Pleasure

Adam and Eve’s greatest pleasure was communication with God and spending time with God. They had many other great pleasures, but their greatest pleasure was God. Biblical David’s greatest pleasure (When he was living right) was praying, studying the commandments, and spending time with God. The Bible implies that Biblical Paul may have had the most joy of any person. His greatest pleasure was…

When I am living right, my greatest pleasure is prayer, Bible, and spending time with God. The problem:

Satan slithered up to Eve and said: “My pleasure is better, your eyes will be opened, you will be powerful doing things my way.” Then disaster happened.

Second, I claim to be convinced that God’s way is always better. Many of us say that. But, in addition to our main habit/habits we have a bunch of other things going on. I want financial success my way, I want TV, phone, computer pleasure my way, I want to eat, and drink what I want, I want to look at what I want to look at. I want to do what I feel like doing. Your list of what you want is certainly different than mine, but we are all the same. Our lists contain, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, a thousand times. Consider praying 1000 times:

“Father, You are my pleasure.”

Eve would have lived in the Garden of Eden until this day. Lived in paradise. Lived a perfectly joyful life with God… If, she had just insisted on making God her pleasure.

Third, I have an excuse. Adam and Eve messed it up for me. I was born in sin.

Fourth, what if I make it a habit to pray that prayer? What if I say… I am going to live God’s way from now on. Consider praying:

“Father, doing Your will is my pleasure.”

Adam and Eve’s pleasure was doing God’s will. Then they listened to satan. Then disaster.

Fifth, if I don’t pray prayers like these, satan will sneak right back in and convince me that my way (which is often his way) is best.

Sixth, several decades ago my dad convinced me to pray often:

“Father, help me to care about souls.”I have prayed that prayer maybe 50,000 times. Doing that was the smartest thing I ever did (After accepting Christ). That prayer helped me change from a selfish person into a person who tries to help others. Additionally, that change started me on a path toward great joy.

Seventh, now my goal is to make God my pleasure. He is, but I need constant reminders because I have created this crazy world where other things are my pleasures.

Eighth, making God our pleasure does not diminish clean pleasures. Clean pleasures are always better with God.

Finally, consider setting your goal of how you will remind yourself to make God your pleasure. For me, my pleasure always goes way up when I do that.