Dutch Sheets - The Pleasure of His Company: A Journey to Intimate Friendship With God

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

1. The Person

2. The Seeker

3. The Discovery

4. The Dance

5. The Search

6. The Priority

7. The Decision

8. The Distractions

9. The Choice

10. The Union

11. The Spoiler

12. The Place

14. The Offering

15. The Friendship

16. The Stretch

17. The Undistracted

18. The Courtship

19. The Listener

20. The Lingerers

21. The Visit

22. The Prodigal

23. The Return

24. The Revelation

25. The Look

26. The Altar

27. The Advantage

28. The Face

29. The Connection

30. The Price

Notes

About the Author

Books by Dutch Sheets

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Prayer

Thank You, Father, for sending to us a Savior who shattered false ideologies regarding Your nature by demonstrating what You are truly like and showing us the way to Your heart.

Good Shepherd, I am forever grateful to You for going out in search of this one lost sheep. Your eyes never tire of looking into the darkest of places to passionately seek and satisfy souls who thirst for true love.

I stand amazed at the reality that Youthe Creator of the Universewould lovingly long for my companionship. You are the only god who wants my heart more than my worship. Such love! What a good Father and Friend You are.

Jesus, I too desire relationship with You. Rather than seek Your help today, I choose to seek Your beautiful heart. I want to respond to the love that You extended to me first. It would be my great pleasure to keep You company and satisfy the longings of Your heart.

(Prayer taken from: John 14:811; John 10:11; Luke 19:10; 2 Chronicles 16:9; John 4:23; 1 John 4:19)

Prayer

Father, I thank You for relentlessly pursuing me with Your unconditional love and making a way for me to find You through the life of Your glorious Son.

I respond to Your love-driven seeking today and set myself upon a steadfast pursuit of Your heart. Jesus, You are the source of both pleasure and purposedreams realized through hearts set aflame. Truly, You are the fountain of every good thing.

Thank You for revealing and releasing me into my destiny as I draw near to know the depths of Your heart. May Your goodness continually lead me to discover the amazing adventures, exquisite joys, and profound fulfillment that lie within the pleasure of Your company.

(Prayer taken from: John 14:611; 1 John 4:19; Isaiah 55:6; Deuteronomy 4:29; 2 Chronicles 15:15; Psalm 34:8; Psalm 36:6; Jeremiah 29:1113; Jeremiah 33:3; Hebrews 11:6)

Prayer

Father, You are holy, incomparable, and superior in every way. Your Name, Jesus, is above every other name. You hold the place of highest honor and all else must bow at Your feet.

You are the everlasting Creator-King, yet You choose to commune with me. Jesus, You are worthy of my diligent devotion. You are worthy of my unashamed love.

Holy Spirit, search my heart and show me where Ive failed to ascribe to God the highest place. Reveal to me the ways in which I have compromised my commitment to You, forsaking my first love. Thank You for tenderly drawing my wayward heart back to the priority of loving You and receiving Your love.

Jesus, I truly want to live my life out of the first commandment; loving You first and fully, and from there, sharing Your love with the world. My hearts desire is that in all things You would have preeminence. Without Your loving leadership, I am incomplete. May nothing else replace the pleasure of Your company.

(Prayer taken from: Philippians 2:9; Ephesians 1:1822; Revelation 2:4; Matthew 22:38; Colossians 1:1718; Psalm 51:1013; Hosea 2:14, 19; 1 Corinthians 13:13)

Prayer

Father, You are the source of all that is goodsuccess, fulfillment, well-being. Thank You for giving me access through Your Son to an infinite fountain of blessing.

May I always remain in right relationship with You, Jesus, choosing the better thingto sit at Your feet and abide in that place from which flourishes the good fruit of ministry.

Jesus, You are the vinemy lifelinemay I be properly aligned to Your heart. I need the order of heaven established in my life to walk out my destiny. Father, guide me by Your Holy Spirit to make choices each day that will steer me toward accomplishing the good works that long before time You prepared for me.

Good Shepherd, I choose to rest in Your abundance and drink from Your living waters. Let my heart never be led astray from a simple, pure, and steadfast devotion to Christ. May the pleasure of Your company always remain my favorite and first choice.

(Prayer taken from: Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 2:10; Luke 10:3842; Psalm 34:10; 2 Corinthians 11:3; John 15:111)

Prayer

Father, You are worth waiting for; deserving of my lingering and longing with eager expectation for the gift of Your sweet presence.

Help me to become familiar with the art of silently waiting on You in a strong, calm, quiet trust. Bind my heart tenaciously to Yours, Father, as I abide in the place where You are. I want to be one with You in thought and desire, reflecting the glory of Your Son.

Jesus, how precious is Your steadfast love. As I wait, You fill me with profound joy and strengthen me deep within. When I take refuge in You I am comforted and find the safest place of rest.

Right now I choose to slow down and posture my heart to wait. Echoing the prayer of the psalmist, this one thing will I seek: to dwell in Your house all the days of my life, meditating, gazing, simply beholding every facet of Your beauty... enjoying the pleasure of Your company.