During my devotional time yesterday morning, I became profoundly aware of the reality that God created all things for His own pleasure. Man was created in God's image and for His pleasure, and God loved His creation. Of course, after the fall of man, we became separated from our Creator and this certainly didn't please God, as He hates, and can not tolerate SIN. But imagine the sweet, intimate relationship with God PRIOR to the fall? Sinless, Pure, Innocent, Beautiful, Shameless, and so much more; and God walked and talked among us. The relationship was like none other could ever be!

Now, as I said, I know the fall of man (SIN) has destroyed our intimate relationship with God, but because of His enduring, faithful and perfect love for man, God sent Jesus, HIS only dear Son, who would be the perfect sacrifice that was necessary to atone for our SIN. (John 3:16)

How THANKFUL I am, that someone took time to share this Truth with me and how THANKFUL I am that God saw fit to tenderize my heart, allowing me to receive Christ as my Savior and Lord! For over 25 years, I have walked as a REDEEMED child of God! I have been reconciled back into perfect relationship with God and am now able to commune with HIM, just as if I had never sinned at all….because of Christ!

With that said, I had to ask myself this morning if my life truly is PLEASING to God. Does God ‘take pleasure’ in me and in the way I live my life? Do I live my life in a way that is pleasing to God and does my life honor Him as best I am able? I wasn’t sure. I know too often that temptation gives way to sin in my life and old habits and evil ‘garbage’ in me surface from time to time. I had to ask, How could I, a saved and redeemed child of God, now and always live to best please God and live in intimate communion with Him, yet still live, as we all do, in this fallen and evil world?

The Holy Spirit reminded me of some simple answers to that question: (not in any order)
· OBEY what God teaches (His Word)
· LIVE like Jesus lived (His ways and will)
· LOVE God back (Return God’s LOVE back to Him)
· LOVE others as He requires
· WORSHIP God
· PRAY always
· Stay connected to The Vine, Jesus
· CONFESS and REPENT of any sin

These are just some of the ways that we can live to give God the greatest pleasure. Quite a challenge! May we all live to PLEASE Him every day, as He desires!