Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Be With Me is a daily 7 minute chronological walk through the New Testament hosted by Michael Smith. It is for everyone who is curious about what Jesus actually said and did in the gospels. Most episodes will leave you with at least one good thought to chew on for the rest of the day. We start with the Bible and hopefully end with Awe. We are walking through the chronological events of Jesus' life and then thoughtfully considering them. It is meant to spur the devotional life of the Christian and the not-yet-Christian. We occasionally venture into the Old Testament when it helps our understanding of the New Testament events. Everybody has 7 minutes. Everybody needs to wonder. Be With Me is hosted by Michael Smith who has absolutely no special qualifications to do a podcast. He is not a pastor. He has not been to seminary. He does not lead a mega-church. He is not a professional and he has no more credentials than you do. He does, however, follow a great God with an observant eye and a curious heart. Each day, he starts with a study bible and aims for astonishment. ‘be with him’ for 7 minutes as he sets out daily to discover the God who invites us to ‘Be With Me.’
Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
What is it that pleases God? Ps149 s30e49
Do you ever wonder what makes God happy? Psalm 149 flat out tells us. It is humbling to find out what, or more specifically WHO gives Him this pleasure.
Like a grandparent for his grandchildren, the Lord has an enthusiastic, disproportional, and maybe even unbalanced regard for HIS PEOPLE.
He tells us we are His chosen portion, the apple of His eye, and that He takes pleasure in us. Join me for less than 7 minutes of pure good news. Subscribe on YouTube for more good news tomorrow.
https://youtu.be/rgy85CP_K2s
What is it that pleases God? Ps149 s30e49
What makes God happy? Can we be a part of the pleasure of God? Today we are going to find out.
This is one of the most profound concepts that echoes thru every single page of the bible: THE LORD TAKES PLEASURE IN HIS PEOPLE.
Ps 149 flat out tells us. You won’t leave ps 149 without knowing God’s affectionpriorities:
What is it that pleases? God. ? is Better stated who is it that pleases God?
It is people. People are what pleases God. Watch for it in v.4
Sing to the Lord a New Song
149 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the godly!
2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; **********
he adorns the humble with salvation.
This is not the only place the bible talks aobut this topic. Zechareiah 2:8 states that He who touches you touches the apple of His eye.
People are the favorite thing of God, besides Himself.
Though it sounds strange to say, God has a great affection and fondness for Himself. God must love the other members of the Trinity most of all.
To not treasure Himself would be to blasphemy.
To think of Himself in any way other than most holy, most powerful, most knowledgable, and infinitely existing would be inaccurate..
Therefore, that God Loves Himself is true and appropriate, for He is most worthy. But other than that, the Lord takes pleasure in HIS PEOPLE.
If taking pleasure in Himself is #1 on the list, #2 is taking pleasure in His people
The closest analogy I can think of is a grandparents regard for their grandchildren. Grandparents have an enthusiastic, disproportional, even unbalanced regard for their grandchildren. Let me be the first to say it, the favor that Baba has for his grandchildren is wildly incongruous, and it is a most wonderful thing.
This is beautifully said in Dt. 32: 8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,
when he divided mankind,
he fixed the borders of the peoples
according to the number of the sons of God.
9 But the Lord’s portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted heritage.
10 “He found him in a desert land,
and in the howling waste of the wilderness;
he encircled him, he cared for him,
he kept him as the apple of his eye.
When it comes to divvying up the valuable stuff, the Lord’s portion, what He treasures most, is His people. He wants us as His cherished possession.
He tells us that we are the apple of His eye.
Now, Let’s talk about other things in the Word that God says do indeed please Him. The Bible says There are things we can do that please God. Perhaps it is Like when a parent that sees their kids actually do something that is actively pleasing in their eye. Here is a short list of what the Bible says pleases HIM:
Our thoughts can be pleasing before Him. Yielding to His will. Having faith.
OUR WORSHIP CAN PLEASE HIM We can appreciate His characteristics: such as Delighting in His HESED. This is another word for adoration and worship.
Our words can be pleasing to Him: Speaking purely.
Our behaviors can please God : turning from sin, offering the right sacrifice, which we know from Rm 12: 1 is the offering of our bodies and behaviors. Sufferingcorrectly. Obedience to parents and authorities. Making a return to your parents.
What are the things, the activities the volitions that please God? What do all these things have in common? People. People are volitionally doing them all, by influence of common grace or His divine, revealed nature. For the Lord takes pleasure in His people. He made us. We bear His image. We depend upon Him.
What is it that pleases? God. ? Better stated who is it that pleases God? It is people. Like a grandparents disproportional love. People are what pleases God.
Usually try to end in some practical application. Here it is: Let’s understand it. We are the portion He chooses. We are the apple of his eye. Finally, let’s just bask in it: The Lord takes pleasure in his people.