In lieu of a comments section, I accept and encourage letters to the editor. But theres also a dynamic element in our relationship. Enter into the joy of your lord. (Matthew 25:21 NKJV). } No longer is she seeking to find her delight in my delight, but now she is seeking to find her delight at the expense of my delight. o Every day when we get up, we have choices to make. We see this element at work in both the apostle Paul and C.S. His desire for us is to love Him and love each other and that we become vessels of His love. Jesus was God in human flesh, and He was the only possible way to save sinners. Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink,Who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them! At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. What might it look like to study and work, to date and marry and parent, to disagree and forgive, like youll live forever. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:21-24, ESV)I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. By faith, Enoch was taken away so that he did not experience death, and he was not to be found because God took him away. All thy waysDisplay thine attributes divine;But the bright glories of Thy graceAbove Thine other wonders shine:Who is a pardoning God like Thee?Or who has grace so rich and free?-Charles Wesley. (Romans 15:13 NKJV). God works in you, Christian, for his good pleasure! And those who are Christs have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. And He will give you the desires of your heart. (Philippians 2:12-13 NKJV) Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; {13} for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Self-gratification is the act of pleasing oneself or satisfying one's desires. (Isaiah 58:6-14 NKJV) Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 02/10/2019 am - Role of Elders & Deacons, Part 3 - 1 Timothy 3:1-13 (Hebrews 13:15-16 NKJV) Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV). What brings God pleasure? - LinkedIn } Do you wallow in despair and self-pity? And Moab said to the elders of Midian, This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. Ezekiel 18:23 says, Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? God is just to pour out His wrath on the wicked and judge the unjust; He also wants everyone to repent because of His great patience and love. Things that Bring God Pleasure 6- Weekly Thoughts "THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'" And so God created us, and we are already in Him, but we are unique human beings. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { If you seek to please yourself at the expense of Gods pleasure, then your communion will be dull. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. A fool does not delight in understanding,But only in revealing his own mind. Having faith pleases God. Gods desire and Gods provision meet at the point of prayer. If you would like to write a letter to the editor, you can do so here. {22} Bless the LORD, all His works, In all places of His dominion. And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him. So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Yet, he chose to take time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials. BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM. Surely, God could bring us to full-glory in an instant. What Does it Mean to Fear God? - Topical Studies - Bible Study Tools Let the high praises of God be in their mouth. (Psalm 149:4-6a). The joy of the Lord is your strength. It is not a desire he merely feels. . God so cares about us as a Father, that he finds happiness in our obedience and sadness in our disobedience. Your Good Works Bring God Good Pleasure | Open the Bible It will help you learn to structure your life to do the most good to the glory of God. Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool. Gods delight in 1 (election) builds to his delight in 2 (redemption), leading to his delight in 3 (obedience). But here again is where the Scripture helps us so dramatically. No good father ceases to love his child when they fail. Sermon Notes FBC Vidalia Georgia 02/13/2019 pm - Rescued by God: Worldly Success vs Spiritual Success - Genesis 36:1-43. The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. (1 Thessalonians 4:1). (Jeremiah 32:38-41 NKJV) They shall be My people, and I will be their God; {39} then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. You may not feel pleased with the progress you see in your life. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. In one of the most mysterious and profound realities in the universe, the Fathers delight in Jesus was increased after the incarnation, as Jesus matured (Luke 2:52). For it was the Fathers good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, (Colossians 1:19). (Hebrews 11:5-6 NKJV) 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. (Hosea 6:6 NKJV) For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. How to Bring God Pleasure - YouTube Ask your Father God to reveal to you that which brings Him delight (such as love, loyalty, justice, obedience, His Word, and praising Him) so you can delight in that also. God refers to those who belong to Him as the apple of His eye (Psalm17:8). Five Things That Bring God Pleasure Day 2: WorshipJonathan DraperJesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. To listen to the answer recorded live on Moody Radio, click here. (Hebrews 10:38-39 NKJV) Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. {39} But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. o Every day when we get up, we have choices to make. {9} Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you. The word in the Hebrew for please is ratsah and has the idea of taking delight in, pleasure in, or to be satisfied. Our communion with Christ is dynamic. Henry Scougal wrote a little book, The Life of God in the Soul of Man, in 1677. When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to seek omens but he set his face toward the wilderness. (Psalms 16:5-11 NKJV). James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. {13} If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the LORD honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, {14} Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. He is married to Kristen and they have one daughter and one son. And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. God is not apathetic to our obedience; he has committed his own joy to it. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. So, why is it so hard for us to believe that our Heavenly Father feels the same way about our us? What Gives God Pleasure? Why step back at the end of each day and declare the goodness of it all? {32} For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies, says the Lord GOD. Rather, this desire has led him to actionthe action of providing one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:5-6). In other words, sanctification, seen as culminating in our glorification, is the goal aimed at, all told, in our predestination (Richard Gaffin). Worship can be spontaneous, but it should also be thoughtful and purposeful. He who loves pleasure will become a poor man;He who loves wine and oil will not become rich. What Brings God Pleasure? If he succeeds in this, we will pull back from God, never fully trusting Him. And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost! Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. (Luke 15:3-10 NKJV). Sermons about Pleasures In God - SermonCentral.com For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation. (John 3:16-17 NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. No mystery, however, is the pattern of Jesus we follow in obedience. Amen. SURGE Wednesday: 1-19-2022 - What Brings God Pleasure He will bring forth justice to the nations. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. Im concerned that many Christians live with the sneaking suspicion, or the settled conviction, that God is generally displeased with their lives. I stand up hundreds of times every day, and I (usually) dont fall down when I do, but Im not expecting anyone to cheer for me. Are you in the midst of despair in your Christian life? Your Father God gives you freedom to enjoy life whether or not everything is going your way. O Both are for our joy. And my soul shall rejoice in the Lord;It shall exult in His salvation. What makes you happy? If it is so good to God, shouldnt it be so good to you? I started yelling for my wife to come over and see. To follow the call of Romans 12:1 and present our bodies as living sacrifices, our lives should be characterized by worship. Why? Thank You! The Bible paints a different picture. And lets ask a related question: What makes God happy? Jesus said to him, YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. This is the first and great commandment. True worship flows out of love and a heart that desires to give God what He deserves. God Created Us for His Glory | Desiring God A fool does not delight in understanding. 2 So live the rest of your earthly life no longer concerned with human desires but consumed with what brings pleasure to God. But those who deal faithfully are His delight. listeners: [], Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord God, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. Why do I struggle to believe what I believe? He wants all people to come to know Him, but He will not force their hand. In order to worship Him in spirit and in truth, we must worship with a right attitude. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Having God as your Father is the antidote to exhaustion, frustration, and despair. Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? Y By his beautiful obedience, Christ entered the world to live and die and redeem me, by name, to justify me, to give me the Spirit, and to re-create something beautiful out of this mess called me, something fully obedient, fully radiant in holiness, fully happy in holy communion with God. Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. OpenBible.info For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. By his sheer mercy, God has adopted you as one of his own children. He is pleased with the process. If you have been blessed by an article at God.net please consider a donation to help us continue and expand the resources. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;You are not pleased with burnt offering. (Ezekiel 18:23 NKJV) 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? It is Gods call to us to be obedient, and that gives Him great pleasure. By God's grace, all 16 of my kids and their spouses are walking with God and serving Him and raising oursoon to be 18grandkids in the "nurture and admonition of the Lord." Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him(Psalm 22:8). We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. At that time Jesus said, 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. Then he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. What Does the Bible Say About Gods Pleasure? - OpenBible.info (Genesis 1:1-4 NKJV), Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. (Hebrews 11:5-6 HCSB). He who loves wine and oil will not become rich. Overflow from the heart comes out of the mouth. God is our creator, who works to make us grow. Big Idea: Concern and Generosity for the needs of others. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. My daily, curated collection of Kindle deals for Christians. . Answer Some people imagine God as a cruel task master opposed to all fun or pleasure. God takes pleasure in His plan of salvation and in His Son Jesus Christ. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. What Makes God Smile? Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. The God Who Brings Us into Everlasting Pleasure 3 The presence of the Lord brings to him such extreme pleasure (ESV, "fullness of joy") that it is a joy that is almost impossible to describe adequately in words. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. Among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Im catching a glimpse of this in parenting my two-year-old daughter. Where your pleasures are, there your heart will be. And so is wisdom to a man of understanding. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. The chief end of man, we believe, in this life and in the next, is to please God his Maker. (Psalms 135:5-6 NKJV) For I know that the LORD is great, And our Lord is above all gods. The question is: Will we seek the truest and highest pleasures, or will we settle for lesser ones? God certainly had the power to create the world in an instant. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. What pleasures do you pursue? About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Is that really impressive? (Psalms 5:3-4 NKJV) My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up. (John 17:13-14 NKJV), And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. Does God cause suffering? | GotQuestions.org Clearly, the God of the Holy Bible is the God of love and His greatest pleasure is love. Do you resign yourself to a second-best effort? We are thirsty, so we search for water. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100:1-5, ESV). If you share Gods desire for the pleasure of seeing the lost come to a saving knowledge of Christ, you will pray. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. God gives the strength we need; he must work within us. (Luke 10:21 NKJV) In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. "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 cannot lose this status, because we did not earn it. How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded?And scoffers delight themselves in scoffingAnd fools hate knowledge? on: function(evt, cb) { You may look at other believers and think, Im nowhere near where I wish I was. Thats not all bad. having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. . For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;No evil dwells with You. Genesis 1 describes for us not only the fact of an ordered creation by God, but also God's response to his creation. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,But those who deal faithfully are His delight. Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. {7} Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Of all the conversations I've had with hundreds of men across the years, the number one question is: "What am I supposed to do with my life?" (Psalms 35:27 NKJV) Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.. H It would be my prayer that each one of us would have a desire to present ourselves as a living sacrifice and give God the worship He deserves. As His child, we cannot help but delight in Him as our loving Father and . That might be one of the most important things about you. As always, God is not silent. When we see our daily sin and failures (which are many) we cannot fathom that God could take anything but displeasure in us. Honoring God at work. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 NKJV) 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, {12} 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. As her father, Im grieved at her disobedience not because I love her any less but because she has chosen to disobey one of my good rules (eating!) You must pray that God will extend his grace by extending the gift of faith. We have been bought twice over by His creation of us and the redemption we have experienced at the cross, as we have come to follow Him. He has chosen to send His Son to take care of our sin problem. All my sins and disobedience right now pain him. (The Weight of Glory, emphasis added). Shes no longer concerned about pleasing me; now she only wants to please herself. He trains us as necessary, calling us to turn back to Him when we stray. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. I shall delight in Your statutes;I shall not forget Your word. 2023 TruthInk Publications. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. D As Kevin DeYoung says it, One of the main motivations for obedience is the pleasure of God., Or as John Piper says it, God is delighted with our obedience when it is the fruit of our delight in him. (1 Samuel 12:21-22 NKJV) And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. We dont need to lose our assurance as children of God every time we sin. And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. It is not limited to Sundays, as noted above, but it can be expressed on any day of the week and in different ways. Are you frustrated in your Christian life? I pray the blessing of the Lord be upon you as you seek Him and His way(s). Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. Publisher: OpenBible.info. So why would we expect the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) of his people be any different? Bless the LORD, O my soul! For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org, but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the, The steps of a man are established by the. Obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Ask Him to help you find pleasure in knowing Him. As sinners saved by matchless grace, what a blessing it is that we can serve our Lord and our God. Q The Pleasure Of His Presence | Bible.org Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him. Now, then, hear this, you sensual one,Who dwells securely,Who says in your heart,I am, and there is no one besides me.I will not sit as a widow,Nor know loss of children.. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Paul has an interesting answer for us in 1 Timothy 2:4: God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Gods desire unveils his pleasure: God loves to save the lost. Then he said to them, Go your way. PDF Finding Fulfillment in God If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. "All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. They will say, Where is the promise of his coming? How exactly are we supposed to give God what He deserves? So how do these three delights hold together? As if he sees all the shortcomings, all the failures, all the room for growth, and holds back his approval until his sanctifying work is done.
Utexas Osp Constituency, Articles W