Where does your pleasure come from?

Where does your pleasure come from? 

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

1 John 2:15-17 NIV

Pleasure is a thing each one of us enjoys and enjoys in different ways. Many times we are drawn to people who enjoy similar pleasures as ourselves, for example, trips to the beach, ice cream, movie genres. 

God made us and gave us the ability to enjoy things on this earth He created. But is all pleasure good? 

After Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, he was sent into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil after 40 days of fasting. He was tempted in the 3 most common ways as stated in 1 John 2:15-17, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. 

I recently got off of a two week fast and prayer time, and mind you it wasn’t fasting for 2 week straight, but I was following a group fast timeline of 1,2 or 3 meals each day. And at the end of the fast, I realized how much I truly enjoyed certain foods. And wanted to watch certain shows on TV and really repentently, have realized how selfish I truly am and have a desire for pride in my life, with how to do my hair or makeup, things that before this fast, I never really paid mind to as being a bad thing. Cravings that I hadn't noticed had so much power over my actions. I feel like this fast brought out the worst in me as it ended, but not for my own torment, but for growth. God disciplines those He loves, so I count it a blessing to be loved by Him and to grow through this self-realization. Although I’d prefer to call it a Spirit-revelation. 

I realize God has shown me that there is much more work He wants to accomplish in me, and so I wanted to share, because there may be much more He wants to accomplish in you. I share my pain so that I might not grow alone, but hopefully whoever is reading this, might take away something to apply to their walk of faith in Christ. 

It's so important to check ourselves, our desires, to see if they are from God. If the things of this world are what is holding our attention and affection, than we are not following God the father as we should be. 

As John states, the things of this world are all going to fall away and the only thing that will remain is what we have done in obedience to God. Doing God’s will is what matters in eternity. Am I doing God’s will for His kingdom and am I doing God’s will in my daily habits and manners. Am I being obedient to His word on the daily. My daily interactions with the people God has placed before me, mainly my family and those closest to me. Am I being a godly example to them in word, deed, and attitude? 

Or am I teaching my children and friends to follow the lusts of their flesh, eyes, and the pride of life? 

What am I teaching by my life? 

The world and its desires pass away… we see this every season, new clothing styles come out, new hairdos, new music, new movies, new children’s shows with a line of products to go with them. And these things entertain our eyes for a time, these things satisfy our longings for a time, and then they end. I still remember the feeling I had when the show “Lost” ended. I had spent hours of binge-watching that show on Netflix and then to be left feeling empty and this is pathetic, but I actually missed the characters like they were my friends. What on earth? The feeling of emptiness I was left with made me eventually laugh at myself, because what is the point of following the trends or hype or newest show just to be left feeling empty and having to find a new show to binge on. There is no point, it is a mere “chasing after the wind”. Not to mention a large portion of wasted time being most likely negatively influenced by the patterns of the characters.

What I am learning from this revelation, is that what I do for God, when he asks me to, if I’m obedient, that is what will be of value. “…whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 

This life we must remember on the daily, is temporary, but what comes after this life is eternal. We must daily be in God’s will in His purposes, laser-focused on what He has asked us to do with this life, the here and now. 

If we are taken away, seduced by our own desires, the Bible is clear, that will only give birth to sin which leads to death. 

God wants our treasures to be in heaven, our work on this earth to have eternal reward.  We don’t need a large bank account on earth, if we are sharing our faith and living a life of love and grace like Jesus. Our treasure will come. We don’t need the newest phone, car, or house, when we will have a mansion in heaven, if we do what our Lord asks of us. 

Woe to us if we don’t obey. The Bible is clear: 

“anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment.” (John 3:36)

We can’t just go to church, fast, pray, and not obey His teaching. We must be wise, hearing the word of God and doing what it says. That is what makes the difference. Obeying His word. That what makes us a stranger or friend to God. 

Jesus states in Matthew 7:21-22 

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” 

You see when we declare that Jesus is our Lord, we make Him our master, and we are trading our desires for His desires. We are trading our worthless pleasures, for his good pleasure. It’s worth the trade. It’s worth the trade of shame and guilt, to finding joy and pleasure in Him. 

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:19-24

 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy,  your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

What our eyes delight in indicate who and what we are serving. Often I must daily surrender to God what I’m taking pleasure in. He wants to form new habits in me, and you. Ask Him today if there is anything you are watching or doing that is displeasing to Him. 

I did it, and sadly he showed me, but I’m not sad for long. I’m so delighted that he is a true friend and will show me what I need to improve on even though it is painful for a time. God loves each one of us. He love me and I know He loves you. 

He wants us to delight and take pleasure in Him, because that is where true satisfaction comes from. 

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

I’ve been editing my husband’s book he’s been working on and this statement stood out to me in a meaningful way, “Worship is the only pleasure that satisfies.” 

Worshipping God, loving him, putting Him first in my heart and mind, in my soul and strength, it brings me true joy, true satisfaction. 

But how often am I distracted by the things of this life, that I fail to do just that. I pray that you will find time today to worship him, to love on God and thank Him for all that He has done, and praise Him for all that He is. 

Feel free to join with me and pray this prayer- 

“Father, forgive me for not putting you first in my heart. Forgive me for putting myself first. You are my God. I’m not my god. You are God, you are holy and good. Please give me a heart that longs for you. A heart that longs to please you. Help me to delight myself in you. Help me to be obedient to your word and store up treasures in heaven, not on this earth.  Give me eyes full of your light and not of the darkness in this world. I love you God, but I want to love you even more. Thank you for your love. I ask you to make me more obedient to your word, and I ask all of this in the name of your son, Jesus.”