1. Pleasing Others It has been said, Everyone lives to please someone. Yourself. Your date/mate. Your parents. Your children. Your family. Your boss. Your friends. Your God.

2. Pleasing Others It is impossible to please everyone. "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." - Bill Cosby. Popular song from the 70s by Rick Nelson, entitled Garden Party, gave another view: But it's all right now, I've learned my lesson well... You see, you can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself.

3. It is not unbiblical to seek to please others: We are to please those in authority over us (2 Tim 2:4 – ref. to military). We are to please our spouse (1 Cor 7:33-34). We are to please our neighbors so we might bring them to Christ (Rom 15:2; 1 Cor 10:33). We are to please God (Galatians 1:10). We are NOT to seek to please ourselves (Rom 8:8; 15:3; 1 Cor 7:32; 1 Thess 2:4).

4. Pleasing God through Holy Living: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 I. Pleasing God by Living According to Gods Word (Vv. 1-2). II. Pleasing God by Following His Will and His Way (Vv. 3-7). III. Pleasing God by Respecting Gods Authority (Vs. 8).

5. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (Page 879) 1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

6. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him.

7. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. (NIV)

8. Living According to Gods Word (Vv. 1-2) 1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. The believers were living according to the standard of Gods Word. The appeal is that they follow God even more.

9. Theres always room for growth. You never totally arrive as a believer until you arrive in heaven. EX: Choices Make us One of 2 Creatures. How are you coming in your walk with the Savior? Are you closer to Him than ever before? OR, have you veered from the path? Has your love for Jesus grown cold? Return to Him, resubmit & be revived!

10. Following Gods Will & His Way (Vv. 3-7) 3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: Sanctified = hagiasmos - consecration, purification Strong's Greek & Hebrew Dictionary A process of growing closer to God, becoming more and more set apart from evil; evil practices and evil thoughts. We are called upon to choose Gods way. Paul provides an example of an area of life that can easily get out of control.

11. Gaining control over evil desires: 3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; Sexual immorality = porneia. A very broad term for sexual sin. Sex outside the bounds of marriage. The challenge is to get it under control.

12. Gaining control over passionate lust. Learn = oida - signifies a clear and purely mental perception Strong's Greek & Hebrew Dictionary The key to gaining victory over lust is based in your thought life. Passionate is translated as concupiscense in the KJV. Concupiscence from latin: con-, with + cupi, cupid - desire (usually sexual) + -escere - suffix denoting beginning of a process or state. An ardent, usually sensuous, longing; a strong sexual desire or lust. http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Concupiscence&x=0&y=0

13. Gaining control over evil desires: Victory is found by asking God for help and then focusing your mind upon what is right. What captures your thoughts? About what do you fantasize? Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. (NIV)

14. Remember Gods Desire for Us... 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. God desires that our lives be set apart to Him and for Him. EX: Self-control and success. Are you winning the war over your desires? Have they gained total control? Ask God for help and begin today to take back the ground you have lost.

15. Respecting Gods Authority (Vs. 8). 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. Ultimately, our primary goal is to please God. He holds the final authority. We must keep Him central in our lives. Have you allowed God to rule in your life? Video: The Stool

17. The Lords Supper 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.

18. The Lords Supper 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lords death until he comes. 27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

19. The Lords Supper 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. (NIV)