God's Good Pleasure

Cortright Homepage God's Good Pleasure

Jeremiah 9:23-24
Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.

What is it that pleases God? God delights in the man or woman who puts Him first. We need to make God the focus of our lives rather than ourselves. We need to boast of His lovingkindness. We need to boast of His good judgments. We need to boast of His righteousness. We glory in the fact that we know and understand Him. It does not matter how smart we are. It does not matter how strong we are. It does not matter how rich we are. We are nothing without God.

Psalm 147:10-11
He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy [lovingkindness].

God takes pleasure in those who trust in Him and put their hope in His lovingkindness. God finds no pleasure in the man who trusts in his own strength. He has promised to care for us. He exercises His lovingkindness in the earth. God is pleased when we take Him at His Word and put our trust in His strength.

Psalm 149:4
For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

God takes pleasure in the meekness of His people. He promised salvation. To accomplish this He sent His only begotten son to die for us.

Isaiah 53:10
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.

I am sure that God took no pleasure in seeing His son tortured. Yet it pleased the Father to make His son's soul an offering for sin so that He could "beautify the meek with salvation." Jesus Christ always did the Father's will - he always pleased God - even unto death. And God was well pleased with His son. The pleasure of the Lord did prosper in the hand of Jesus Christ.

Luke 3:22
And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

John 8:29
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

God was well pleased with Jesus and did not EVER leave him alone. Jesus Christ knew and understood from God's Word that God could only make salvation available by allowing the Christ to be an offering for the sins of the world. Jesus carried out God's will with great humility and God raised him from the dead! Jesus Christ trusted in God's strength rather than his own.

Ephesians 1:3-5
   Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
   According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
   Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

God's good pleasure was to have a family. When we confessed with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believed in our heart that God raised him from the dead He gave us salvation. He made us whole by placing holy spirit within us making us His children. That is what pleased God. That continues to be the good pleasure of His will. We are chosen, blessed, holy, and without blame; not because of our goodness or our own strength, but because of God's lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness made available to us by the offering of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith [believing] 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.

Romans 8:8
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

To please God today it is required that you believe His Word regarding the Lord Jesus Christ and get born again of His spirit. It is impossible to remain a man of the flesh (without spirit) and please God.

Romans 8:9a
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. . .

Now that we have received the spirit, we continue to please God as we walk according to that which we have within us.

Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Once born again, God is at work within us. We please God by continuing to walk according to His strength, His lovingkindness, His judgment, and His righteousness within us. We please God by speaking His Word.

1 Thessalonians 2:4
But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

We do not speak to please men. We speak to please God. Only by hearing and believing the Word of God can a person be saved. This seems like foolishness to the world, but it is the wisdom and strength of God.

1 Corinthians 1:21
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.

God is pleased when men and women believe His Word. For the unsaved, the Word of Truth regarding salvation must be heard and believed. Once saved, we please God by continuing to walk according to that holy spirit within and by speaking our Father's Word.