God Is My Father

2 Corinthians 2: 14  (The Message)

In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade.

The NIV calls it a “triumphal procession.”

2,000 years ago when our Father sent His Son to the cross, He looked up.  Now every day He says, “Look what’s coming!”

God wants us to be excited in anticipation of all the good things He has planned for us.

1 Corinthians 2:9-11 (New International Version)

⁹However, as it is written:
   "No eye has seen,
      no ear has heard,
   no mind has conceived
   what God has prepared for those who love him"^[a]— 

¹⁰but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

The Fatherhood of God far surpasses even the best earthly father we have ever known of.  God is a picture of what true fatherhood really is. 

Let me remind you of what your loving Father does for you.

 He saves us from our sins.  (I Tim. 1: 15, Matthew 1: 21)

 He heals us of our weakness, diseases and sicknesses.  (Isaiah 53: 4-5, 

 Mark 6:56, Hebrews 3: 8)

 He delivers us from demonic influence.  (Luke 8: 36)

 He rescues us and preserves us.  (Matthew 8: 24-25, Matthew 14: 29-31a)

 He delivers us from the attacks of the devil.  (2 Timothy 4:18)

 He favors you and protects you.  (Psalms 5:12)

 He makes a way for you.  (Isaiah 45: 2-3)

GPS  (God’s Direction)

Look up the above scriptures 

Prayer Focus:

Thank the Father for being so good to you.

Day 234   Holy Spirit- A Personal Friend

Romans 15:5-6

The Message (MSG)

God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. 

What if this is true?  What if “warm and personal” actually are words that characterize the Holy Spirit?  How about “dependably steady?”

I have found the Holy Spirit to be just that.  He is personal.  He is dependable.  He is steady!  AND if that is not enough, whenever I spend time with Him, I feel as if I am wrapped in a warm blanket of His presence.

When we receive Christ as our personal Savior, the Holy Spirit takes up residence inside of us.  He is that "up close and personal" for us.  He knows us inside and out.  He knows what makes us sad, what makes us feel helpless, what makes us feel depressed, and he is always there to help us, encourage us and give us hope for the future.

Believe me, you have never had a friend like this—not even your closest can compare.  Be encouraged today that your best friend is always right there with you to help you to be the best “you,” you can be!

GPS  (God’s Directions)

I Corinthians 3:16  He lives inside of us.

John 14: 16  Up close and personal

Romans 15:13  He will fill you with joy.

Prayer Focus:

As you go about your day, talk to your Friend, who lives in you, and then listen for His reply.

Day 3     God Hears Us When We Pray

I John 5: 13-15  (The Message)

^13-15My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God's Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in His presence, freely asking according to His will, sure that He's listening. And if we're confident that He's listening, we know that what we've asked for is as good as ours.

I like that…..”know beyond a shadow of a doubt…..”  That fact has been established on the day I turned my life over to Jesus Christ and made Him the Lord of my life.

So then, knowing this, I can confidently ask my Father anything according to His will and know that He hears me. And not only that----but He gives me the answer.  I ask and He hears and answers.  That's my Father!  That's your Father!

That’s what this quiet time with God is all about. In your quiet time with God, you are getting to know His voice—and He already knows your voice because He created it.

You can talk to God about anything.  You can ask Him questions and you can listen for the answers.  He is not too busy for you and like any well meaning father, He loves to meet  your needs.

GPS (Directions from God’s Word)

Job 22:27

Psalms 6:9

Acts 10:31

Prayer Focus:

Thank God that He is always listening for your voice and be sure to listen for His.

Day 232 Revived from Discouragement

Leviticus 18: 1-5 NLT

Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 "Say this to your people, the Israelites: I, the LORD, am your God. 3 So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. 4 You must obey all my regulations and be careful to keep my laws, for I, the LORD, am your God. 5 If you obey my laws and regulations, (instructions) you will find life through them. I am the LORD.

Watch this!  The Hebrew meanings for the word “life” are:

to live prosperously

to live with vibrancy

to live free

to  be revived from sickness, fainting, discouragement and even death

Hmmmm.....to be revived from discouragement!  Now there’s something we can all use from time to time.  It all starts with a thought---you know those things that we are to take control of so they don’t run away with us!  If we entertain the wrong thought, it grows into a monster and begins to control our thought-life.  This is where the downward spiral begins.  Do you recognize this scenario?  Like they say:  “Been there--done that!”

As soon as the wrong thought begins to formulate in our mind, we can stop everything and say, “God, what is the truth?”  Yesterday we talked about getting his “instructions.”

GPS (God’s Directions)

• Proverbs 4: 20-22
• II Corinthians 10:5
• John 8: 32

Prayer Focus:

Ask the Lord to show you when you first encounter a wrong thought so you can counteract it with the truth.

Day 231    Follow God’s Instructions

Leviticus 18: 1-5 NLT

Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 "Say this to your people, the Israelites: I, the LORD, am your God. 3 So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. 4 You must obey all my regulations and be careful to keep my laws, for I, the LORD, am your God. 5 If you obey my laws and regulations, you will find life through them. I am the LORD.

My translation of this verse actually uses the word “instructions.”  How many times have you said the the Lord concerning a situation you are facing, “Just tell me what to do and I will do it.”  

In the OT, they had so many laws and rules to follow and they were always covering for their inability to be successful by bringing sacrifices to the altar.  Thank God we do not have to do that.  We can just say to God,  “How do you want me to handle this”  or “What’s up with this,” and He will tell us.

Hmmmm......much simpler!!

GPS  (God’s directions)

• I Corinthians 2:16
• Psalms 1:2  Amplified Bible
• Proverbs 4:1

Prayer Focus:

Ask the Lord for His instructions on your greatest concern.  If you don’t receive them today, ask again tomorrow.  Have an expectant heart....an open heart.....a grateful heart.

What??  I Am The Clay?

Jeremiah 18: 5  New International Version

 ⁵ Then the word of the LORD came to me: ⁶ "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

When we go to God in desperation for our present circumstances to change,  He usually takes a good long look at us and says, “Okay, I'm on it, but there are some changes I want to make in you too!"

Who me??  Wait just a minute!!  I am the way I am.   I like what I like.  I know what I know.  It’s just the way I am. 

As you continue to seek God in your private devotional time, you will find yourself growing and changing.  That’s a good thing!  Don’t think He’s not working on those “circumstances” that you brought to Him, because He is, but He also wants to work on you.

It is good to start each daily time with Him by saying, “Not my will, but Yours be done.”  That gets “you”  out of the way so He can show you His ways.  It is also  good to say, “Teach me Your ways.”  I can promise you that if you ask, He will!!

GPS  (God’s Direction)

• Matthew 26:39 (your posture)

• Psalms 25:4 (your request)

• Romans 8:28 (your result)

Prayer:

Father, not my will but Yours be done in my life.  Today I defer to You and I trust that You know what is best for me. declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

When we go to God in desperation for our present circumstances to change,  He usually takes a good long look at us and says, “Okay, I'm on it, but there are some changes I want to make in you too!"

Who me??  Wait just a minute!!  I am the way I am.   I like what I like.  I know what I know.  It’s just the way I am. 

As you continue to seek God in your private devotional time, you will find yourself growing and changing.  That’s a good thing!  Don’t think He’s not working on those “circumstances” that you brought to Him, because He is, but He also wants to work on you.

It is good to start each daily time with Him by saying, “Not my will, but Yours be done.”  That gets “you”  out of the way so He can show you His ways.  It is also  good to say, “Teach me Your ways.”  I can promise you that if you ask, He will!!

GPS  (God’s Direction)

• Matthew 26:39 (your posture)

• Psalms 25:4 (your request)

• Romans 8:28 (your result)

Prayer:

Father, not my will but Yours be done in my life.  Today I defer to You and I trust that You know what is best for me.  

Day 230    God Is The Finisher

Hebrews 12:2

New King James Version (NKJV)

² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do you have some things that need to be finished in your life?  Well, God is the One who will help you bring things to a finish.

As I was praying about some things that needed to come to an end in my life, the word “capstone” came up in my spirit.

The word “capstone” signifies the finish of construction, or crowning of the completed goal.”

I encourage you to write down in your journal the things that need to come to an end in your life.  Here are some examples:  pain, strife, confusion, offense....just to mention a few.

Then begin to thank God that He is the “Finisher.”  On the cross 2,000 years ago, Jesus said, “It is finished.”  That is why we can say,  “It is finished” today.  We agree with the completed work of the cross and when we do, all that Jesus died for is free to flow into our lives.

Jesus died that we might have eternal life, peace, health, joy, provision and most of all fellowship with God.

GPS  (Directions From God’s Word)

·         John 19: 28-30

·         Hebrews 2:10  The Message Bible

·         Nahum 1:7-9

Prayer Focus:

Thank God that He is finishing up those things on your list.