Category Archives: Pleasing

Aroma, Bible, Gifts, Offering, Pleasing, Scripture, Sin

THAT SMELLS GOOD

PHILIPPIANS 4:18

“But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.”

My wife cooked up a couple of batches of brownies last week to take to a family gathering. Don’t you just love the smell of fresh baked brownies? It took all I could do not to dig into those as I cut them and placed them in the containers to take on the trip. Scooping up those warm brownies was tempting. I could just envision a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of one of those. Ahhh, the smells and the tastes!

Paul isn’t writing about baked goods, but he is using that imagery to describe how he received the gift from the Philippians. Not only was it given to him, but it was also “an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.” Their gift wasn’t just given to Paul. It was given to God. And Paul said it smelled good to Him. It was “a fragrant aroma.” The Greek actually reads “an odor of a sweet smell.” That’s pretty descriptive, isn’t it?

APPLICATION

In 2 Corinthians 2:15, Paul uses the same word to describe how we smell to God. “For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:” We are not just a smell. We are sweet smell. God likes how we smell. The smell of sin has been washed away by the blood of Christ.

This Greek word eudoia is used one more time in the New Testament in Ephesians 5:2. Let’s back up to verse 1 to see the full context. “1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” Here that word is describing Christ. Do we smell like Christ to God? Do our gifts to God smell like Christ? Hmmm!

This time of year, when I come in from mowing our lawn, my smell is not a sweet fragrance to my wife. On the contrary, she quickly points to the shower and holds her nose. Now, I don’t smell myself because the odor has gradually grown on me while I’ve been out working. But she can sure smell me. Don’t let the smell of sin creep up on you. Stay washed in the Word and in His Spirit. Be a sweet fragrance to your God.

O Lord, I want to always be a sweet odor in Your nostrils with no smell of sin on me.

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Bible, God's Will, Pleasing, Pleasure, Scripture

HIS GOOD PLEASURE

PHILIPPIANS 2:13

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.”

Some people are people pleasers. They will do just about anything to make people happy. That may seem like a great character trait, but it isn’t. You can’t make anyone happy. You can offer them things or do things in which they can choose to be happy. But you don’t have the power to make them happy. Only they can choose that.

Why do I bring that up? Because God is NOT a people pleaser. Look at today’s verse. Paul plainly says that God does the things He does in our lives for His good pleasure, not ours. He makes Himself happy. Have you ever thought of that? Our job is to do the things that we know will give Him pleasure, things that are according to His will. The Greek word for “good pleasure” is eudokia which “underscores the idea that God’s actions towards humanity are motivated by His benevolent will. It reflects the notion that God’s purposes are inherently good and aimed at the well-being of His creation. This term also highlights the relationship between divine favor and human response, as believers are called to live in a manner that aligns with God’s good pleasure.” (Topical Lexicon)

APPLICATION

We see this same word used in Ephesians 1:5 which reads, “He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will.” And then just a few verses later, Paul says this in Ephesians 1:9, “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He set forth in Him,” You see, God does what He does for His good pleasure. It pleases Him to show us mercy. It pleases Him to adopt us as His children. Why wouldn’t we want to please Him?

Jesus recognized this also. In Matthew 11:25-26, He says, “…‘25 I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, for this way was well pleasing in Your sight.’” God does what He does according to His own desires and delights. And everything He does has our best interest in mind. Hallelujah!

Today, as you go about your business, do what you do to please the Lord who always has your best in mind. It pleases Him to bless us. We, therefore, should seek to please Him with holy living and pure hearts. Amen?

Lord, I want to please You because I know You are always seeking to satisfy Your desire to bless me. Thank You, Father.  

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Bible, Bondslaves, Masters, Pleasing, Scripture, Slaves

DON’T BE A PEOPLE PLEASER

COLOSSIANS 3:22

“Slaves, obey those who are your human masters in everything, not with eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.”

I had a boss one time who did not like to see any of his employees sitting around. Even though all the tasks were done, he thought we should be doing something. We all learned to hop up and get busy the second any of us saw his truck coming down the street. Don’t get me wrong, we all worked hard. He was just very demanding. Some bosses are like that.

Paul turns to the topic of slaves and masters, a topic that most of us have never had to deal with personally. Spiros Zodhiates, in his Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, says this about this topic in his introduction to Colossians. “The occasion of the writing and sending of this Epistle was that of Paul sending a messenger to Philemon in Colossae in connection with his runaway, but now converted, slave, Onesimus (Colossians 4:7-9).”

APPLICATION

How do we apply verses about slavery to our 21st century lives? Well, it’s the principles taught. Remember, every word of God’s Word is profitable (2 Timothy 3:16). Who are you trying to please? That’s the question Paul was raising for the slaves. These slaves were Christians, but they were still slaves. They were to please God first and allow Him to handle their masters.

And Paul says they are to “obey…in everything.” The word “obey” is the same word he used in verse 20 regarding children obeying their parents. When Paul says to obey everything, that meant these slaves couldn’t pick and choose what they obeyed. I am sure Paul did not mean to imply they should participate in ungodly, sinful behavior to please their masters. That would go against the very principles he had been teaching. But every other task they were assigned should be completed.

We are going to see more verses on this topic over the next few days. Paul spent a considerable amount of time on this because the Roman world, which was seeing more and more Christians come to faith, was full of slaves. These slaves needed guidance on how to live their new faith in their present circumstances. We will see how this applies to us, as well.

Father, I am Your slave, Your bondservant and am committed to please You above all.

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Bible, Disobedience, Obedience, Pleasing, Scripture

THIS IS PLEASING

COLOSSIANS 3:20

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.”

I worked with children for close to forty years. I have served as a Children’s Pastor, Youth Director and various roles with Children’s Homes throughout the Southeast U.S. An obedient child is a blessing to everyone, but I have had to deal with a lot of disobedient children through the years. There is no secret to “make” a child obey. They must choose to obey on their own.

As Paul continues to discuss roles within the family, he turns to the children. He says very clearly that to obey is to please the Lord. “Obey” is the Greek word that means to listen in order to obey. It points to a hearing under authority. In other words, God has placed people over us (parents, bosses, governments) to obey in order to please Him.

APPLICATION

Now, I know there are probably people in your life to whom you report to that you don’t particularly care for. As obedient children obey their parents, we too must obey our authorities. Why? Because it pleases the Lord. One of the best passages about pleasing the Lord is found in Romans 12:1-2.

“1 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice,  acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Whom do you want to please today – God or yourself? I pray it is God. He has given us so many reasons to obey. Perhaps a study on obedience would be good. Take some time today or tomorrow and look up some verses about obedience using a good concordance. You may be surprised to see just how disobedient you are. Hmmm. What will you do about that?

Lord, help me yield myself to You as an obedient child.

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Bible, Fruit, Growth, Pleasing, Scripture, Walking

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR JESUS

COLOSSIANS 1:10

“so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” 

How much time did you spend Christmas shopping this year? Some people shop all year looking for that perfect gift for a loved one. Grandmas especially are good at that. They seem to always be on the lookout for a gift for a grandchild. That’s because they are always on her mind. Hmmm, how can we apply this to today’s verse?

In the previous verse, Paul had prayed for knowledge of God’s will for these believers. In today’s verse, we see why. He wants them to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.” Isn’t that what every parent wants for their child? I know that is what I desire for my children and grandchildren. Once again, Paul further explains what he means by this.

APPLICATION

He wants the Colossian believers “to please Him in all respects.” The Greek word used here for “to please” is only used here in this verse. It means to be agreeable or accommodating. Paul wants them to walk only where Christ would walk. He wants them to do what only Christ would do, to say only what Christ would say. To be agreeable and accommodating to Christ in their daily lives.

He also wants them to bear “fruit in every good work.” We know what that means, don’t we? Fruit bearing is always for the benefit of others, not yourself. Paul desired that these believers bear fruit to help spread the gospel, to do good for those who need to hear the truth. I am sure the words of Jesus in John 15 were ringing through Paul’s ears as he wrote this.

And then Paul prayed they would be “increasing in the knowledge of God.” The Greek word for “increasing” has the idea of physical or spiritual growth. In either, it infers growing in size, getting bigger, getting stronger, just as a plant would grow in size and produce its fruit or grain.

Are you pleasing? Are you bearing? Are you increasing? If you are, you have just given Jesus the perfect gift this Christmas.

Father, help me please you, bear fruit and increase in the knowledge of You this Christmas Day.

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Bible, Father, Pleasing, Scripture, Walking

LEARN TO PLEASE

EPHESIANS 5:10

“as you try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”

Some people are “people pleasers.” They’ll do just about anything to make you happy. That is okay unless it becomes unhealthy for you. I’ve seen that happen, and it’s not good. You may have heard also about people who have a “pleasing personality.” They get along with others well. That’s a good trait to have. But what is Paul referring to in today’s verse?

The phrase “as you try to learn” is the Greek word dokimazo. It means to prove what is good. Try that definition in the verse. Then it would read, “as you prove what is good in pleasing the Lord.” We want to make sure that we know what is good, what is well pleasing, what is acceptable. Right?

APPLICATION

I have a friend who writes daily devotional thoughts. Her words today fit this verse. “We do well to remember, that our ‘sacrifice of praise’ within the ‘fires of affliction’ is a sweet aroma, pleasing to the Lord Jesus. It indicates that we believe what He has allowed is for our best interest – even in the direst of circumstances.”

It is easy to focus on pleasing the Lord and doing all the right things when things are going well. But when the hard times come, and they will, are you able to focus on pleasing Him? This doesn’t mean you have to “do” things for Him to please Him. It means living your life as a reflection of Him. The writer of Hebrews says it well in Hebrews 13:20-21. “20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

How can you please Him today? Don’t think about what you need to do. Think about how you need to live. When we walk in the light, we have fellowship with the Father. Live today with your motive being to please Him in all that you do.

O Lord, I want to please You in each and every thing I do.

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