Bible Devotions for Living

Below are lists of some of God’s likes and dislikes from Scripture. Look closely at them to see how your feelings are like God and how they are not.

Types of people God likes:

• Cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7)
• People with blameless conduct (Pr 11:20)
• People who pursue righteousness (Pr 15:9)
• Faithful and truthful people (Pr 12:22)
• Upright people (Pv 3:32)

Evaluate yourself against the list above.

• Are you a cheerful giver?
• Is your conduct blameless and are you pursuing righteousness?
• Are you faithful, truthful, and upright?

Does the list above describe your close friends or are you hanging out with the wrong crowd?

Character traits God likes:

• Faithful love (Jer 9:24; Mic 7:18)
• Righteousness (Jer 9:24; Mic 7:18)
• Righteous deeds (Ps 11:7; 33:5; 45:7)
• Justice (Ps 11:7; 33:5; 37:28; 99:4; Isa 61:8)
• Honesty (Pr 11:1)

Do these things describe you?

Are there areas where you can improve?

Types of people God dislikes:

Look closely at the types of people and character traits that God doesn’t like to see how you are doing. Also, evaluate your closest friends to see if they are good or bad influences on you.

• Evildoers or evil (Ps 5:4-5)
  • People of bloodshed and treachery (Ps 5:6)
  • People with twisted minds (Pr 11:20)
  • People with proud hearts (Pr 16:5)
  • False witnesses (Pr 6:16)
  • Troublemakers among brothers (Pr 6:16)
  • Those who love violence (Ps 11:5)
  • Devious people (Pr 3:32)
  • Fools (Ecc 5:4)
  • People who shed innocent blood (Pr 6:16)

Did you see any behaviors / character traits in the list that apply to you? What are you going to do about it?

Do any apply to your closest friends? Considering that bad company corrupts good character (1 Cor 15:33) and influences away from doing right, should that person be your friend?

Do any of these behaviors / character traits apply to heroes you watch on TV? Should you really be applauding those types of people when God dislikes them?

Types of character traits God Dislikes:

Here are more of God’s dislikes:

• Religious hypocrisy (Isa 1:12-15) (Also Amos 5:21-25)
• Wickedness (Ps 5:4; 45:7)
• Boastfulness (Ps 5:5; Pr 8:1)
• Plotting of evil and perjury (Zec 8:17)
• Robbery and injustice (Isa 61:8)
• Serving / turning to other gods (Jer 44:4; Dt 12:31; Dt 32:15-19)
• Lying (Pr 6:16; 12:22)
• Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just (Pr 17:15)
• Gloating and rejoicing when your enemy fails/stumbles (Pr 24:17-18)
• Feet that run to evil (Pr 6:16)
• Not fulfilling vows (Ecc 5:4)
• Pride (Amos 6:8; Pr 8:1; Pr 6:16)
• Cheating and dishonesty (Pr 11:1; 20:10; 20:23)

Did you see any areas in life in this list where you are falling short? What are you going to do about them?

Think about it

What did God lay on your heart?

How do your likes and dislikes compare to God’s?

Did you notice anything in yourself that the Lord ‘dislikes’? ‘Likes’?

Do you tolerate what God dislikes in yourself? In others?

Are you friends with people God ‘dislikes’? Should they be your friends?

Do you watch TV shows or read books that make heroes out of people and behaviors that God hates? Do you hope the bad guy wins? What do these things say about you?

What ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’ surprised you?

What changes should you make?