When I place my thoughts on the cross

I can count all thing here but loss

The picture turns my heart from sin to praise

Every scene I play before me

Of the gift made there and for me
Makes sin appear as dark as Satan’s rays

When I scan the scenes above me

My mind the judgment can see
Sins of victors from the record there are blotted

Names are kept and names are not

Oh! Entrancing solemn thought
Overcomers receive robes white and unspotted

The King for whom I’m living

Imagination’s giving
Him the welcome that Isaiah wrote we’d sing

“And for our God we’ve waited

It’s He! We’re so elated
We’re so glad now we’re delivered by our King!

I can see it with my mind’s eye

I can see it if I just try
The Word of God makes bright our future days

----

The holy places made with hands are figures of the true
Where Jesus stands before God to minister for you
It was not blood of the high priest that he offered each year
But Jesus gave his own blood so there He could appear

And as it is appointed that once each man must die

And after that before the judgment answer by and by
So Christ was given once to die offered to bear our sins
And when free of them He comes to those that look for Him

Heb 9:24-28 selected, paraphrased

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Devotions or The Motions
---
Good for food and to the eyes
A tree indeed to make one wise – Gen 3:6, selected paraphrased
But God had said “no, not to eat”
The other trees were for her “meat”
---
God’s Pleasure

God is pleased with beauty.

Ge 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the
sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of
knowledge of good and evil.
Ge 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to
the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat,
and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

God is pleased to bless his people, pleased to prosper us

Nu 23:27 And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place;
peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.
Nu 24:1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other
times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
David prayed that blessing his dynasty would be God’s pleasure
2Sa 7:28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou
hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: 29 Therefore now let it please thee to
bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O
Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed
for ever. [See 1Ch 17:26-27]
Ps 35:27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let
them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity
of his servant.
Ps 40:13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.
Ps 51:18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Isa 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure:
even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be
laid.

There are benefits to living to please God – rest from battle; escape from temptation
Pr 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at
peace with him.
Ec 7:26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets,
and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall
be taken by her.
 Isa 56:4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose
the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5 Even unto them will I give in
mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of
daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
Isa 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day;
and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not
doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 14 Then
shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the
earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath
spoken it.
Nu 14:8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land
which floweth with milk and honey.
Isa 65:12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the
slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but
did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
Isa 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because
when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before
mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

God has no pleasure in lethal judgments

Jud 13:23 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have
received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all
these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
Job 6:9 Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand,
and cut me off! [This was wishful thinking on Job’s part, not wisdom]
Eze 18:23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not
that he should return from his ways, and live?
Eze 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore
turn yourselves, and live ye.
Eze 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the
wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for
why will ye die, O house of Israel?

God is pleased to acknowledge is erring church as the one He was pleased to choose
1Sa 12:22-23 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it
hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should
sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
Isa 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his
pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but
behold a cry.
Jer 31:20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do
earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have
mercy upon him, saith the LORD.
De 10:15 Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after
them, even you above all people, as it is this day.
2Ch 9:8 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be
king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore
made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice. [See 1Ki 10:9]
Isa 62:4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed
Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in
thee, and thy land shall be married.

God is pleased for us to make request, as did Solomon, for wisdom to do our duty
1Ki 3:10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 And God said
unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither
hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself
understanding to discern judgment; 12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have
given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee,
neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

God is pleased with hearts that, under test, prove upright

1Ch 29:17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As
for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I
seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
[Contrast this with Job’s comforter, who posited wrongly: Job 22:3 Is it any pleasure to
the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways
perfect?]
So we do God’s pleasure by doing right in a difficult test
Ezr 10:11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do
his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange
wives.
Ps 5:4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with
thee.
Mal 2:17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied
him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth
in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
Pr 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
Pr 11:20 They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright
in their way are his delight.
Pr 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.

Pleasure is the right of kings, their sovereignty is the carrying out of their pleasure
[In Esther everything is prefaced “if it please the king….” If it were that way in our lives too….]
Ps 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
Ps 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all
deep places.
Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not
yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
Isa 48:14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these
things? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on
the Chaldeans.
Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me
void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent
it.
Jon 1:14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we
beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou,
O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.
1Co 12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath
pleased him.
1Co 15:38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

God is pleased with our sacrifices and well-doing when we have repented of our sins
Ps 51:19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering
and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Ho 9:4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing
unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat
thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of
the LORD.
Mic 6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of
rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the
sin of my soul?
Mal 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi,
and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in
righteousness. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD,
as in the days of old, and as in former years.
1Sa 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as
in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than
the fat of rams.
Ps 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt
offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God,
thou wilt not despise.
Isa 1:11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full
of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of
bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

Praise from the humble is pleasing to God

Ps 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. 31
This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. 32 The
humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
God’s ministers are those that do his pleasure
Ps 103:21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

God takes pleasure in those that fear Him so as to hope in His mercy – not in logistical
advantage; He takes pleasure in “his people” and grants the “meek” beautiful salvation.
Ps 147:10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a
man. Ps 147:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his
mercy.
Ps 149:4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

God is not pleased with “fools.” It is foolish not to pay a vow to God.
Ec 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools:
pay that which thou hast vowed.

God is pleased by our attention to right in the midst of evil distractions

Is 42:19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he
that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’S servant? 20 Seeing many things, but thou observest
not; opening the ears, but he heareth not. 21 The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’
sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

God offered Jesus and was pleased in view of the gain of our souls
Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make
his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of
the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

God will take pleasure in our efforts to build up his house

Hag 1:8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure
in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.

God uses governing persons as an illustration of how to know what pleases him
God is displeased with persons who serve him for gain, who would not volunteer
Mal 1:8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it
not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person?
saith the LORD of hosts.
Mal 1:10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye
kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither
will I accept an offering at your hand.

The Father is well-pleased with Jesus

Mt 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Mt 12:18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well
pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
Mt 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice
out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Mr 1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased.
Lu 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice
came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice
to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
This is the Reason
Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do
always those things that please him.
Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. . . . Heb 10:8
Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou
wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo,
I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Ps 22:8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing
he delighted in him.
Pr 8:30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing always before him;
Isa 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put
my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Our Father is pleased to give us the Kingdom

Lu 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
This is one of his chosen means
1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Appetite-servers can not please God, they reap what they sow
Ro 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
1Co 10:5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the
wilderness.

Disentanglement to make one available for focused service pleases Him

2Ti 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please
him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Singleness allows more focus on pleasing God
1Co 7:32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the
things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

Man pleasing is to God displeasing; it mitigates the force of the judgment

Ga 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased
men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
1Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak;
not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
[Note: Being contrary to all men might be acceptable if it were because they were
pleasing God:] 1Th 2:15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and
have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

Right timing is pleasing to God

Ga 1:15-16 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called
me by his grace, to reveal his son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen,
immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.

God is pleased to work for our salvation

Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure
which he hath purposed in himself:
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
2Th 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this
calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
Ps 18:19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in
me.

The fruitful Christian walk is very pleasing to God

Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good
work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as
ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and
more.
Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well
pleased.

Law-keeping pleases God

Col 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no
pleasure in him.
1Jo 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and
do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Ps 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Ps 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
[Ps 112:1 Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly
in his commandments.]

Faith is essential to pleasing God

Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found,
because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he
pleased God.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

We exist for God’s pleasure, for his Sovereign will

Re 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created
all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

God delights in his children that need correction

Pr 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he
delighteth.

God delights in the prayers of the upright

Pr 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the
upright is his delight.

God delights in right, and more especially, in mercy and kindness

Jer 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I
am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in
these things I delight, saith the LORD.
Mic 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the
transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he
delighteth in mercy.