Revel In the Reality of God's Pleasure Over You!

O God of My Exodus,

Great was the joy of Israel's sons,

when Egypt died upon the shore,

Far greater the joy

when the Redeemer's food lay crushed

in the dust.

Jesus strides forth as the victor,

conqueror of death, hell, and all opposing 

might;

He burst the bands of death,

tramples the powers of darkness down,

and lives for ever.

He, my gracious surety,

apprehended for payment of my debt,

comes forth from the prison house of the grave

free, and triumphant over sin, Satan, and death.

Show me herein the proof that his vicarious offering 

is accepted,

that the claims of justice are satisfied,

that the devil's scepter is shivered,

that is wrongful throne is levelled. 

Give me the assurance that in Christ I died,

in him I rose,

in his life I live, in his victory I triumph,

in his ascension I shall be glorified.

Adorable Redeemer,

thou who wast lifted up upon a cross

art ascended to highest heaven.

Thou, who as Man of sorrows

was crowned with thorns,

art now as Lord of life wreathed with glory.

Once, no shame more deep than thine,

no agony more bitter,

do death more cruel.

Now, no exaltation more high,

no life more glorious, 

no advocate more effective.

Thou art in the triumph car leading captive

thine enemies behind thee.

What more could be done that thou hast done!

Thy death is my life,

thy resurrection my peace,

thy ascension my hope,

thy prayers my comfort. 

RESURRECTION The Valley of Vision; Puritan Prayers and Devotions

Matthew 3:16-17

And when Jesus was baptized, 

immediately he went up from the water, 

and behold, the heavens were opened to him, 

and he saw the Spirit of God descending 

like a dove and coming to rest on him; 

and behold, a voice from heaven said,

"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

God's pleasure didn't stop there!  When we are buried with Chirst, rendered dead to sin and alive through the atoning work of Christ Jesus the man, we too are pleasing to God!

Romans 7:4-6

Likewise, my brothers, 

you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, 

so that you may belong to another, 

to him who has been raised from the dead, 

in order that we may bear fruit to God.

Romans 6:3-5

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized 

into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  

We were buried therefore WITH HIM by baptism into death, 

in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead 

by the glory of the Father, 

we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, 

we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

We have been resurrected into the life or Christ through Christ himself!  What wonderful news that we are pleasing in God's sight despite our dead works because Christ has done the work for us and our redemption is sealed by His blood and nothing that we do our say!

My children come to me frequently for approval and their hearts are affected by my pleasure over them as individuals.

Do they do anything to earn that pleasure?  Well of course to some degree, in our sinful nature we have expectations of our children that have a bearing on whether or not we are pleased with them but this is not so with God.

The Father delights in His children and He is pleased because of our death to sin and our resurrection through Christ, the perfect law abiding citizen of earth, that took upon Himself the penalty for our sin so that we could walk in newness of life!

This is the Good News of the Gospel and it should cause us to be deeply satisfied and stand in the victory that Christ has accomplished for us through HIS death and resurrection.

Our acceptance from the Father is not dependent upon our performance or our status or even our obedience!

Zephaniah 3:17

The LORD your God is in your midst, 

a mighty one who will save; 

he will rejoice over you with gladness; 

he will quiet you by his love; 

he will exult one you with loud singing.

This reality should give us a deep sense of rest and peace in our sin sick hearts, where daily we war against the world, the flesh and the devil.  It allows us to stand and stand therefore!

Ephesians 6:10

Finally, be strong IN the Lord and IN the strength of HIS might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

The enemy will come to you and tell you over and over again that God is displeased with you as well as your own heart.  The lie will come and tell you that you are weak and incapable to stand firm but because we are buried with Christ we are IN HIM and this reality superceeds the wrongful throne of Satan in your life!

I Corinthians 15:57-58

Thanks be to God, 

who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Revel in the pleasure of the Father hovering over you today as you meditate on the reality of being buried with Christ and raised as a beloved and accepted son or daughter whom the Father is well pleased in today!