After Pleasing God's Heart It’s easy to have an affinity for an entertainer or athlete who projects a favorable personality as they perform what they do well. However, just observing them at their best is a very surface knowing of them that is of little help in doing anything that might please them. Other than buying their merchandise or show tickets, the things that personally please them will be discovered only in a closer relationship, which will most likely never happen. Even reading about their preferences or hearing them in an interview will be insufficient resources for providing them anything in the way only being with them continually can bring. It’s in personal conversation and observation of a person’s reactions to specific things that the ability to please them is developed over time. Many observed the performing of miracles, signs, and wonders by Jesus, but even after witnessing His feeding the five thousand, only a handful remained soon after. Their impression of Jesus changed when they discovered what it would take to please Him. He was moved with compassion to care for them, but moving them to God-pleasing faith was His greater purpose. Knowing the Lord is so much more than familiarity with His works and even the reception of His delivering power. He is truly known in the intimacy of daily living in the light of His presence, responding in faith, as what pleases Him takes precedence over personal preferences. In the passion to serve His heart, righteousness will be chosen over whatever momentary whim the flesh might be pressing for. Where the body was once the dictator of actions, it becomes a living sacrifice to fulfill the Father’s passion for redeeming all who will receive Him. In this walk of God-pleasing faith, knowing Him moves from admiration to pleasing participation in the wonders of His greatness. Notes “After” pleases Acts 13:22 (NLT) 22 But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’ Knowing God is going after pleasing His heart 1 John 2:4-5 (NLT) 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Passion for His heart/commandments John 14:21 (NLT) 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” Hunger is transferred from self-gratification to what gratifies God. John 4:34 (NLT) 34 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. Pleasing removes guilt/establishes confidence 1 John 3:21-22 (NKJV) 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. In the Light of His presence – transparency/resolution 1 John 1:7-10 (NLT) 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. What displeased Jesus? Lack of faith – storm, deliverance, Misrepresenting God Pleasing the Lord, Rock, Redeemer consumes spoken words and heart meditations Psalms 19:14 (NLT) 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Faith is a must – Who He is (love), what He’s provided in Christ. Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) 6 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. The way of God’s heart refuses any alternatives to what He has spoken. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT) 3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. Doing His works becomes a passionate pursuit to please Him. John 9:4 (NLT) 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. Only in close proximity can pleasing His heart be emulated. John 5:19 (NLT) 19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. Walking with Jesus – fulfilling His heart in the power of the Spirit. Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Overview: Going after the heart of God passes praise and admiration to the desire to please. Claiming to know God apart from a passion to please Him is a falsehood. Knowing/loving Him is elevating His desires above our own. Desire for confidence in His presence enables turning from sin and returning to the light of His presence for forgiveness. Refusal of doubt in the Word and meditation with an embrace of His Word/Promises are essential for pleasing Him. Carrying out our joint mission becomes the desperate pursuit of those who are after pleasing His heart. Every step in a faith walk of pleasing God is for the greater purpose of establishing disciples in His church. Prayer: Father, I am grateful for Your faithfulness in surrounding me with Your presence as I draw near to You now. Thank you for freeing me from all unrighteousness and establishing a heart in me that is passionate to please You. Reveal Yourself to me as You’ve promised as I present my body with a living purpose of pleasing Your heart. Casting down every notion that is not You, I commit my words and the meditations of my heart to only aligning with what pleases You. Fulfill Your will through me in the drawing of many to Your side, I pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen Declarations: The Words and Actions of my Father God are forever established in faith that calls me righteous and complete according to His passionate pursuit of me in Christ. As I pursue His heart, I take on this same heart of faith through words and actions that will only please Him. I no longer just desire to be impressed by Him, as my passion has grown to please His heart in every way. I refuse to allow failures to draw me from Him, but return immediately to the light of His presence where forgiveness and restoration are mine. By faith I walk in confident authority by His Word and am equipped to fulfill what He has sent me to do.