Haggai 1: 5, 7
Consider how things are going for you! ... This is what the Lord Almighty says, "Consider how things are going for you!"
Today we would say, "How's that working out for you?" As we live our lives each day, as we make all the little choices in how to think, what to say, how to say it to those in our lives, are we considering how Jesus would respond in our circumstance or just "going with the flow" of our own attitudes and thinking processes?
Are we "taking to heart" all that we have learned of God's ways? How are things going for you?
Haggai tells the people (in verse 6) that they have planted a lot of seed, but very little has grown to be able to harvest; they eat, but never have enough food; they drink but their thirst is never satisfied; they layer their clothes in the cold weather, but they're never warm enough; and when they earn wages, it's like there are holes in their pockets, there's never enough to pay all the bills.
Have you experienced anything like any of this in your life? Have you put forth the supreme effort to get ahead, only to find yourself two steps behind?
If so, then maybe it's time to pay attention to God's ways, and apply them to our own lives. Maybe it's time to really believe that God knows what's best, even when it looks like it could be detrimental to us. God sees the "big picture" of what's really going on in the World and in our own personal lives each day, and if we're not applying what we know, then we can't expect for things to work out well.
When the Doctor must do surgery to remove the cancer, he must first cut into the body and cause trauma to the bodily systems in order to remove what is harming the patient; then the body can heal.
Doctors aren't God, so they may not be able to do everything we need; but God is our Great Physician Who is also our Maker. He knows every detail of our bodies, as well as the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts, and sometimes we need for Him to "cut out" whatever it is that is harming us in order that we can heal and be cleansed. We can trust Him to always do what is best for us.
My dear Father, please teach me how to be supportive, not supplanting. Show me Your Truth in what I am doing before I open my mouth and insert foot! Teach me Your ways, Father, to replace my ways. My ways only divide and drive away, but Your ways are gentle and beautiful, and promote unity and true intimacy.
I need You, Father.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Saturday, March 25, 2017
Time For Every Activity
Ecclesiastes 3:1
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
O my Father, You are so wise, and You gave Solomon such wisdom; and You had him record this little book of how he tried all the different activities that can be done here "under the Sun," to find out for himself what is worth doing.
And we can benefit from all his experiments. You have made this world and hung it on nothing, placed it in this solar system in the universe, and filled it with all the good things we need to live and prosper and seek Your Face. Solomon's conclusion to the whole matter is, "Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of Man" (12:13).
You have made this Earth to be self-perpetuating; the water and weather systems, the seasons. It is cyclical, round and round, to provide for every generation through the time You have set for us. For we are born and then we die, and others carry on in their time. Until the end of Time.
Father, help me to use the few days You have allotted me for Your glory. Help me to cherish and value each moment, to not waste even one. Teach me how to use what You have given me to benefit others and draw them closer to You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
O my Father, You are so wise, and You gave Solomon such wisdom; and You had him record this little book of how he tried all the different activities that can be done here "under the Sun," to find out for himself what is worth doing.
And we can benefit from all his experiments. You have made this world and hung it on nothing, placed it in this solar system in the universe, and filled it with all the good things we need to live and prosper and seek Your Face. Solomon's conclusion to the whole matter is, "Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of Man" (12:13).
You have made this Earth to be self-perpetuating; the water and weather systems, the seasons. It is cyclical, round and round, to provide for every generation through the time You have set for us. For we are born and then we die, and others carry on in their time. Until the end of Time.
Father, help me to use the few days You have allotted me for Your glory. Help me to cherish and value each moment, to not waste even one. Teach me how to use what You have given me to benefit others and draw them closer to You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, March 24, 2017
O Royal Daughter
Psalm 45: 10-11
Listen to Me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your family far away. For your royal Husband delights in your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord.
O my Father, thank You for this love song in Your book of songs. Thank You for this word to encourage me today. Indeed, I do want to honor my betrothed Husband, my Lord, and I enjoy that He takes delight in my beauty. For He sees beauty in me that others do not see.
O Father, please teach me to uncover the beauty that You have placed in me so that others will see and be drawn toward You. Let that beauty in me be a magnet to pull people toward Your wondrous, glorious Beauty and Grace. For I am Your ambassador to the world, representing You to the world, with Your wonderful message of reconciliation through Your amazing Grace in my Lord Christ Jesus.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Listen to Me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your family far away. For your royal Husband delights in your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord.
O my Father, thank You for this love song in Your book of songs. Thank You for this word to encourage me today. Indeed, I do want to honor my betrothed Husband, my Lord, and I enjoy that He takes delight in my beauty. For He sees beauty in me that others do not see.
O Father, please teach me to uncover the beauty that You have placed in me so that others will see and be drawn toward You. Let that beauty in me be a magnet to pull people toward Your wondrous, glorious Beauty and Grace. For I am Your ambassador to the world, representing You to the world, with Your wonderful message of reconciliation through Your amazing Grace in my Lord Christ Jesus.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Wildflowers
Psalm 103: 14-17
For He understands how weak we are; He knows we are only dust. Our days on Earth are like grass, like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone--as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear Him.
O my Father, I know that I am but dust. I know that my lifespan is but a breath, one brief moment in Your grand march of Time. Like a wildflower in the field, you give me a beauty that shines for You to see, then the winds of time blow, and I will grow old and die.
Teach me to number my days, Lord, that I might apply my heart to wisdom. Then, when I am gone, the sweet fragrance of Your love will linger. For Your love remains forever with those of us who fear You and love You and love others.
Please strengthen me to use each remaining day for Your glory. Help me to use the talents and abilities You have given me to help others in practical ways. And to share Your love and Your wonderful Gospel of Grace of Christ Jesus to those who are perishing but seeking You. Lead me to Your chosen ones, open my heart to them and my mouth to speak forth Your Truth to draw them to You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
For He understands how weak we are; He knows we are only dust. Our days on Earth are like grass, like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone--as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear Him.
O my Father, I know that I am but dust. I know that my lifespan is but a breath, one brief moment in Your grand march of Time. Like a wildflower in the field, you give me a beauty that shines for You to see, then the winds of time blow, and I will grow old and die.
Teach me to number my days, Lord, that I might apply my heart to wisdom. Then, when I am gone, the sweet fragrance of Your love will linger. For Your love remains forever with those of us who fear You and love You and love others.
Please strengthen me to use each remaining day for Your glory. Help me to use the talents and abilities You have given me to help others in practical ways. And to share Your love and Your wonderful Gospel of Grace of Christ Jesus to those who are perishing but seeking You. Lead me to Your chosen ones, open my heart to them and my mouth to speak forth Your Truth to draw them to You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Changed Into His Glorious Image
II Corinthians 3: 18
...And the Lord--Who is the Spirit--makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.
If you have been reading these last several days, then you will have some knowledge of God's ways to apply in your own daily living. These are the things that display God's love in us and promote His love for others in the world.
God has formulated and decided and put forth a great Plan of the Ages for our whole Universe, including Earth, and individual plans for each of us as components of that Plan. He knows what is the very best for each of us, and whenever He closes a door He opens another, with even greater opportunity and benefit.
His love for us is beyond anything that we can imagine, so we know that we can trust Him with our lives--our desires, our dreams, our own plans--because, as our Maker, He knows each of us intimately, down to the hairs on our heads and the very molecules that make up the cells of our bodies. And He knows our weaknesses, too. So, as a good Father, He allows us to go through fires and pressures. He wants us to submit to Him as our Father, to melt out the impurities and squeeze out the pure, genuine ore of our intended being--the very image of our glorious Lord. We will one day shine as the Sun, as He does now. Let's not resist His working in us to produce that glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
...And the Lord--Who is the Spirit--makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.
If you have been reading these last several days, then you will have some knowledge of God's ways to apply in your own daily living. These are the things that display God's love in us and promote His love for others in the world.
God has formulated and decided and put forth a great Plan of the Ages for our whole Universe, including Earth, and individual plans for each of us as components of that Plan. He knows what is the very best for each of us, and whenever He closes a door He opens another, with even greater opportunity and benefit.
His love for us is beyond anything that we can imagine, so we know that we can trust Him with our lives--our desires, our dreams, our own plans--because, as our Maker, He knows each of us intimately, down to the hairs on our heads and the very molecules that make up the cells of our bodies. And He knows our weaknesses, too. So, as a good Father, He allows us to go through fires and pressures. He wants us to submit to Him as our Father, to melt out the impurities and squeeze out the pure, genuine ore of our intended being--the very image of our glorious Lord. We will one day shine as the Sun, as He does now. Let's not resist His working in us to produce that glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Know God Better And Better
Colossians 1: 9-10
We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what He wants to do in your lives, and we ask Him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others. All the while you will learn to know God better and better.
O my Father, please give me, and all of Your children, a complete understanding of what You want us to do. Grant us Your spiritual wisdom to see and discern how to live our lives to bring You pleasure and honor.
O Father, what good, kind things am I doing for others? Lead me every day to do something for someone in Your Name, and not let the days slide by, wasted.
Father, restore the years the locusts of idleness and laziness have eaten up, and raise me up to be active in Your work, and not sedentary in my own selfishness and self-centeredness. Teach me to know You better and better, Father, that Your intimacy with me will form in me the character of Your dear Son, my Lord, my Savior, my Rescuer, my King, my best Friend.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what He wants to do in your lives, and we ask Him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others. All the while you will learn to know God better and better.
O my Father, please give me, and all of Your children, a complete understanding of what You want us to do. Grant us Your spiritual wisdom to see and discern how to live our lives to bring You pleasure and honor.
O Father, what good, kind things am I doing for others? Lead me every day to do something for someone in Your Name, and not let the days slide by, wasted.
Father, restore the years the locusts of idleness and laziness have eaten up, and raise me up to be active in Your work, and not sedentary in my own selfishness and self-centeredness. Teach me to know You better and better, Father, that Your intimacy with me will form in me the character of Your dear Son, my Lord, my Savior, my Rescuer, my King, my best Friend.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, March 20, 2017
God's Thought List
Philippians 4: 8-9
Fix your thoughts --
This is what we need to focus on.
on what is true --
Not false or deceptive in any way.
and honorable --
Positive, beneficial; not detrimental or slanderous.
and right. --
What promotes righteousness.
Think about things that are pure --
That are not soiled or diluted or twisted.
and lovely --
Beautiful in a pleasing way.
and admirable. --
Worthy to be admired for goodness.
Think about things that are excellent --
Of superior quality, not deficient or inferior.
and worthy of praise. --
What you can brag about.
Keep putting into practice --
Continue to live out every day.
all you learned from me (Paul) and heard from me and saw me doing, --
Paul is setting himself as a role model, as he follows everything he learned from God and Jesus since he was knocked to the ground on the way to Damascus.
And the God of Peace will be with you.
This is how to stay close to God, it's how God wants us to think positively.
When we strive to be constantly aware of how we are thinking, and think only the best of others and events and happenings, then we will realize God's sovereignty in all the big and little things of our lives and be able to trust that He will use them for our good. Then we won't be worrying about anything, and can enjoy God's peace, knowing He will work it all out for our good and His glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Fix your thoughts --
This is what we need to focus on.
on what is true --
Not false or deceptive in any way.
and honorable --
Positive, beneficial; not detrimental or slanderous.
and right. --
What promotes righteousness.
Think about things that are pure --
That are not soiled or diluted or twisted.
and lovely --
Beautiful in a pleasing way.
and admirable. --
Worthy to be admired for goodness.
Think about things that are excellent --
Of superior quality, not deficient or inferior.
and worthy of praise. --
What you can brag about.
Keep putting into practice --
Continue to live out every day.
all you learned from me (Paul) and heard from me and saw me doing, --
Paul is setting himself as a role model, as he follows everything he learned from God and Jesus since he was knocked to the ground on the way to Damascus.
And the God of Peace will be with you.
This is how to stay close to God, it's how God wants us to think positively.
When we strive to be constantly aware of how we are thinking, and think only the best of others and events and happenings, then we will realize God's sovereignty in all the big and little things of our lives and be able to trust that He will use them for our good. Then we won't be worrying about anything, and can enjoy God's peace, knowing He will work it all out for our good and His glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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