Pleasing God

Human Standing Beside Crucifix Statue on Mountain

Made for His Glory Part 12

May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to you, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14 (Living) How I love this Living Bible translation of Psalms 19:14. Indeed we are always speaking – spoken words and unspoken thoughts and they must all align in pleasing God and bringing Him glory. Like we learnt a couple of days ago, we cannot begin to comprehend in our finite mind what thoughts the infinite mind of God is conceiving. His ways are too far away from ours but we are privileged by His Spirit to catch a glimpse of what pleases Him. Can you imagine God was pleased by the torture and death of His one begotten son (Jesus) just as much as he rejoices over the home coming of saints in light to glory. We weep when brethren die and we rejoice when the wicked die. But God sees it differently. He does not like it when the wicked die and he rejoices when saints do. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Psalms 116:15 (KJV) Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD , I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel 33:11 (KJV) So praying for the death of wicked men while desiring perpetuity (long life) for the righteous are at variance to what pleases God. 😲😱 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Isaiah 53:10 (KJV) It pleased the Lord to bruise Him. Yes, indeed, it’s not just rossy rossy that delights God. Sometimes our suffering which may make no sense to us pleases God. Jesus had to go through the cross. Sometimes, we need to stop whining and complaining about our “negative” situations and just seek to please God while going through it. Jesus knew this and sought for the Father’s will only. Remember in the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus said, not my will but thine! For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. Romans 15:3 (KJV) Jesus accepted and even welcomed the reproaches of men as long as He knew they were designed for God’s glory. Some time ago when I was attacked and beaten by certain hoodlums while on a prayer walk with some amazing brethren, this was what gave me strength and emboldened me to refuse retaliation and litigation against those my offenders. It is ok to suffer shame, reproach and distress if it will procure glory for the Lord and give Him pleasure. Some suffering can be redemptive and we must identify them and go through them for God’s glory. Imagine if Jesus had sang that song “me I no go suffer, I no go beg for bread” and rejected the shame and humiliation of the cross. Our salvation would been on jeopardy. Prayer: Lord have mercy on me! Receive glory through my joys and pains; through my shames and gains. That in everything according to Colossians 1:18, You may have the preeminence. Amen.

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gold, ingots, treasure

Made for His Glory Part 10

Guess what? It pleases God to bless you. In order words, one of the things that delights Him is when you prosper. He doesn’t like it when His children suffer, struggle or stress. I can boldly say that God is more willing to heal, bless and prosper you than all your prayers can express. Why does He desire this? Because it is what gives Him glory. Even an evil witch desires good for her children and herself how much more the righteous and loving Father. Don’t you ever believe the lie of the devil. Poverty, sickness and failure does NOT show piety and purity. There is nothing holy about holes in your pockets. God wants you blessed. Ask Balaam who tried to curse Israel. And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. Numbers 24:1 (KJV) Listen beloved, it pleases the Lord to bless you. Not just spiritually but physically, mentally, financially and health-wise too. Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant . Psalms 35:27 (KJV) God delights in our prosperity. No wonder John rightly desired that we prosper and be in health even as we prosper in our minds. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth . 3 John 1:2 (KJV) Our assignment to see that we prosper and enjoy God’s blessings as a living reality is that we simply obey and serve Him. If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. Job 36:11 (KJV) You are blessed and highly favored in Jesus name. Remember always that God is NOT against you. On the contrary, He is for you and is working all things for your good. Amen

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Close-up of Human Hand

Made for His Glory Part 7

When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7 (Amp) The Message Version brings it home by adding, When GOD approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand. Proverbs 16:7 (Msg) God didn’t design us to defend ourselves or focus on enemies but rather to trust Him enough to take care of us and to busy ourselves with pleasing God. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 The Bible tells us of two extraordinary people who pleased God with their lives and how God blessed them. Enoch was approved of God for pleasing God and he escaped death. He disappointed an appointment which all men have. He didn’t die. Reason? He had the testimony that he pleased God. By an act of faith, Enoch skipped death completely. “They looked all over and couldn’t find him because God had taken him. ” We know on the basis of reliable testimony that before he was taken “he pleased God. “ It is an act of faith that pleases God and wins our battles even the battle with death. Enoch pleased God. Jesus likewise so pleased God that God was so impressed He announced it. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. Matthew 17:5 (KJV) The Father approved of Jesus ever before he preached his first sermon, heal the sick or raised any dead. This was before He laid down his life on the cross for our redemption. He didn’t please God with His acts alone, He most assuredly pleased God with His life and lifestyle. We must on like manner seek to please God beyond what we do and step into pleasing Him in who we are. Be true, be just, be pure, be holy, be loving, be kind and be worshipping. Don’t just do – BE. And let God be pleased, and His glory will shine forth.

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