Saturday, January 26, 2008

Day Nine: What Makes God Smile

"May the Lord smile on you..." Numbers 6:25 (NLT)

"Smile on me, your servant; teach me the right way to live." Psalm 119:135 (Msg)

Stuff That Stuck Out:
  • The smile of God is the goal of your life.
  • There are five acts of worship that make God smile.
    • God smiles when we love him supremely.
      • God made you to love you, and he longs for you to love him back.
      • What God wants most from you is a relationship.
    • God smiles when we trust him completely.
      • Trusting God completely means having faith that he knows what is best for your life.
    • God smiles when we obey him wholeheartedly.
      • That means doing whatever God asks without reservation or hesitation.
      • God doesn't owe you an explanation or reason for everything he asks you to do. Understanding can wait, but obedience can't.
      • Wholehearted obedience is done joyfully, with enthusiasm.
    • God smiles when we praise and thank him continually.
      • We praise God for who he is, and we thank God for what he has done.
      • We enjoy what God has done for us, and when we express that enjoyment to God, it brings him joy--but it also increases our joy.
    • God smiles when we use our abilities.
      • God enjoys watching every detail of your life.
      • Every human activity, except sin, can be done for God's pleasure if you do it with an attitude of praise.
      • Like a proud parent, God especially enjoys watching you use the talents and abilities he has given you.
      • When you are sleeping, God gazes at you with love, because you were his idea.
      • He loves and enjoys you at every stage of your spiritual development.
      • When you live in light of eternity, your focus changes from "How much pleasure am I getting out of life?" to "How much pleasure is God getting out of my life?"
Point To Ponder: God smiles when I trust him.

Verse To Remember: "The Lord is pleased with those who worship him and trust his love." Psalm 147:11 (CEV)

Question To Consider: Since God knows what is best, in what areas of my life do I need to trust him most?

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