PLEASING THE LORD
Part 2
Jack Davis
Psalm 147:10-11, “He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.”
Colossians 1:27, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.”
The Word of God teaches of the full provision, power and Person of pleasing God. We each are blessed with some things we may do for, with, in and by Him, if we will just submit to His will and wonder-working power. His first request from us, “Give me thine heart.” He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…” We do well to let Him work.
PROVISION AND POWER
Our apostle’s prayer in Hebrews thirteen is that the “God of peace…” would make the saints “perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” – V. 20.
Our loving Father does not ask any thing of us, for which He does not fully provide. Jesus said, “Without me ye can do nothing” John 15:5. Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” Phil. 4:13. We who read of Him that has begun a good work in us, must count on Him to perform or complete it in view of the day of Christ.
Consider II Thess. 1:10-12, “When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. Wherefore also we 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: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Oh, glory to God what a wonderful day is coming! Let us know in our hearts that there is indeed an exceeding great power at work in us, and choose to yield to His marvelous working.
As we look unto Him for the “to will and to do of His good pleasure,” we must realize that He was not seeking a mechanical obedience from the likes of robots or puppets, because He delights in living, loving cooperation.
The “to will and to do” of our Lord’s good pleasure” should not be a thing of constant struggle, but it seems that for most of us, most of our lives, IT IS. We read in Psalm 37:4 & 23; “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. The steps of a good man are ordered by the lord: and he delighteth in his way.” It seems that we do not want to let Him give us His want to. We are wise to thank Him, and expect Him to put His desires in our hearts. How can He produce from our lives to “do” of His good pleasure if we resist His will?
In the past, for myself, I have used this rule. If I can take a little congratulatory pleasure to myself for doing or not doing something, then in a general sense, the Lord hasn’t done it, and won’t be pleased or glorified in it at all.
We read of several in the Old Testament that seemed to do the right thing in the wrong way, or with the wrong attitude. Yet we also read of those that did not always do things exactly right according to the Law, but with a heart that was right toward God. Who pleased God? Matt. 12:18.
THE PERSON
Matthew 12:18, “Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.”
Matthew 3:16-17, “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 17:5, “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.”
Jesus is the one man that could say, “I do always those things that please him: John 8:29. Considering the course of His public ministry from beginning to the end, we know that He please the Father. It was prophesied, “The pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hands” – Isa. 53:10. We are admonished, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” – Phil. 2:5.
Hebrews 10:6-7, “In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” II Cor. 6:16, “… God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Reading about Jesus pleasing the Father, we come to realize how it is possible that our lives may be pleasing to God. We are blessed to have the Christ life, treasure placed in these earthen vessels, when we accept Jesus as our Savior. II Cor. 4:7, “…we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
He is our life, It is Christ in us, that determines our only hope of glory. Paul said, “…Christ liveth in me…I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” – Gal. 2:20, Therefore the life of our Lord Jesus Christ in us, submitted to, is indeed a sweet-smelling savor unto God. His life developed in us, makes us pleasing to the triune God.
