Day 160 and 161

In the last five days here’s what we learned from God’s Word:

·         God wants us to know Him and to hear His words.  (Acts 22:14)

·         Intimacy with Him is there for the asking.  (Hosea 6:3)

·         We can ask God to teach us His ways.  (Exodus 33:13)

·         Knowing God on an intimate level brings us into favor with Him.  (Exodus 33:13)

·         Jesus wants to make His home in our hearts.  Amazing!!  (Ephesians 3: 17-19 NLT)

·         God wants to give us the “fullness of life” as we bet to know Him better each day.  (Ephesians 3: 19 NLT)

·         God delights in exercising “kindness, justice and righteousness on earth.”  (Jeremiah 9:24 NIV)

·         It’s the “thief” that comes to kill, steal and destroy.  (John 10:10)

·         God sent Jesus to the cross to destroy the works of the enemy—the thief.”  (I John 3:8b NIV)

·         Jesus was resurrected so that we might “have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance, (till it overflows).”  (John 10:10b Amplified Bible)

·         God rewards people for the injustice done to them.  (Isaiah 61:8 NLT)

·         God isn’t holding anything back.  (Colossians 2:2 THE MESSAGE BIBLE)

·         God wants to encourage our hearts.  (Colossians 2:2 NIV)

Prayer Focus: 

Thank God that He is not a far away God who doesn’t hear us when we call upon Him.

Day 159  Encouragement For The Heart

Colossians 2:2 (MSG)

 I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God's great mystery.

That doesn’t sound like God is trying to hide Himself from us but that He wants us to know of Him.  I like the way it says, “woven into a tapestry of love.”  Knowing God is progressive and this relationship comes from daily spending time with Him.  I literally can’t wait to wake up in the morning to see what He is going to show me in my quiet time with Him.  And the basis of any relationship with God is love.

Let’s go back to our scripture, but this time let’s go to the New International Version.

Colossians 2:2 (NIV)

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,

God wants us to be “encouraged in heart.”  He doesn’t want us to be fearful of heart or discouraged of heart or even desperate of heart but “encouraged in heart.”  What a wonderful God to care so much for us.

I know when my heart is breaking, I can go to Him and He will encourage my heart.  He’ll show me a scripture about the very thing that my heart is breaking over, or He will speak to me some personal words that makes me say, “Thank You, God.”   What a healing balm He is to my hurting heart!!

GPS  (Directions)

Allow yourself this personal relationship.  He is waiting for you to come to Him.  His arms are wide open and He’s waiting for you.  He wants to heal your heart, take away your fears and He wants to walk with you in the days ahead—arm-in-arm!

Put on your favorite praise CD and sing your heart out to Him.

Prayer Focus:

Thank Him that He is always so available to you!

Day 158  Understanding His Wonders

Philippians 3:10 (NIV)

 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Whoa!  That’s a little scary, isn’t it?  The Bible says that Jesus conquered death and the grave for us.  What He wants us to do is die to our old ways—our old attitudes and ways of thinking-- our old beliefs and our old patterns of behaving—so that we can become closer to Him.  (2 Timothy 2:11) And He will even help us!!

That being said, let’s go back to the words in bold:  know Christ.  Here’s how the Amplified Bible puts it:

Philippians 3:10 (AMP)

For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly…..”

Hmmm…..”understanding the wonders of His Person….”  That doesn’t happen overnight and we will never clearly know everything about Him until we see Him face to face.  But what I know for sure is that He will reveal Himself to anyone who really wants to know Him here on this earth.

Every morning in my “meeting” with God, I just open my journal and say, “What would you have me to know today?” 

When I first gave my heart to Jesus, I resisted really talking to Him because I really didn’t think He would answer me.  Now I know differently.  Here’s what I know for sure:

He will be to you as personal as you want Him to be!!

You can ask Him anything.  You can talk to Him about your greatest fears and you can present to Him your greatest needs.  After all, He knows you because He made you.  He just wants you to know Him that same way.  It’s a wonderful journey!!

If you haven’t had the courage to set a time and a place to have your “meeting with God,” please don’t hesitate to do so.  When you go to your meeting place each day, He will be there waiting for you.  That in itself is amazing!!

GPS (Directions)

Let God confirm His love to you through these scriptures:

·         Hosea 6:3

·         John 17:3

·         John 8: 32

Prayer Focus:

Thank Him for meeting with you today!

Day 157     The Character of God

Jeremiah 9:24 (NIV)

…. but let the one who boasts boast about this:  that they have the understanding to know Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.

The Amplified Bible says, “…..understands and knows Me [personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing My character], that I am the Lord…”

God has been so misunderstood.  When a person is not grounded in God’s Word, he might look around him and say things like—

·         God took my loved one

·         God gave me this sickness because He wants to teach me something

·         God took that job that should have been mine

I don’t know about you but I could not call this kind of God my Father.  A well meaning father would never do those kind of things to a child he loves. 

God gave His only Son for you and for me.  God is not a taker; He’s a giver.

God is a healer; He does not make people sick.

God is a provider; He does not deplete their bank accounts.

When we study His Word in our devotional time, we learn His character and His ways.  Do those things happen all around us---sickness, loss, premature death---yes, but it is not His doing!!

Here’s what the Word of God says:

John 10:10 (NIV)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

The Amplified Bible (amplified with the Greek meanings)

“……I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”

Here’s what God says about the “thief” who comes to steal and kill and destroy:

Isaiah 61:8 (NLT)

 “For I, the Lord, love justice.  I hate robbery and wrongdoing.  I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them.

That’s the Father we love!  That’s the God we serve!

GPS (Directions)

Remember, we are on a journey and you can get there from here. Here are your directions.  Read the road signs below and you will stay on the right path to your destination:

·         Psalms 27: 13-14

·         Psalms 103:6

·         John 3:16

Prayer Focus:

Thank God that He is speaking to you through His Word.

Day 156  Intimately Acquainted With

Exodus 33:13 (NIV)

If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

The Amplified Bible amplifies the meaning of the Word  know.  It means:  “[progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly] “

To know God is to understand His love for you.  Ephesians 3:17-19 explains God’s desire for you to know and experience His love.

Ephesians 3:17-19   (NLT)

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

To understand the love of Jesus Christ makes us whole.  We understand that He always wants the best for us.  That’s why He went to the cross.  It was because of love.  If we don’t have an understanding of His love in the foundation of our spiritual life, it will be very difficult to build a spiritual life based on truth.  Our spiritual building will be crooked and off balance.  We will just be going through the motions of Christianity and who wants to do that??

Our Exodus verse also says, “….may know and continue to find favor with you.”

A close relationship with God causes us to walk in His favor.  Now that is a big thing!!  Have you ever been someone’s favorite?  And think about it…..God’s favorite!!  Say that out loud—

I am God’s favorite!!

One more time—

I am God’s favorite!!

GPS  (Directions)

Today, go to your meeting place and spend some quality time with Him.  Enjoy His presence because He is waiting there for you.  You are His favorite!

Prayer Focus:

Thank Him that He knows you inside and out and He loves you just the way you are.  Thank Him that He has extended His favor to you and He is smiling.

Day 155  Truly Knowing God

Acts 22:14 (NIV)

 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from His mouth.

Ananias was talking to Paul right after God stopped Paul on the road to Damascus.  You can read the whole story in Acts 22: 1-21.  Ananias was telling Paul that he could know the will of God. 

Here’s what the Holy Spirit shared with me one day when I was having my meeting with God:  “ I am not  keeping things from you; I am keeping things ­for you.”

God doesn’t want us to be clueless.  He’s very willing to talk with us and give us His perfect will for every situation in our lives.

We make little decisions and sometimes very big decisions every day.  God has a perfect plan for each decision that we make. 

Hosea 6:3 (NIV)

Let us acknowledge the LORD;  let us press on to acknowledge him.

The word “acknowledge” means to  be  acquainted  with, to recognize and to understand.   God wants us to understand His ways and His will.  That’s why I have encouraged you to have a “daily meeting” with God so that you will gain and understanding of Him.

If I am in the checkout lane at the grocery store and I chat with the gal who is sacking my groceries, if I did not know her previously, would I really get to know anything about her?  No—probably not.  I might just think that she is a nice person and keep walking.  As soon as I was halfway to my car, I probably wouldn’t think of her again.  Sad, but it is true.

We can be like that with God.  In order to really know Him we must know His character, His will and His attributes.  As you spend quality time with Him, you will understand  His faithfulness, His mercy, and  His willingness to watch out for you in every situation.   Once you know these things about Him, you can trust Him even more.

GPS  (Directions)

If you are new to my blog, I would encourage you to go back to “Day 1” and let who God really is sink into your heart.  It’s very important to get this foundation of truth established in us. 

Prayer Focus:

Ask God to show you who He is so that you can get to know Him on an intimate level.

           

Day 153 and 154

Let’s recap the last five days. Here’s what we learned from His Word:

·         We can make our requests known to God.  (Philippians 4:6)

·         We can cast our cares upon Him.  (I Peter 4:7)

·         God cares for us watchfully.  (I Peter 4:7 Amplified Bible)

·         We can thank God in every situation because is there with us, bringing us through as we seek Him.  (Philippians 4:6)

·         God is not the killer, the stealer or the destroyer.  God came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.  (John 10:10)

·         Every good and perfect gift is from God and He does not change His mind about that.  (James 1:17)

·         God came that He might “destroy the works of the devil.”  (I John 3:8)

·         The Lord perfects (finishes) that which concerns us.  (Psalms 138:8)

·         God is our “Finisher.”  (Hebrews 12:2)

·         God has a race for us to run—a race He wants us to finish victoriously.  (Hebrews 12:1)

·         A victorious race is a blessing to us and to those we tell our story to, and He adds no sorrow to it.  It’s a done deal!  (Proverbs 10:22)

Prayer Focus

As you read these scriptural promises thank God for His goodness.  We can never do that enough!!

Day 152    Running Your Race

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

I would not want to run a race without a finish line. Would you?  That race would get very discouraging and exhausting.  There would be no joy in that!

As long as we live on this earth, we are going to be faced with trials.  The best thing to do is go to God right away and say, “What are we going to do about this?”  Then let God show you how to run that race that He marks out for you.

NOTE:  The Bible says that God is good so if we ask Him, He takes trials that we experience and  turns them into something good.  He longs to give us a testimony of victory so that others will come to know Him as their Savior.

BACK TO OUR RACE…….God always knows the way we are to go to get from here to there.  Where is “there”? 

“There” is our place of victory –our place of triumph---that place where we can tell our story and others will come to know Jesus.

Our story will point others to the Cross where Jesus took all of our sins and all of our diseases and suffered for us that we might be able to run to our place of victory!!

On that dark day, Jesus said, “It is finished.”  Then we know that three days later He rose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father.  The ultimate victory!!  Because of the Cross, we too can be victorious!  God is our Finisher!!  Do you have anything in your life that needs finishing?? 

GPS  (Directions)

Spend some time in these scriptures and meditate on God is saying to you.

·         Psalms 103:1-8

·         Ephesians 1: 18-23

·         2 Corinthians 2:14 The Message

Prayer Focus:

Thank God for His goodness, for His wisdom, and for His faithfulness towards you.  Ask Him to help you keep your eyes on the finish line.