Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians was to encourage and reassure the Christians in Thessalonica. The scripture urges us to live in a way that pleases God, and if you are doing this already, then be encouraged to do so more and more.
God wants you to be holy, and one major way to be holy is to keep clear of all sexual sin (1 Thessalonians 4: 3). God has called us to be holy, not to live impure lives and anyone who refuses to live holy is not disobeying human rules but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8).
"For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit." 1 Thessalonians 4: 7-8
Paul wrote that our ambition as Christians should be to live a quiet life, minding our own business and working with our hands (1 Thessalonians 4:11) and then he wrote about the coming of the Lord and that as children of God we should be on our guard, stay alert and be sober (1 Thessalonians 5:2-8).
Paul also explained that living to please God means that Christians must live holy lives, harmonious and honest lives, by practicing the following:
1. Live peaceably with each other.
2. To warn those who were lazy.
3. To encourage those who were timid.
4. To take care of those who were weak.
5. To be patient with everyone.
6. To see that no man pays evil back for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to everyone else.
7. To always be joyful.
8. To pray without ceasing.
9. To always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
10. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.
11. Do not scoff at prophesies, but test everything that is said, and hold on to what is good.
12. Keep away from all appearances of evil.
It is God's will for us to prosper and be happy, living to please God should be the goal of every Christian. Who are you trying to please with your life? Are you living to please God?
It’s a natural human tendency to seek to please other people—those we can see. We can find it harder to focus on pleasing God—the One we cannot see.
If we want to learn how to please God, we must seek God’s help to always do His will as well.
Here are three notable things I learnt from 1 Thessalonians 4-5
i.) We must live our lives to please God by living a life of holiness and obedience to God's word.
ii.) We must live ready for the coming of Jesus Christ for we know not when he would come, therefore we should be alert and sober (1 Thessalonians 4: 5-8).
iii.) We must first know God's word in order to live according to his will and purpose for our lives. To live a life that pleases God, one must avoid the one thing that God hates and that is sin (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7, 5: 14-24)
Prayer: Heavenly father, please help me to live a life that is pleasing in your sight, help me to live a life according to your will in Jesus Name. Amen.
Reference
The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1 Thessalonians 4-5
The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1 Thessalonians 4-5
The Preacher's Corner, Living to Please God
http://preacherscorner.org/dave2.htm
Life, Hope & Truth, How to Please God
https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/who-is-god/how-to-please-god/
