Is God Pleased?

Today’s Verse:

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. ~Matthew 3:17

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When we are pleasing, it means that we have met the approval and have satisfied the desire of the person we are performing a service to. I think of a caterer being hired out to do a special dinner in honor or appreciation of someone. When the festivity is over, the host will tell the caterer, “I am very pleased how this event turned out.” When Jesus began His public ministry, the Godhead was present and gave approval to His presentation and submission to the will of God. God the Father proclaimed, “I am well pleased.” Let us see this morning a few things that are pleasing to God.

We see that Jesus’ suffering and death was pleasing to 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 51:10). Jesus was the only acceptable Sacrifice and Substitute to die for the sins of man. God’s demands for sin were satisfied completely through Jesus’ vicarious death. Through His death, Jesus was the Just bringing the unjust (ourselves) to God.

We see that the preaching of the cross pleases God.

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21). Preaching is the open proclamation of God’s Word. It is a herald blowing the trumpet and crying an urgent message aloud. The centrality in preaching is to lift up Christ and His death on the cross. God uses the preaching of the cross to save unbelievers. The preaching of the cross is the power of God at work through a preacher in the lives of those who hear. The preaching of the cross never fails to save souls.

We see that a consistent walk with God pleases God.

“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:4). Enoch walked with God. He made the priority of his day and his life close fellowship with God. In his walk, he drew nearer to God. Through his walk, he was called to be a preacher. He was a preacher to his generation, warning them of judgment to come. God is pleased when we walk with Him.

We see that faith is pleasing to God.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith pleases God. Faith results in praying. Faith involves obedience. Faith involves giving. Faith involves serving. Faith gives us strength for difficult tasks. Faith means that we must part with the world. Faith is the substance by which Red Seas are parted, Jericho walls come tumbling down, giants are defeated, and the mouths of lions are shut. Faith overcomes governments. Faith sustains us in our conflicts. Faith is required to be saved. Faith is the means by which our weakness turns to strength.

Jesus lived a sinless and perfect life. He was well-pleasing to God. Like Enoch, let us have this testimony that we please God. Make sure that you are pleasing to God!

Have a well-pleasing God Morning!

Bible Reading Schedule: 1 Chronicles 28 – 2 Chronicles 1

#Matthew