At Whose Pleasure?

In a world where pleasure is emphasized, it would be easy to become self-absorbed, and thus, forgetting all things were created by God, and for His pleasure they were created (see Colossians 1:16, Revelation 4:11).  The self-absorbed believe they’re the center of the universe.  They are also self-deceived.  They are headed toward destruction and don’t realize it.  We cannot be too hard on them, because many of us were also in that category until we met Jesus.  As a matter of fact, we really need to be compassionate toward them, since ultimately their destruction is eternal, unless they too meet Him.  Ironically, they can be some of the most difficult people to be compassionate toward, especially if there is arrogance involved.  How many of us were shocked and broken when we woke up and saw our spiritual condition?  It is good to remember where we came from in order to hold things in perspective.  That doesn’t mean relive our past or become negative toward ourselves; just learn from it.

Have you ever noticed yourself having self-absorbed moments, perhaps seasons, even after becoming a believer?  This underscores the need to renew your mind and put things in good order.  This serves as a reminder to be compassionate.  We all are susceptible to self-deception if we lose perspective by becoming complacent in our walk.  It pays to ask ourselves, “Whose pleasure are you most interested in?”  The Bible says, “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalms 37:4).  So, while He is very much interested in your desires, are you interested in His?

Until we as a collective, get serious about His desires and serving at His pleasure, we’ll never be who we’re supposed to be: one Body.  Individually, your most joyful place in life is in the center of God’s will.  The more a person moves away from center, the less joy he or she will have.  Why has there been so much division in the Church?  The devil?  Not really.  He doesn’t have that kind of power.  Sure, he is deceptive, and a number have fallen prey to his deception; but ultimately, it’s on us.

James 4:1-3 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

What would happen if every individual, every member of the Body of Christ actually zeroed in on the will of God and submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ?  What if each of us legitimately endeavored to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (see Ephesians 4:1-3).  What if we actually loved one another as we are supposed to?  Do you think perhaps, just perhaps, we would become one Body?  Think of all the broken and strained relationships that would be healed, if we simply did things His way.  How much more effective would we be in making disciples of all the nations, if we simply agreed with Jesus (see Matthew 28:19)?

Luke 6:46-49 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

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