Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Pleasing God


Pleasing God can look different to a lot of people! Pleasing God is walking in integrity, feeding on His faithfulness and trusting Him, when things may look rather bleak and ominous. Pleasing God may mean we greatly increase our giving over and above the tithe. Pleasing God may mean going to work part-time instead of full time! Pleasing God may mean staying home and raising the children instead of going after that degree that could bring into the home a substantial amount of income each month. Pleasing God may mean going to a foreign country and live for a year as a missionary.

Pleasing God is one who is:
  • humble
  • devoted
  • faithful
  • accepting God's word and plan
Pleasing God brings:
  • security
  • divine protection
  • His presence
  • praise to our lips
  • the desires of our heart
We can look at Mary the mother of Jesus. She was the humble and the devoted. "Be it unto me, according to Your Word."
Lord, what YOU speak to me today, I will do........be it unto me! How many of us truly say that and everyday speak it and mean it..........., "be it unto to me according to Your Word!"
Although we know very little of Mary, we do know that she trusted in the Lord and trusted in what He gave her to do. Her heart was acceptable to the things of God. In knowing what He had given her to do meant some trouble for Mary. Will we truly accept God's radical plan for our lives? We know one thing for certain, Mary walked with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

A radical life Mary accepted. She had a binding contract to a man named Joseph, but of which had not been consummated since it took a year for all to come to pass of this ceremony. But Mary would have the sign of a pregnancy proceeding to a child' s birth.
Mary's life defined a pure life of faith. Looking on her life today, I see her life as a praise to God. If Mary had any inhibitions, she did not let them show. She stayed faithful to the plan of God.

I had opportunity to minister this Word to a Women's Conference in October 2013 and it was on the Altar of Heritage, A Harvest in Prayer Living Love 360. It was how prayer and the vertical relationship had begun from David down to Mary and to Jesus, the Son of God!  The teaching was on people who were seekers of the face of God in His Word and in prayer.
On the topic of Mary of this one segment, we found Mary the highly favored one in Luke 1:28-33.
28....and having come in, the angel said to her, "rejoice highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"  29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 then the angel said to her, "do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." 31"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. and of His kingdom, there will be no end. (NKJV)

Mary had a heart knowledge of God. She believed. She saw the fulfillment of all that was given to her in that Word.
We later find Mary, and she is attending a wedding in Cana of Galilee. John 2:1-5................On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding ..3.And they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "they have no wine." 4 Jesus said to her, "woman what does your concern have to do with me?" "MY hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it!"

Knowing her son was from God, the highly favored one continued to look to God and participated with others to hear the teachings Jesus presented to the people. She was aware and kept the word that was spoken long ago, that her son would be great, and would be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God would give Him the throne of His father David. Now when God tells you He will make "a"name for you, He will do it!
She was always revisiting the Word spoken, she was revisiting how she experienced His Word and had victory to bring forth a Son and not be put to shame.

No, she continued to flow with God as we see in John 19:25-27....Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "woman, behold your son!" 27 then He said to the disciple, "behold your mother!" and from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. (NKJV)

Protection was what Mary experienced. God was keeping a place for Mary. Then we find Mary in Acts 1:13-14, Acts 2:4............and when they had entered,....the upper room where they were staying; Peter, James, John and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; Judas the son of James. 14 these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women , Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brothers..........................Acts 2:............4. and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance. (NKJV)

Mary continued her walk with God. She gathered with the others in prayer and supplications to the Lord! It was in the upper room, they received the Holy Spirit. These men and women were those who were seekers of God and they were those who were endued with power from on high!

Pleasing God is a personal thing. It is a vertical relationship with God and to have confidence that He will fulfill all that He has spoken to our hearts.

Through her whole life Mary experienced God. She knew security, protection, His presence, and it brought praise to her lips. Her heart's desire: well,............ "Lord be it unto me according to Your word."
Mary, pleased God!

Holy Spirit, seal this Word on our hearts. As we make this continuous walk of staying close to You, may we be those men and women who hear YOU speak. Lord, we pray to be like Mary, who is never brought to shame. Lord, may we be those with a testimony of faith to believe and to put our trust in YOU alone! We are thankful for Mary, the example of the faithful, the devoted and the humble! Lord, we ask You to speak to us and declare Your plan and bring us teachers who will expand on Your words of truth concerning our pleasing You always. Our confidence is in You. Teach us and lead us in a smooth path. Deliver us today from those who speak evil against us, We expect and receive today Your goodness to us in the land of the living. We thank You ........our God, our Savior, 
Who is faithful and true. In Jesus' name. Amen


You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at (http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

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