Consistent Prayer (I Thessalonians 5:17)
I Thessalonians 5:17, Pray without ceasing. “Praying without ceasing” doesn’t mean that one must pray every minute of every day. That would be impractical. It means to be regular, faithful and steadfast in your prayer life. It carries the idea of consistency. We ought to always be in an attitude of prayer and communion with the Lord. We should always be in the mindset of prayer, even if we’re not physically on our knees or mouthing the words. This is what Paul meant when he said, “Pray without ceasing.” God's people are to be a praying people. Martin Luther, when pressed by huge volumes of work, did not use it as an excuse to stop praying, but said, 'I have so much to do that I cannot get on without three hours a day of praying.' Adoniram Judson, perhaps the greatest missionary ever sent out from American shores, was emphatic in his insistence upon prayer. I quote his words: "Be resolute in prayer. Make any sacrifice to maintain it. Consider that time is short and that business and company must not be allowed to rob thee of thy God." That was the man who impressed a mighty empire for God. A group of ministers were discussing I Thessalonians 5:17 one morning, but couldn't agree on its meaning. An elderly cleaning woman, scrubbing on her knees, raised up and expressed an opinion about this verse. She said, "When I go to bed at night, I thank the Lord for the joy of resting in His everlasting arms. When I awaken, I ask Him to open my eyes to behold new things from His Word. When I build the fire, I ask Him to kindle love in my heart. When I bathe, I ask Him to cleanse me from secret faults. When I eat, I thank Him for my food. As I walk to work, I pray to be led in paths of righteousness. As I pass the church, I pray for my pastor. While scrubbing these floors, I ask Him to wash the hearts of those walking above me with His precious blood...” And on she went. She had a pretty good understanding of that verse and knew just as much as those preachers. She knew the importance of consistency in prayer. God gives us insights into getting our prayers answered. May we put these five principles into practice and see the Lord do great things. 1.Be Sanctified – James 5:16, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 2.Be Searching – Jeremiah 29:13, And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 3.Be Sincere – Mark 11:24, Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 4.Be Sorrowful – II Chronicles 7:14, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 5.Be Submissive – I John 3:22, And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
Prayer: Father, I praise You that I can at anytime, anywhere, and under any circumstance come to You in prayer. My desire is to keep walking continually with You, so that my prayer may be the natural expression of my life with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
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When Relationships Reach a Roadblock
Conflicts! We have all at some point in life faced conflicts head on with others. Most people hate it. In a perfect world, we’d all get along; but we live in a fallen world where people are misunderstood, feelings are hurt, and agendas are pursued. When our relationships with others reach a roadblock the Holy Spirit constrains us to reconcile the quarrel. God wants us to live in harmony with our brothers and sisters in the Lord. We should seek peace with others, however, sometimes it not always possible. Romans 12:18, If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Sometimes you have to deal with difficult people. When conflict arises, pray that God will give you the wisdom to deal with it Biblically. I’ve had to deal with conflict over the years. And while I haven’t been perfect, I’ve learned many valuable lessons about handling disagreements. Hopefully some of these suggestions can help you in your life: 1. Try not to provoke the other person. Even if you are right and the other person is wrong, do your best to keep your feelings in check. 2. When you are right, use humility and grace. 3. Consider yourself. Don’t allow yourself to say, “I would never have done what this person did.” 4. Apologize. Be the first to seek reconciliation. You’d be surprised at how disarming a genuine “I’m sorry” can be. 5. Sacrifice where necessary, but not your core values. Be willing to give of yourself if it means resolving the conflict. The Church is the place where people must bear with one another in love. We are not yet what we are going to be, and we need to "bear with one another" as the process goes on. Colossians 3:13 tells us, “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye”. It is putting up with one another in a spirit of love. Forbearing one another means a person tolerates others when they irritate him or to put up with things we don't like in other people. Forbearance has a touch of tolerance or a component of compassion to defer a rightful demand out of consideration for the weakness of a fellow believer. The idea is not only of putting up with each other, but indeed forgiving each other. Even as Christ forgave us, we in turn ought to forgive others. In the context of longsuffering, Paul expounds that we forbear one another and forgive one another. More specifically, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Forbearing one another speaks of longsuffering. Even as Christ forgave us, we in turn ought to forgive others. Forgiving one another carries the idea of the gracious removal of sin and the gracious treatment of the sinner who is unworthy to receive it. He qualifies forgiveness by saying that believers should forgive in the same way the Lord forgave us. How did the Lord forgive us? He forgives us in such a way that He no longer holds our sins against us. Many Christians are historians. They are constantly bringing up what someone did to them last month, a year ago, or two years ago. Their forgiveness is worldly instead of like Christ. They forgive, but only as long as it suits them. Believers should forgive like Christ did. Christ doesn’t forget because He can’t forget anything. When Scripture says, “their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Isaiah 43:25; Hebrews 8:12; 10:17) it simply means He no longer holds it against us. Are you holding on to a record of wrongs? Are you holding on to past sins that someone committed against you? One of the things that should identify us as Christians is our Christlike forgiveness. How can we do these things suggested in Colossians 3:13? How can we put up with things we don't like in others? How can we let go of things others have done to us? We can do these things because this is what Jesus did for us. He put up with things in us He did not like. He let go of the things we have done to Him. Since He did that for us, we should be willing to do that for Him. Since He did that to us, we should be willing to do that for others.
Prayer, Father, I want to have Your heart about reconciliation. You sent Your Son to reconcile me to Yourself, help bring reconciliation to those around me. Thank You for Your Word that gives me wisdom and direction in handling conflict between people I love. Give me Your words and wisdom as I reach out to those that are hurting as You lead. Your principles for handling conflict remind me again of the importance of living out my relationship with You in relation to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Spiritual Gym…Muscles of Faith (I Timothy 4:8)
I Timothy 4:8, For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Paul spoke to a sporting culture when he wrote that bodily exercise profited little. He didn’t say it is completely useless, but that it profits very little. It is a fact that bodily exercise is good for the body. Bodily exercise or physical training is good. But God, who made our bodies, said that caring for our soul should be our number one priority. What if we took as much care about what went into our hearts and minds as we did into our bodies? Instead of just counting carbs and calories, what if we carefully measured our entertainment choices, the friends we associate with, and the places we frequent? The word exercise relates to physical exercise. Physical exercise does in fact profit but it has its limits and is limited only to this life. Our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and we should take care of it. It is good to work out and be in physical shape, but if we waste our life trying to build the physical man to the neglect of our spiritual life, we have done a great disservice to ourselves. The point Paul is making is that building spiritual muscles is far greater than a physical body. Today’s world will tell you just the opposite. “Who’s got time for church? It’s better to spend your Sunday in your sports league or in the gym rather than gathering with believers at church.” Godliness is profitable unto all things. Physical exercise will have limited benefits in this life. However, godliness is of benefit both in this life and on into eternity. Godliness has value in all that we do. The profit of spiritual exercise is unlimited. Exercising spiritually to grow and develop your relationship with Christ will benefit you both now and in eternity. It benefits more than the physical; it benefits that which is eternal, namely your soul. Physical exercise profits a little, for a little while, but godliness is profitable for all things and affects us for all eternity. Paul tells Timothy that godliness is profitable in this life and in the life to come. It has profit in all things at all times. We can be assured that when we live for Jesus that we are not wasting our time or our talents. If we would strive to exercise godliness, we will find it easier to resist temptation and be more like Christ. No matter how carefully we maintain it, this body will one day grow old and die. Even the greatest athletes get achy knees, sore backs, and the effects of old age. But the spiritual life will live forever. Everything we do for the Kingdom will last forever. That’s why church, prayer, and Bible reading are not just options for the believer-they are a necessity. Because to exercise the body is good, but to work out the soul is critical. Just because a person joins a gym and becomes a member doesn’t mean they are going to lose weight and gain muscle, so, it is with godliness. If a person joins a church and is a member, they must exercise godliness if they are going to be Christlike. Question to Consider:
Point to Ponder:
PRAYER: Lord, help me use my time to the maximum by strengthening my faith and exercising myself spiritually. Just as the athlete in training would faithfully and continually attend the gym giving their all during a workout to contend for a challenge. May I mirror that same commitment and devotion to godliness in my daily walk with You. As an athlete’s body gets stronger may my faith in You get stronger. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com He Will Cover You (Psalm 91:4)
Psalm 91:4, He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. During a blizzard in South Wales, England, a young mother and her baby were making their way across the foothills when she was overtaken by the frigid storm. Failing to reach her destination, a group of searchers found her frozen body with her baby tightly wrapped underneath her; the child was warm and still alive. The mother had taken off her outer garments and covered her child from the cold. The child grew up to be David Lloyd George, Britain's Prime Minister and one of the greatest statesmen in England. His political and social greatness was made possible because his mother covered him in love. Much like David Lloyd George, our achievements in life can only be attributed to the covering of God's love. God is omnipotent, all-powerful. He will cover and protect us under His wings of care when we stay close to Him. The psalmist compared God’s care for His people to a bird gathering her young under her wings in order to protect them. The Lord will be our refuge, covering and protecting us in the dangers of life. The truth, or faithfulness, of God will be our shield and buckler. God has given us His faithful promises to use as our armor for life’s battles (Ephesians 6:10-20). We are protected by His faithfulness to His Word. Knowing that, we can have complete confidence that He will fulfill His promises to us. Through it all, however, God is our helper and He is always with us (Hebrews 13:5-6). In perilous times, we need to trust God to help us. When we abide in Him and live in the fullness of His Spirit, we can face every situation of life without fear. Whatever difficulties or dangers we may face, our Lord will be with us. The shadow of the Almighty will cover us through them all. Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your presence with me and that my future is secure in the place You're preparing for me. Your words bring me hope and comfort. Daily I catch glimpses of Your glory and blessing along the way as I walk with You. In Jesus name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com There Is No God Like Thee (II Chronicles 6:14)
II Chronicles 6:14, And said, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts: Solomon's prayer contains 1,122 words and addresses God 8 times in 4 different ways. Solomon dedicates the temple with prayer as he praises God. Solomon praised the Lord for His supremacy, His being the Creator, the Sovereign Lord and Majesty of the universe, the only living and true God. By stretching out his hands to the Lord, he was symbolizing four things.
There is no one and no thing that can compare with Him. And this includes things on earth as well as in heaven. His greatness and wisdom and majesty should fill us with awe. He is also faithful and will perform all that He has promised. Solomon then reminded the people of the fact that God had kept His covenant with David. Standing there before the assembly of Israel, he went on to pray one of the great prayers of the Bible. Solomon begins his prayer by again acknowledging God’s faithfulness in keeping part of his promise to David, before going on to ask that the Lord will keep the rest. In standing there before the temple with his hands outstretched, lifted up to God in prayer, Solomon was the proof that God had kept His promise to David. The Lord was faithful, and His faithfulness was being declared by Solomon. The God of Israel stands alone and is superior to any idol god of the heathen. It is God alone who keeps His covenant (promises) and shows unfailing love to those who obey him. God is faithful. When He makes a promise, He keeps it. God keeps His covenant promises. God keeps His Word; He is faithful forever. No one compares to God's faithfulness. God’s power matches His promises. We sometimes make promises that we prove unable to keep. This is not the case with the Lord. When He says the word, it’s as good as done. Faith takes God at His Word, while prayer reverently holds Him to His Word. No matter how difficult things may seem, you can always count on God to be faithful and to keep His promises. The basis for our confidence in prayer is not found in how we pray, but in Who we pray to. Even in times of distress and worry God is dependable. No matter what else happens in our lives, we can always rely on the faithfulness of God. God shows steadfast love toward His followers. God keeps the covenant because of His covenant love. God's love and care for His people is unique. Question to Consider: If God were to remind you to bring to mind a promise that you have made, what promise would that be? Point to Ponder: God's blessings are upon those who do righteous. PRAYER: Father, You, alone are God. There is none other like You. Thank You for Your Word, which show us how best to live our lives. I choose to honor You alone as the Lord of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this post has blessed you in any way, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com The Great Commission is Not Out of Commission (Matthew 28:19-20)
Matthew 28:19-20, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Coca-Cola was introduced to the world on January 29, 1892. It has been around for over 128 years. Coca-Cola is very adamant about getting their product around the world. The Coca-Cola company did that in just over 100 years. They made it so that almost every person on earth knows their name. There are now just two countries in the world where Coca-Cola cannot be bought or sold - at least, not officially. They are Cuba and North Korea. In the beginning, Coca-Cola had cocaine in it, in varying amounts. At the time cocaine was legal and treated as a medicine. Coca-Cola’s goal is simple. They want everyone to get addicted to their drink. Coke seems to be willing to try any marketing strategy in its attempts to get their product into everyone’s hands. They are willing to use catch phrases, commercials, and slogans. Coke has had 48 different slogans. Perhaps the most famous is “It's the Real Thing”. Coke is one of the largest advertisers in the world, with spending on ads of about $3.3 billion a year worldwide. In 1985, when business became slow and losing market value, Coca-Cola out of desperation decided to change their identity, and label. “New Coke” began and it was a failure. The change was met with much criticism and negativity and Coke later changed its label to Coca-Cola Classic. We have the Word of God and Jesus Christ. He never changes, Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Therefore, we do not need to change the message. We have every opportunity to get the Gospel to the lost. We have had the gospel for 2,000 years. How are there still entire countries in this world where the name of Jesus is practically unknown? Has a soft drink company really been more passionate about selling their drink than we have been about sharing news of free eternal life? Acts 1:8, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. According to current demographics, 90% of the world has heard about Coke, 71% of the world has seen Coke, 50% of the world has tasted Coke, but only 10% of the world has heard the Gospel of Christ. God’s goal for giving to missions through His local church empowers His plan increase and gives every individual believer an opportunity to have a part in reaching others for Christ. Let's not fail in our mission to do the Great Commission. Christ has sent us, now we need to reach others and share the Gospel with them. If we don't, multitudes of people will spend eternity separated from God because no one told them. Nothing you accomplish in life will have a larger or longer lasting impact than leading people to Christ. Let's share the Gospel with someone today, and determine to be better witnesses of God's plan of salvation. Every Christian needs to let others know that Jesus Christ came into the world to bring salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. We have a wonderful opportunity to be a part of God's plan and program that has eternal value. That is where we need to put our attention and focus. May we find and obey the task that He has called us to do. Point to Ponder: The Great Commission is a command, not a “Great Suggestion.” Question to Consider: What are you doing to take part in the work of spreading the message of Christ to the world? PRAYER: Father, help me to become a more disciplined laborer in the field. I submit my availability to Your authority. May Your Holy Spirit guide me to souls who are open to receive Your truth. Help me to bring forth lasting fruit for pleasure and glory. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com The Problem with Pride (Proverbs 16:18)
Proverbs 16:18, Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Pride is the worst of all sins. It is also the original sin. Pride is not self-esteem although we need self-esteem and should have it. Pride is arrogance or having an exaggerated opinion of oneself. Pride carries with it a “must be seen” attitude. A turtle who wanted to spend the winter in Florida, but he knew he could never walk that far. The turtle convinced a couple of geese to help him, each taking one end of a piece of rope, while he clamped his vise-like jaws in the center. The flight went fine until someone on the ground looked up in admiration and asked, "Who in the world thought of that?" Unable to resist the chance to take credit, the turtle opened his mouth to shout, "I ahhhhhh............." Pride is the predecessor to destruction and is the forerunner of trouble. Arrogance, or a bighead, always precedes a fall. Pride and arrogance are balloons that are soon popped. In Muhammad Ali’s heyday as the heavy weight champion in boxing, he had taken his seat on a 747 which was starting to taxi down the runway for take off. The flight attendant walked by and noticed Ali did not have on his seatbelt, and said, “Please fasten your seatbelt, sir.” He looked up proudly and snapped, “Superman don’t need no seatbelt.” Without hesitation she stared at him and said, “Superman don’t need no plane.” Everything you and I have comes from God. A man once said to one of his customers, "I built and earned everything I have with these two hands." The customer responded asking him? "Where did you get those hands?" Who gave you your mind, your talents, and your abilities? There is only one cause for not being close to God and that is pride. Have you noticed the middle letter in the words "pride" and "sin?" When we have an "I" problem, it pushes us away from God. Another word for pride is "ego," which someone has said stands for "edging God out." Pride causes one to become unteachable. Prideful people tend not to listen to warnings and cautions from others. When those warnings go unheeded, then sudden destruction may come. Pride also makes us feel invincible. We may think, "Nothing can hurt me, or I can handle anything that comes my way." Then something does come along that does hurt us and we cannot handle it. If you don't get a grip on your pride, it will destroy you. Solomon warned us extensively about pride and its destructiveness. He addresses the issue of pride 13 times in Proverbs. Only one thing can destroy pride in our lives, and that is humility. Humility is the opposite of pride. Humility can push pride out of our hearts. The ultimate example of humility is Jesus Christ. That's why He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8). Prayer, Father in Heaven, too often I have knowingly and ignorantly come against Your will and Your ways. Open my eyes to the blessings of humility. Let me view it in its beauty and fullness of joy not as the world sees it. While I desire a life of godly humility, pride pulls hard to overpower me. In my warfare against pride, help me to fight against ego and the flesh as I pursue humility. Your Son left the pleasures of heaven for a life of service on earth. He gave His life for ungodly, ungrateful and undeserving people. Help me have His attitude, remembering that You resist the proud and give grace to the humble. In Jesus name, Amen! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Be Filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
Ephesians 5:18, And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; The Bible commands us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is a command for every believer, not just for ministers or those who are in full time ministry. We need God’s power for every aspect of life. When a person allows the Holy Spirit to control their life, He can demonstrate His power in whatsoever they do. A man once asked D. L. Moody why he focused so much about being filled with the Holy Spirit. Moody replied, “Because I leak!”. A man who drank heavily was converted to Christ and lived victoriously for several weeks. One day as he passed the open door of a tavern, the pungent odor drifting out aroused his old appetite for liquor. Just then he saw this sign in the window of a nearby cafe: "All the buttermilk you can drink—25 cents!" Dashing inside, he ordered one glass, then another, and still another. After finishing the third he walked past the saloon and was no longer tempted. He was so full of buttermilk that he had no room for that which would be injurious to him. The lesson is clear: To be victorious over our evil desires, we must leave no opportunity for them to repossess us. Dwight L. Moody once displayed the principle like this: "Tell me," he said to the congregation, "how can I get the air out of the tumbler I have in my hand?" One man said, "Suck it out with a pump." But the evangelist replied, "That would create a vacuum and shatter it." Finally, after numerous suggestions, Moody picked up a pitcher and filled the glass with water. "There," he said, "all the air is now removed." He then explained that victory for the child of God does not come by working hard to eliminate sinful habits, but rather by allowing the Holy Spirit to take full possession. It’s been said that every Christian is as full of the Holy Spirit as they choose to be. We are filled with the Spirit as we are emptied of ourselves. It is said that when a group of churches met to consider inviting the evangelist D. L. Moody to come to England for a crusade, a young, prideful pastor protested, "Why do we need this 'Mr. Moody'? He's uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?" An older, wiser pastor rose and responded, "No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody." We should not be controlled by wine because it can be excessive. Instead, we should be controlled by the Spirit, because you can’t get enough of that; you can’t be too filled with the Spirit. We must yield control of our lives to the Holy Spirit in the way that a drunkard yields control of his life to alcohol. This means allowing the Holy Spirit to control our every thought, action, and attitude. May you experience this “filling” of the Spirit even today as you live your life for Christ. God does not want control of our lives only for a while on Sundays or when we are with others from the church. His plan is for His Spirit to control our steps every day in every area of life. Surrender your will to His, and you will find yourself walking in the Spirit. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I give myself to You today that You may fill me, guide me, and control me that I may bring glory to You. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post has blessed you in any way, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Encouraging the Discouraged (Proverbs 25:11)
Proverbs 25:11, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” The person who sets out to be an encourager will never find a shortage of people to help. The word encourage means to put courage into another. Now more than ever, people are more discouraged due to the pressures in life. One of the overlooked needs that people have is to be encouraged. Often it is easier for us to read the physical needs of people rather than their emotional needs. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11). The right word spoken at the right time can make all the difference to someone whose world is crashing. William Arthur Ward said, “Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.” You Can Encourage Others by Extending Friendship. In Acts 9, we read of Saul who had been an enemy of the early Church—even having some Christians killed. He became a believer, but the Church was still hesitant to receive him into fellowship. Acts 9:26-27 says, “And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.” Barnabas encouraged Saul by extending love and friendship to him. He befriended this new believer. You Can Encourage Others by Re-Building Relationships. In Acts 15:36-41, we see that, earlier in their ministry, Paul and Barnabas had taken a young John Mark with them on their first missionary journey. Somewhere along the way, Mark left the team and went home. Later, when they wanted to retrace their steps, Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them, but Paul refused. Barnabas took Mark one way and Paul took Silas another. Barnabas sought to mend the broken relationship. II Timothy 4:11, “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.” Later, Paul asks for Mark to come to him. Paul’s relationship with Mark was restored and their ministries continued in part because Barnabas refused to let go of a good man just because he failed. Let's decide to do what we can with the resources the Lord gives us to encourage those who are hurt and struggling. When we see someone in a trial or heartache, let's encouragement them. Those words will mean more than any treasure because God has used our words in wonderful ways. Points to Ponder:
Questions to Consider:
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John 10:27, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: There are many voices that we hear today, from the television, radio, telephone and even the computer. The difficulty for many isn't that they don't hear God's voice, but many cannot discern the His voice over all the other they hear. We hear words from our family, friends and those we encounter while at work. There are so many things to discern. How do we know if we hear God amid all the other things competing for our listening ears? Even Samuel had a difficult time learning to discern God's voice while working in His temple (I Samuel 3). As Christians, we naturally learn to talk to God, but listening does not come as easily. We must learn to listen so that we can distinguish His voice over all the other voices and noises we hear. Today, God speaks to us through His Word, as the Holy Spirit opens our minds to comprehend the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). In order to hear God's voice, first, one must know Him personally. This is far different than knowing about Him or attempting to live for Him. This means to have a relationship with Him. Jesus came to earth for us to know Him personally and to give us a direct and very personal relationship with God. Once a person knows Him personally, they can begin to become sensitive to hearing Him when He is speaking to them. The listening process begins by reading and meditating on His Word. God speaks to us mostly through His Word. The more we read, the more we keep His Word in our hearts. His Words that are placed within our hearts and minds are the key to hearing His voice. His voice will not contradict with His Word and His Word is applicable for everything in our lives. Our Christian life is a walk of faith. God honors our faith and blesses those who believe without seeing. This means that we will never receive a text, a voicemail, or an email personally written to us from God with His personal instructions to us. To practice God's presence in hearing His voice, we have to be able to accept His will. And we know that if it was God's voice, then it will be God's will. So, God is the One responsible for making a way to fulfill His will. God's voice will align with God's will. He will speak to you about big things, as well as small. God has no favorites and He is willing that all will come. He promises wisdom to those who ask and He promises to be found by those who seek Him. He wants to reward you for seeking Him also. Through an ear of hearing His voice, we learn how to discern God's will and His ways. God honors childlike faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17). It takes practice to place His words in our hearts and to draw near to the Lord so He will draw near to us. Questions to Consider: Who have you shared Him with in the past six months? What part of hearing His voice or following Him is a particular challenge to you right now? Points to Ponder: Thank Him, talk to Him, and listen to Him as your Shepherd today. Determine today that you will submit to His leading. PRAYER: Lord, I ask You to allow me to be sensitive to Your voice and have the faith to know that You keep Your promises. Thank You for desiring a relationship with me. Thank You that Your Word brings peace, joy and life. Here I am Lord; fill me, use me, change me and send me. I desire Your presence above all things. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com |
AuthorDr. Blackman is passionate about helping others grow in the grace of the Lord. His devotions are centered on how to grow closer to the Lord through a personal relationship with Christ. Archives
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