About Me

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Married to Don, a retired teacher and coach. We have 6 living kids and 6 beautiful grandkids who fill our lives with joy! A transplant from Sioux City Iowa to Southern California, my heart and my passion are centered on sharing the hope I have in Christ and intercessory prayer for families, for cities and for the nation. I believe that Jesus is about to return, and I want to share His desire that no man should perish. It is also my hope to be faithful to the Great Commission of Matthew 28:16-20. The legacy I pray for those I love is to love Christ and seek to serve Him.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Created for God's Pleasure


I love this painting of Jesus with the children. It is clear that the heart of the artist envisions a Christ that takes great pleasure in His communion with His children. It causes me to think of one of the things that makes my heart smile and delights my soul in our church. There are some small girls I know that love to pray; they take it seriously. Though they are all in approximately 1st – 2nd Grade, I am confident that the Lord is molding them even now into prayer warriors who will take on the mantle of the Lord’s anointed and stand in the gap through prayer.

Some times they stop me in the sanctuary before church and ask me to pray with them. What a delight it is for me! At other times, you can find them resting before the Lord at the altar in response to a worship service invitation. May I never forget to praise the Lord for His goodness and continue to ask for a childlike heart of trust and dependence, both for myself and for all within our family in Christ. May I never cease to pray that each of us would embrace that simple, believing, powerful heart for our Savior! I pray you celebrate the sweetness of simple faith!

I remember, after first meeting one of these children, seeing her sprawled on the altar after Pastor Gene’s message. After a few minutes, I went forward to pray with her. I said to her, “Honey, is there something I can pray with you about?” She responded with genuine sincerity and said, “You can pray for me if you want to, but I don’t need anything. I just came up here to talk with God.” I was instantly stopped and joy flooded my soul. What incredible pleasure that little girl brought to my heart . . . and; if to my heart . . . can you imagine the joy that floods the throne room of the Lord when these little ones just come to talk with Him!!

The word of God teaches us that we were created for God’s pleasure. Revelation 4:11 says, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” “And He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father – to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.” Amen. Revelation 1:6.

God created us to be His kingdom. He desires that each of us embrace with joy our priestly duty to minister to the Lord. When we give Him the glory and honor, the praise and worship He is fully and completely worthy of . . . we minister to our God! I don’t know about you, but the thought of ministering to my God gives me unspeakable joy!! It is to say not “What can you do for me, Lord?” Rather, it is to say “What can I do for you, Lord?” This pleases God. It builds relationship with the Most High!

So what are some other things that the Word says are pleasing to the Lord?

The Lord takes pleasure in those who seek Him in the morning and try hard to obey Him. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up. For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. Psalms 5:3-4

Because He desires that no man should perish, the Lord takes pleasure in those willing to step up in service to the kingdom. He takes pleasure when we acknowledge His wonders. Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. Bless the LORD, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul! Psalms 103:21-22

The Lord takes pleasure in those who respect Him for who He is and those who look to Him as their hope. The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy. Psalms 147:11

The Lord takes pleasure in those with humble hearts and teachable spirits. For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Psalms 149:4

The Lord takes pleasure in those willing to be His hands, and His feet, His voice and His heart in real and practical ways. "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Isaiah 58:6-7.

The Lord takes pleasure in every Christ-follower that takes His commission seriously . . . in every soul that is saved through faith in Jesus. "Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" says the Lord GOD, "and not that he should turn from his ways and live? Ezekiel 18:23

The Lord takes pleasure when He calls and we respond. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace. Galatians 1:15

The Lord takes pleasure when we surrender ourselves to be molded into the character of Jesus. Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

The Lord takes pleasure when we persevere and do not walk away from Him. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. Hebrews 10:38-39

The Lord takes pleasure in the sacrifice of praise. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16

The Lord takes pleasure when we choose to believe Him. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. James 2:23

Just think . . . when we love God and love His precious Son with an authentic and sincere heart / when we surrender and allow Him to mold us into a vessel that He can use / when are willing to be used / when we believe Him and choose to stand on His Word in spite of any circumstance that would seek to create doubt . . . we are called “FRIENDS OF GOD”. We bring Him pleasure! I am convinced that there is no title quite so sweet.

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