DRAWING NEAR
February 16
The Joy of Pleasing God
"The blameless in their walk are [God's] delight" (Prov. 11:20).
Your love for God brings Him joy.
Our focus so far this month has been on the joy we experience in
knowing and serving Christ. Before we turn our attention to the theme
of godliness, I want you to consider two additional aspects of joy:
the joy of pleasing God, and how to lose your joy. Pleasing God is
our topic for today.
Perhaps you haven't given much thought to how you can bring joy to
God, but Scripture mentions several ways. Luke 15:7, for example,
says, "There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents,
than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."
Verse 10 adds, "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner who repents." Repentance brings joy to God.
Faith is another source of joy for God. Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without
faith it is impossible to please Him." That's the negative side of a
positive principle: when you trust God, He is pleased.
In addition to repentance and faith, prayer also brings God joy.
Proverbs 15:8 says, "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to
the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight."
Righteous living is another source of joy to God, as David
acknowledges in 1 Chronicles 29:17: "I know, O my God, that Thou
triest the heart and delightest in uprightness." Solomon added that
those who walk blamelessly are God's delight (Prov. 11:20).
Repentance, faith, prayer, and righteous living all please God
because they are expressions of love. That's the over-arching
principle. Whenever you express your love to Him--whether by words of
praise or acts of obedience--you bring Him joy.
Doesn't it thrill you to know that the God of the universe delights
in you? It should! Let that realization motivate you to find as many
ways as possible to bring Him joy today.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Thank God for the privilege of bringing Him joy. Thank Him for His
grace, which enables you to love Him and to express your love in
repentance, faith, prayer, and righteous living (cf. 1 John 4:19).
For Further Study:
Read 1 Kings 3:3-15.
What did Solomon request of God? What was God's response?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Proverbs 11:20 (NKJV)
Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, But
the blameless in their ways are His delight.
1 John 4:19
We love Him because He first loved us.
1 Kings 3:3-15
3 And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father
David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high
places.
4 Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the
great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that
altar.
5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and
God said, "Ask! What shall I give you?"
6 And Solomon said: "You have shown great mercy to Your servant
David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in
righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have
continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son
to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 "Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my
father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or
come in.
8 "And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have
chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.
9 "Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge
Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is
able to judge this great people of Yours?"
10 The speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 Then God said to him: "Because you have asked this thing, and
have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for
yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for
yourself understanding to discern justice,
12 "behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given
you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone
like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.
13 "And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches
and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings
all your days.
14 "So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My
commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your
days."
15 Then Solomon awoke; and indeed it had been a dream. And he came
to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD,
offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast
for all his servants.
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
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To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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