Is His Pleasure the same as My Pleasure?
Ps 147:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Chik-Fil-A has a policy that their employees respond to the customers as they make requests with the words "my pleasure". I love it and think that it is quite appropiate, but I have to ask myself, "Do they really mean what they are saying, or are they simply quoting a memorized phrase?
The word "pleasure" is mentioned in the KJV Bible more than 60 times.
When a person is making a trip to another land, the question invariably will come up, "Is this trip for business or for pleasure?" The general thinking is that it is either related to work or to leisure. For the christian, the business of the kingdom of God is our pleasure.
The word Eden means pleasure. So we know that the first home of man was meant to be a place of pleasure for him. That was before sin messed up the whole situation.
We also understand that God is okay with you and I enjoying certain pleasures. It is of the utmost importance that our pleasures revolve around our life in God.
Lu 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Re 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
I. Gods' Pleasure---Observing His children as they seek to do His will and revere His name.
Eph. 1:5,9
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
It gives the Lord great pleasure when we subject ourselves to His perfect will.
II. Displeasure to God
A. Fools--those who do not keep their vows before God.
Eccl. 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
B. Backsliding--drawing back from your walk with the Lord.
Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
III. Pleasures of a Godly Person---relating to the ETERNAL
A. Works of God
Ps. 111:2 The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
B. Real Life
Eccl. 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
---You will never be any younger than you are today.
C. Our Shortcomings
2 Co. 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
--Paul says that he would most gladly suffer these things in exchange for the power of Christ to rest upon him (v. 9)
IV. Ungodly Pleasure of Mankind--TEMPORAL
A. A Goal of non-stop Pleasure
Prov. 21:17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
B. Shameful Sins (sodomy)
Romans 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
--Pleasure becomes a problem when we use it to gratify self.
C. Truth Deniers
2 Thes. 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Moses made a choice: Heb 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
We all must make the choices. Will you seek your pleasures outside of Christ? In 100 years, what will really matter?
Col. 3: 2-5
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life (PLEASURE), shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5 ΒΆ Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
