“And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”
and do those things that are pleasing in His sight
The petitioner, in his prayer, desires nothing but to follow God’s principles and to please Him. Doing what is “pleasing in His sight” goes beyond applying the specific principles of the Word [previous phrase]. These are spontaneous acts and service born out of a spirit of regard or desire to please God. This goes way beyond a mere sense of duty or responsibility.
The words “in His sight” are different than the words “before Him” of verse 19. “Before Him” emphasizes the pleased interest of Christ in His obedient and loving servants as He looks upon us. Whereas the phrase “in His sight” emphasizes our confident attitude as we look to Him.
PRINCIPLE:
The spiritual Christian lives to make the Lord smile.
APPLICATION:
The spiritual Christian lives to make the Lord smile. Many of us make Him frown. Our ambition is to please the Lord. Our passion is to please Him because He took the initiative with us. All prayer should come from the motivation of pleasing the Lord, not acquiring selfish things for ourselves.
Ro 12:1-2, 1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable [pleasing] and perfect will of God.”
2 Co 5:9, “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.”
Co 1:10, “…that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…”
