The “Pleasure of God”…

One day the Lord told me that my life would be a “testimony” to others. I know that may sound like a “proud” statement. But when He told me this, He was saying to me, “I see you. I hear you. I know your heart and motives, and I desire that my children model this.” If you heard this from the Lord, would it encourage your faith and assure you of His personal love, or would it give you a big head? When I heard this, it meant the Lord knew the core of my being and the depth of my desire for Him. It meant that He knew, truly knew, I wanted nothing, and I mean nothing, but Him and His “controlling presence” in my life.

This is the…“pleasure of God.” And I am here to testify to it. First, this that I am speaking of has NOTHING to do with me being “perfect or complete, or finished, or fully sanctified” before Christ. What it has to do with is the heart. For man sees the outside, but the LORD looks at the heart, and weighs it. Do you know that verse? We all “can pretend” if we want to. We can live “untrue” before others and not live authentically. Do you think this pleases the Lord? After all, He knows the depth of our hearts so why don’t we just live authentically everywhere we go? Why do we not always “tell the truth” with our lives? Do you think the reason could be PRIDE? Do you know what the Lord wants? He wants His children to “live truly.” So, how does a child of God live truly? They simply model their Father. God cannot lie in word or deed. He always lives authentically. Jesus always was authentic. Do you know the reason we might not live authentically? Because we are not “secure” in our identity as God’s “individually” seen, heard, and known sons and daughters. Really, this is the true reason. It is all based on a skewed view of the truth.

Let me ask you something. How do you truly view yourself? The way you view yourself is the way you are going to think and live every day. Since it is true that a king would act like a king, and a princess would act like a princess, and the President acts like the President, etc. So, shouldn’t the beloved of God act like the beloved of God? Unless of course, you are walking around with guilt or shame because your life (your thinking, speaking, listening, reading, watching, moving, spending, loving, forgiving, praying) does not match how the beloved of God lives. You see, many Christians do live hypocritical lives. And this life of hypocrisy simply results from either, not knowing, or not believing, the truth. As is true of say, the new believer. They are unfamiliar with the truth and therefore have not had their “minds renewed” with the truth yet. And thankfully God gives more grace where more grace is required. But those of us who have been Christian’s for quite a while should know the truth.

Let me define what a “Christian” is: A Christian is a “little” Jesus. They are distinct from the “common”, meaning they are set-apart as holy unto God. Their Dad in the Creator of the universe. Their Master defeated sin and death and now is seated in heaven. They are seated with him, in heaven. They are completely “new.” They are spiritual beings before they are physical beings. They live for those things which will last. The things which are eternal. They are not caught up in the things which the rest of the world is going after: money, politics (overly caught up), fashion, beauty, career, health (since God is their Creator and Sustainer, according to scripture) popularity and cultural competition, and anything which consists of “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life.” They are here on this earth for the glory of God. Truly, this perspective, living for the …pleasure of God, is what life is to be about for the beloved of God.

And this is my testimony: The way I model this is first, by the power/grace of God and through the faith I have. Second, I have resolved to put absolutely no confidence in myself, or in those of this world. Apart from God I only listen to Godly counsel from those who walk with God. I do not trust in myself at all. Not for anything…at all. I start my day in dependence on God, placing everything in His hands and under His care. In submission and resolve I am simply a literal “clay pot.” He is the molder, caretaker, and filler, of my clay pot. I move because He moves. I listen and He speaks. I meditate on the Word of God throughout the day. I listen to, read, and watch, that which builds up my faith. I practice daily an “eternal perspective” meaning I see everything from heaven, looking down at earth. The Lord controls my heart and mind. I do NOTHING apart from Him. He is my absolute lover. He is my ultimate joy, and my best friend. He is my “intimacy.” I sit in His presence, and we share with each other daily. And so, I am literally, “nothing more, and nothing less, than a holy dwelling place for the Living God to display the glory of God in my hands, feet, and mouth.” But in these last days He has called me and appointed me as a “mouthpiece” specifically, more than being used for service with my hands and feet. He has “removed me” from all other ministry and placed me as a “voice” for the children of God, and to the glory of God.

While I was in the process of writing this my friend called me. We prayed together. He is a friend who at times gets visions from God. After we prayed, he told me he saw a vision of me “walking gently on top of the water” not in a hurried or anxious way. But gently walking on water. Not distracted by the world, instead, just walking on the water. This picture he gave me perfectly describes my life. Why? Because someone who walks on water must live supernaturally and cannot rely on their own power for anything. They are completely dependent on God. And that is me.

And so, whatever anyone may think regarding this odd post. Just know that if God commends you and calls you to testify to your life for others to model, it may feel odd and unfamiliar, and may “appear” as unbiblical. However, just know it is biblical, and seen throughout the Psalms and from the apostle Paul himself and is something which we are to strive for. Therefore, this is called “confidence” before God, not “pride” before God! And as the Apostle John wrote, “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him” (1 John 3:21–22, emphasis mine).

This is: …. The Pleasure of God!