CAN YOU GET ON THE GOOD SIDE OF THE LORD ?
THERE ARE MANY VARYING OPINIONS. SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO, THEY CANNOT PLEASE GOD. OTHERS, LIVING IN A DREAMWORLD THINK THAT THEY PLEASE GOD SIMPLY BY EXISTING AND TAKING UP SPACE IN THE UNIVERSE.
LET’S SEE WHAT THE BIBLE HAS TO SAY . . .
1. WHAT SHOULD BE OUR DELIGHTS ?
Our own will must be yielded to His. Otherwise, we fail Him and the Brethren. 1 Corinthians 16:12 As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.
A. DELIGHT TO DO THE WILL OF GOD. DO YOU GET EXCITED ABOUT IT, OR DO YOU JUST PUSH YOURSELF, AND SAY “NOW IT’S DONE.” ?
Psalms 40:8 I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart.
B. DELIGHT IN THE PERSON OF THE LORD.
Psalm 37:4-5 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.
C. DELIGHTING IN THE RIGHT THINGS CAN GET US THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES. HEALTH, MARRIAGE, OTHER TROUBLES.
Psalms 119:92 Unless Thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.
GOD’S LAW DEMANDS TRUE JUSTICE. IN THE WORLD WITHOUT GOD, THERE IS LITTLE JUSTICE – JUST A LOT OF LAWS.
2. WHAT DELIGHTS THE LORD ?
THE WHOLE IDEA THAT PEOPLE CAN DELIGHT AND PLEASE GOD SEEMS OUTLANDISH TO MANY. BUT, IT IS TRUE.
A. WHY DID GOD USE SOME PEOPLE OVER OTHERS. FOR AN EXAMPLE, WHY WAS JEREMIAH SO SPECIAL ?
HE WAS A BROKEN MAN. HE WAS BROKEN OVER THE CONDITION OF HIS PEOPLE. FEW CARE TODAY ABOUT SOULS AND THEIR DESTINY IN HELL.
Jeremiah 23:9-11 Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness. For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right. For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.
B. GOD IS PLEASED WITH CERTAIN TYPES OF SACRIFICES.
Hebrews 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
–DANGER OF CHOSING TO DO THINGS WHICH DO NOT DELIGHT THE LORD.
Isaiah 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
–HE IS NOT PLEASED WITH DISOBEDIENCE. (as with King Saul)
1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
Proverbs 21:3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
–HE IS NOT PLEASED WITH A LACK OF FAITH WHEN SO MUCH EVIDENCE TO STAND ON HAS ALREADY BEEN SHOWN TO US.
1 Corinthians 10:5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
3. WHAT CAN WE DO TO DELIGHT THE LORD FROM THIS DAY FORWARD ?
A. WHEN WE REALIZE HOW USELESS OUR OLD WAYS ARE, WE CAN RECEIVE THE HELP WE NEED FROM GOD.
Psalms 69:20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
B. THE HEALING OF THE LORD IS PRESENT WHEN WE COME WITH THE RIGHT SACRIFICE.
TOO MANY COME TO GOD WITHOUT A BROKEN SPIRIT. IT STILL RULES THEM, SO IT HAS NOT BEEN BROKEN YET.
Psalms 147:3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.