“…the LORD SUPPORTED ME. He LED ME to a place of safety; He RESCUED ME because He DELIGHTS (châphêts: to take pleasure in) in me.” (Psalms 18:18-19) “For THE LORD TAKES PLEASURE IN HIS PEOPLE; He will BEAUTIFY THE HUMBLE with salvation.” (Psalms 149:4)
GOD’S REASONS FOR TAKING PLEASURE IN US:
- LOVE: The Lord LOVES, cares for, and rejoices over His people. “God SO LOVED the world that HE GAVE His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him MIGHT BE SAVED.” (John 3:16-17)
- MERCY: The Lord takes pleasure in his people based on HIS MERCY, not on their own merits. “God, who is RICH IN MERCY, because of HIS GREAT LOVE WITH WHICH HE LOVED US, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us ALIVE TOGETHER with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and RAISED US UP TOGETHER, and made us SIT TOGETHER in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” (Ephesians 2:4-6)
- RIGHTEOUSNESS: The Lord takes pleasure in his people based on THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS. “We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For He has made Him who knew no sin, TO BE SIN FOR US, that we might become THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM.” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)
- FAITH: The Lord takes pleasure in seeing believers WALK BY FAITH as His grace empowers them. “For we WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, TO BE WELL PLEASING TO HIM.” (2 Corinthians 5:7-9)
- PEACE: When the Lord takes pleasure in someone’s way, He causes their enemies to make PEACE WITH THEM. “When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies TO BE AT PEACE WITH HIM.” (Proverbs 16:7)
“Behold WHAT MANNER OF LOVE the Father has BESTOWED ON US, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM, for we shall SEE HIM AS HE IS. And everyone who has this hope in Him PURIFIES HIMSELF, JUST AS HE IS PURE.” (1 John 3:1-3)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham