The Pursuit: Enjoy God

Thus far in The Pursuit series Pastor Ed has dealt with serious aspects of our pursuing God, including last week’s “Enduring Hardships”. In this message he lightened up a bit with, perhaps, the most important aspect of this divine pursuit.

We need to receive Kingdom of God as little child, innocent, not caught up in heavy stuff of life and spirituality but just enjoying Him.

Romans 8:15 (New International Version, ©2010) 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Aramaic word, Abba, literally translated means, “Da-Da” or “Daddy”. What Holy Spirit wants to work in us is that innocent joy of being with the Father intimately, unashamed, and delightfully squealing as a young child in His presence.

Pastor told the story of his visiting his old great aunt, in her 90s, at her farm house, while he was quite young. As soon as his feet hit the floor he ran squealing with delight throughout the house. His parents, embarrassed at his lack of restraint, ran to control and hush him. But they were stopped by the aunt saying, “This old house has been far too quiet for too long!” Some of us have spiritual houses way too quiet way too long Chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

To enjoy God is central to the purpose for which we were created. The Westminster Catechism, shorter form, starts out:

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man? A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God,[1] and to enjoy him forever God is most glorified when we enjoy him.

The Bible refers to us believers in serious terms, as slaves, servants and soldiers, but we are His kids too! He wants to enjoy us and for us to enjoy Him.

1 I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High. We all as individuals need to give thanks to the Lord. This scripture says to “rejoice”. You have to en-joy in order to re-joy! Singing to the Lord helps you enjoy Him and as you rejoice you experience His joy.

A song itself is not worship, however. Worship is expressing one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30) in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).

Rick Warren says if you walk out of church saying, “I enjoyed” or “did not worship” then you have the wrong focus. We are not the audience. The question is, “Did God enjoy your worship?” If you do it according to Mark 12:30 or John 4:23-24 He does enjoy it!

It is good to have private worship but it is also good with people. Some things are more exciting in groups, like a football game. Can you imagine being the only one in the stands during the Super Bowl? You would probably still enjoy it but you would definitely miss the roar of the crowd and its excitement.

But going to the game would be even better if you were with a group of friends . That is one reason for our small group ministry, LifeGroups.

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Eric Lidell, known as "the Flying Scottsman", won a 1924 Olympic gold medal. His story was told in the movie, Chariots of Fire, in which he said, “When I run I feel his pleasure.”

If you delight in the Lord He does not just give you what you want, He gives you your wants. He changes what you desire. You are called for a purpose for which He created you and nothing is as satisfying as doing what you were created to do.

If we enjoy the Lord it will affect our emotions. Immediately, some will criticize this as emotionalism. But we are not talking about emotionalism, or worshipping your personal enjoyment, which is experientialism. But most American churches are not there. If anything we need to enjoy the Lord more fully through our emotions. Anything we truly enjoy evokes an emotional response.

But there are those who despise enjoying one’s worship as less than spiritual. Despising pleasure comes from seeking pleasure in wrong things. C.S. Lewis commented about such people:

[That they are like] an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.

2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.

The conclusion is definite, God wants you to enjoy Him. If you will enjoy Him you will accelerate your pursuit of Him!

To hear this sermon go to http://getvictory.net/_Listen.ihtml?id=321805 and select The Pursuit: Enjoy God by Dr. Ed Crenshaw.

2 posted on 02/03/2011 5:05:45 PM PST by Patton@Bastogne

Thanks for posting. But we never pursue God, we just quit running from Him. He is the Shepard who goes after us when we stray.

3 posted on 02/03/2011 5:48:08 PM PST by BipolarBob (Even the earth is bipolar.)

God will always be there for you,there is no place in his creation where you are without him.

The Alpha was there at the beginning and it will continue to sustain growth wherever it is found.

There is that dynamic, but there is definitely pursuit. Jesus spoke of hungering and thirsting. That is more than just quit running.

5 posted on 02/05/2011 12:18:53 PM PST by DBCJR (What would you expect?)

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.