Psalm 111.2 says, “the works of the LORD [are] great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.” Dear ones, are we among those who seek out the pleasures of God? There are pleasures in God that cannot be found in the world. Proverbs 21:17 says that “he that loveth pleasure [shall be] a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.” It is important for us to know that God is not opposed to us desiring or enjoying pleasure. He is opposed to us desiring pleasures that are vain and empty. King Solomon learned this truth regarding seeking empty pleasures. Listen to his personal testimony. “I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also [is] vanity.” The strong admonition of God through Paul to young widows was 1 Timothy 5:6, “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” To live for this world’s pleasures is death.
One of the prominent characteristics of mankind in the end of the ages is that they would be “traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” Before we are born of The Spirit of God, we were sometimes” foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, [and] hating one another.” I recall the testimony of Moses who chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Beloved, I pray that God would open our eyes like He opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant to “see” the pleasures that God has for His children. The Psalmist declared in Psalms 16:11, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence [is] fulness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore.” For those who choose to walk with you we read in Psalms 36:8, “they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.”
Beloved, the pleasures of God are more glorious and satisfying than the pleasures of this fallen world. The prophet Jeremiah issued a warning to the nation Israel that is needed to be heard today. “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, [and] hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.” May our hearts and affections be sanctified by God’s Spirit that we would always crave and enjoy the pleasures of God.
