

If a situation arises where pleasing man would displease GOD, we must choose to do what pleases GOD, even if it displeases man.

For do I now persuade men, or God?

Or do I seek to please men?

For if I still pleased men,

I would not be a bondservant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

• When we walk in tune with the Holy Spirit, He gives us the desire and strength to do those things that please GOD. It is GOD Who works in us and enables us to live such a life!

for it is God who works in you both to will

and to do for His good pleasure.

Do all things without complaining and disputing,

that you may become blameless and harmless,

children of God without fault

in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,

among whom you shine as lights in the world,

Philippians 2:13-15

• Blessings of a life that pleases GOD.

By faith Enoch was taken away

so that he did not see death,

"and was not found, because God had taken him";

for before he was taken he had this testimony,

that he pleased God. Hebrews 11:5

When a man's ways please the LORD,

He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7

• We can therefore pray in line with the following Scriptures, for ourselves and for others.

 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it,

do not cease to pray for you,

and to ask that you may be filled

with the knowledge of His will

in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

that you may walk worthy of the Lord,

fully pleasing Him,

being fruitful in every good work

and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Colossians 1:9-10

 Therefore we also pray always for you 

that our God would count you worthy of this calling, 

and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness 

and the work of faith with power,
that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ 

may be glorified in you, 

and you in Him, 

according to the grace of our God 

and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Now may the God of peace

who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead,

that great Shepherd of the sheep,

through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will,

working in you what is well pleasing in His sight,

through Jesus Christ,

to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21