9 What Makes God Smile?

 

 

 

 PURPOSE # 1

 

 

You Were Planned For God's Pleasure

 

 

 For God has planed them like strong

and graceful oaks for his own glory.

Isaiah 61:3

 

 

9 What Makes God Smile?

 

 

May the LORD smile on you...

Numbers 6:25

 

Smile on me, your servant;

teach me the right way to live.

Psalm 119:135

 

 

The smile of God is the goal of your life.

Since pleasing God is the first purpose of your life,

your most important task is to discover how to do that.

The Bible says,

"Figure out what will please Christ,

and then do it."

1 Ephesians 5:10

 

Fortunately, the Bible gives us a clear example of a life

that gives pleasure to God.

The man's name was Noah.

"Noah was a pleasure to the Lord."

Genesis 6:8

From his life we learn the five acts of worship

that make God smile.

 

God smiles when we love him supremely.

"Noah consistently followed God's will

and enjoyed a close relationship with Him."

Genesis 6:9b

This is What God wants most from you: a relationship!

It's the most astounding truth in the universe—

that our Creator wants to fellowship with us.

 

God made you to love you,

and he longs for you to love him back.

"I don't want your sacrifices—I want your love;

I don't want your offerings—I want you to know me."

Hosea 6:6

God deeply loves you and desires your love in return.

He longs for you to know him and spend time with him.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart

and with all your soul and with all your mind.

This is the first and greatest commandment."

Matthew 22:37-38

 

God smiles when we trust him completely.

"By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land.

He was warned about something he couldn't see,

and acted on what he was told...

As a result, Noah became intimate with God."

Hebrews 11:7

 

There were three problems

that could have caused Noah to doubt.

First, God irrigated the earth from the ground up.

Genesis 2:5-6

Second, Noah lived hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean.

Third, there was the problem of rounding up all the animals

and then caring for them.

But Noah didn't complain or make excuses.

He trusted God completely,

and that made God smile.

 

Trusting God completely means having faith

that he knows what is best for your life.

"He takes pleasure in those that honor Him;

in those who trust in His constant love."

Psalm 147:11

"Without faith it is impossible to please God."

Hebrews 11:6

 

God smiles when we obey him wholeheartedly.

Everything had to be done just as God prescribed it.

"So Noah did everything

exactly as God had commanded him."

Genesis 6:22

see also Hebrews 11:7b

Wholehearted obedience is done joyfully, with enthusiasm.

"Obey him gladly."

Psalm 100:2

This is the attitude of David:

"Just tell me what to do and I will do it, Lord.

As long as I live I'll wholeheartedly obey."

Psalm 119:33

 

James, speaking to Christians, said,

"We please God by what we do

and not only by what we believe."

James 2:24

Any act of obedience is also an act of worship.

Jesus said,

"If you love me,

you will obey my commandments."

John 14:15

 

God smiles when we praise and thank him continually.

"Then Noah built an altar to the LORD...

and sacrificed burnt offerings on it."

Genesis 8:20

"the sacrifice of praise"

Hebrews 13:15

and "the sacrifice of thanksgiving,"

Psalm 116:17

 

We praise God for who he is,

and we thank God for what he has done.

David said,

"I will praise God's name in song

and glorify him with thanksgiving.

This will please the LORD."

Psalm 69:30-31

An amazing thing happens

when we offer praise and thanksgiving to God.

When we give God enjoyment,

our own hearts are filled with joy!

"The righteous are glad and rejoice

 in his presence;

they are happy and shout for joy."

Psalm 68:3

 

God smiles when we use our abilities.

"Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth...

Everything that lives and moves will be food for you.

Just as I gave you the green plants,

I now give you everything."

Genesis 9:1,3

Actually, God enjoys watching every detail of your life,

whether you are working, playing resting, or eating.

"The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD.

He delights in every detail of their lives."

Psalm 37:23

 

Every human activity, except sin,

can be done for God's pleasure

if you do it with an attitude of praise.

Like a proud parent, God especially enjoys watching

you use the talents and abilities

he has given you.

God intentionally gifted us differently for his enjoyment.

"He has shaped each person in turn;

now he watches everything we do."

Psalm 33:15

 

You only bring him enjoyment by being you.

"You have no right to argue with your Creator.

You are merely a clay pot shaped by a potter.

The clay doesn't ask,

'Why did you make me this way?'"

Isaiah 45:9

Start using yours for God's pleasure.

 

Every act of enjoyment becomes an act of worship

when you thank God for it.

"God... generously gives us

everything for our enjoyment."

1 Timothy 6:17

He loves you as if you were the only person on earth.

He loves and enjoys you

at every stage of your spiritual development.

"He certainly knows what we are made of.

He bears in mind that we are dust."

Psalm 103:14

 

What God looks at is the attitude of your heart:

Is pleasing him your deepest desire?

This was Paul's life goal:

"More than anything else,

however, we want to please him,

whether in our home here or there."

2 Corinthians 5;9

 

When you live in light of eternity,

your focus changes from

"How much pleasure am I getting out of life?"

to

"How much pleasure is God getting out of my life?"

 

God is looking for people like Noah in the twenty-first century—

people willing to live for the pleasure of God.

"The Lord looks down from heaven

on all mankind to see

if there are any who are wise,

who want to please God."

Psalm 14:2

Will you make pleasing God the goal of you life?

There is nothing that

God won't do for the person

totally absorbed with this goal.

 

 

 

 

DAY NINE

Thinking About My Purpose

 

Point to Ponder: God smiles when I trust him.

 

Verse to Remember: "The Lord is pleased with those

who worship him and trust his love."

Psalm 147:11

 

Question to Consider: Since God knows what is best,

in what areas of my life do I need to trust him most?

 

 

p 69~76

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.purposedrivenlife.com