I felt led to fast from sugar and carbs for 40 days.  I was looking for spiritual clarity in some areas and God prompted me to turn my attention towards Him and take my eyes off of me and my circumstances.   Believe me… that was not an easy thing for me to do.  You?

Once the idea grew on me a bit and I accepted His challenge, my thought was… “Hey, if Jesus can do it… so can I!”

Wow… maybe I need to work on my pride next.

In my original post, I cited a desire to deepen my relationship with God as a reason for fasting.  I needed some answers and direction.

This act demanded that I deliberately deny my flesh so I could feed my spirit.  And to be honest, it was so much harder than I thought it would be.   Why?

• This is pumpkin spice syrup season at Starbucks
  
• It’s also “candy corn mixed with peanuts” time of year
• We’ve celebrated Sam and Wayne’s birthdays… with cake, of course
• I’ve attended one too many events with a Mexican food buffet
• All my good friends cook and bake like there is no tomorrow

And that is just scratching the surface.  But you know what?  God really blessed my efforts to seek Him more.  I wanted to share some of what He revealed to me in these past 40 days:

1. I was able to define the direction and specific mission of my ministry
2. God challenged me with a new teaching style that allows me to hear the Holy Spirit’s prompting better
3. Some very deeps hurts were healed
4. He gave me a deeper desire for Him
5. I’ve learned to pray with more authority
6. God gave me mentors for different areas of my life
7. I was given a new retreat topic to develop
8. He opened doors for new friendships which are rich and deep
9. My husband was divinely blessed with a new job close to home

Through this fast, I had my mind set on God and He once again proved so faithful to bless my obedience.  I sought Him and He showed up.

I wonder what answers you are seeking today?  Maybe there are “cloudy” areas that need clarity.  Are you needing more of Him and less of you?

Consider fasting.

It can look different for everyone.  For example, I know someone who has fasted from their computer.  Another fasted from shopping at Target.  Still another fasted from peach tea.

Don’t laugh.  These are real examples of real people feeling led to give up something “difficult” for them so they could seek His presence.  Scripture tells us that when we seek Him, we will find Him.  And find Him, I did.

You lookin’ for Him, too?  Think about it…

©2010 careyscotttalks.com

What about a relationship with Jesus Christ?  Is that too good to be true? Matthew 19:26 NKJV says “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Let’s consider a few benefits of believing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Truth Revealed

God’s Word is alive and it renews us day by day.  The more we read, the more He reveals Himself and our sinful nature.  If we choose, we can respond the way God anticipates which is to agree with Him about our sin.  When we do, we allow His Word to renew our minds, changing the way we think.  For some this may mean a once prideful person has been transformed into a humble one.  For others who were critical and judgmental it may mean their stony hearts are transplanted with a new tender heart of love.  God’s Word reveals the truth and when we accept His truth wonderful things happen.  Please don’t take this as once we become a Christian all our problems go away.  Oh no, that is definitely not what’s being conveyed.  But rather wonderful changes within occur when truth is allowed to penetrate our inner beings.

Sins Forgiven

Psalm 103:12 NKJV says “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Jesus Christ took on our sin, paid the penalty for us by dying on the cross.  Even better news than that is Jesus rose again.  Death was not the end of Him, only the beginning of a new life.  With His resurrection we are given a new life too.   Romans 10:9 NKJV says “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  So the free gift of salvation God offers is as easy as believing and you will be saved.  Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” To further this wonderful benefit, Romans 8:1 also tells us there is no condemnation in Christ when we walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.

Rewards Here

Psalm 37:4 NKJV says “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”  Choose to follow Him, read His Word, and apply His truths in your life.  Allow His Word to become real to you by living it out.  When you do He rewards you.  I’m not saying we come to the Lord simply for the benefits He offers.  But I am saying if you are diligent to seek Him and serious about pursuing Him, He will bring blessings into your life.   His word straightens us out and plants our feet on a firm foundation.  He directs us on the pathway of righteousness.  He leads us by His Spirit which we gave us as a guarantee of our salvation.  He changes the way we think, which improves our attitudes.  He enables us to love, forgive, and consider others above our self.  He provides everything we need to live a godly life here and now while we wait for the return of Christ.  He restores broken relationships.  He breaks the chains that bind us to our addictions.  He sets us free from sin.  The rewards He gives are unending and this is only speaking of here on earth.  There are far more blessings in the eternal sense, where no eye has seen, nor ear have heard, nor any mind can imagine what treasures await those who love God.

Is a relationship with Christ too good to be true?  While it does seem too good to be true, I want to reassure you all these things do exist.  There is no end to how good God can make it.  For me, I have found my relationship with Christ to be more rewarding, exciting, intimate, loving and honoring than I ever dreamed was possible.  I have experienced a new mind, new attitude, forgiveness of my sin, acceptance by the Father, a renewed love, a restored marriage and blessings of a second child.  I could go on, but I won’t.  I do encourage you to think about your life and count your blessings from knowing Christ.  It will revitalize your walk.

Lord Jesus, thank you for your willingness to die to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and make us right with the Father.  Thank you for the many rewards from our relationship with you.  Thank you for giving us eternal life in you.  In your precious name we pray. Amen.

© ThinkOnIt Bible Ministries Inc is a 501(c) (3) Public Charity
Know someone new to the Bible? Give them a gift to help them
understand it.  Our Beginner’s Inductive Study Puzzle makes a
great gift. Get one today at
http://thinkonit.org/studypuzzle.aspx
Are you a small group leader? Subscribe to our leader tips at
http://thinkonit.org/smallgroups.aspx

I am going through this right now. Money is super tight and the seasons will be changing soon and I am worrying about my girls being clothed but God tells me right here not to worry about what we will eat or drink or wear. I am trying to get a hold of this scripture and run with it. Worry is something that I have battled with most of my Christian walk and even before I was a Christian. The other thing God keeps speaking to me when I start to enter the road of worry is Matthew 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” Every time I start to worry this scripture keeps burning in my heart. We are to truly focus on him. He will provide the knowledge, timing and means when it is right but our number one focus is to seek him. Out of this will flow love, peace, righteousness, faith, hope, joy and all of these things we strive for.

PROMISE TO SOLOMON AND JEREMIAH

God searches the hearts of man. He says, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:” Isa 55:6

He made a promise to King Solomon.

And thou Solomon my son, know thou the God of they father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast the off for ever. (1st Chronicles 28:9)

Also in a letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the children of Israel which had been carried away captive by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. The promise was that if their search for him was sincere he would be found.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

We also find these words in the Psalms.

The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. (Psalms 22:26)

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
Our Father searches our hearts and knows who is sincere in their desire for truth and will reveal himself to those who are honestly seeking.

Our Father appreciates the fact that you are trying. May God’s blessing be upon this
study of His word, Amen.
Susan

[God] is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

Job must have felt as if he were on a roller coaster. One day he seemed to have everything, then suddenly everything was taken away. He lost his family, his possessions, his health, and he even became alienated from his wife and friends.

When Job’s thoughts sank into the dark depths of doubt, he felt as if God had become an inaccessible stranger. He cried out, “Oh, that I knew where I might find Him!” (Job 23:3).

Many people would say that Job was foolish to think that he could ever find God. In fact, one present day atheist has called the quest for God “the biggest wild-goose chase in history.”

But if you once felt close to God and now feel distant, or if you’ve never known the reality of a relationship with Him, don’t believe for a split-second that you’re on a wild-goose chase.

Remember, He loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for you (John 3:16). While you are groping for Him in the darkness, a nail-pierced hand is being lovingly extended toward you. Grasp it in faith! You will discover that the quest for God is not a wild-goose chase, but the way to find forgiveness of sin and the fulfillment of your deepest desire: a personal relationship with the God of the universe. —vcg

Found by God! Found by God! Lost in sin, but now I am set free; it was not I who found, o shepherd true, no, I was found by Thee. —anon

God sometimes puts us in the dark so that we may see the light.

Jas 4:8-10    Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Some Christian leader once said that if they really wanted their church to take in something important, they would need to communicate it six times to their people. It seems it is a bit like that with James. He is so intent on focusing his scattered people on God that he comes again and again in different ways, saying the same thing. There was an Argentinean pastor who used to say that he would preach the same message to his church every Sunday for a year until they understood it and did it. James would have appreciated him. Let’s follow our usual pattern and see what these verses say and then see them in the overall context.

He starts with a call to “Come near to God”. Now what does that mean, because God is everywhere, so in one sense He is everywhere and always near us? Well, when we speak about the presence of the Lord we speak about His general presence which is with us everywhere, and we also speak of His ‘manifest presence’, His presence that becomes real as He manifests or makes known His presence in a very real way. The call to “Come near” is a call to set your heart and mind on God, probably ‘seeking Him’ in prayer. David told Solomon, “If you seek him, he will be found by you.” (1 Chron 28:9). God makes His presence known to those who seek Him with all their heart (Deut 4:29). This is a call to stir the heart to seek after God.

He then calls his readers to Wash your hands and to purify your hearts which is the language used of the priests in the Old Testament as they approached God in the Tabernacle or the Temple. It was a call to ensure purity before God. But James addresses specific people: you sinners and you double-minded. Now whether he knows of specific people who fit this category, or whether he is reminding us of our tendency, is unclear. We will assume the latter because this side of heaven we are (redeemed) sinners and we do have a tendency to be double-minded.  This is James humbling us. In a previous meditation series on “Why the Cross” we spent the first twelve meditations focusing on our sin, because unless we recognize our state we cannot see the full wonder of our salvation or, as in this present context, we cannot realize the attitude we need to approach God. James is well and truly putting us in our place. Why? Possibly because, like today, there is often a tendency to approach God casually, like a buddy. He is Almighty God who is Holy!

So if we do treat God like that, James gives us our marching orders. “Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord.” This really all says the same thing: change your attitude! Grieve and mourn and wail?  Realise your wrong attitude and come in repentance with a penitent heart. Humble yourself, put yourself down, realize His greatness and your smallness, His Holiness and your lack of holiness. Get a right perspective and then come to God in the right way. These are strong words.

To see why they are strong we need to remind ourselves of the context, of what has gone before. We’ve noted that James is writing to the church living in the midst of the world where faith is so easily dissipated. In the materialistic world in which we live today, these appeals of James are of particular significance. Have we taken note of the things in the recent meditations, the call to side with God against the world, the acknowledgement that God is jealous for a relationship with us, the recognition that it is to the humble that he gives grace, so we need to submit ourselves to Him, resisting the enemy’s strategies to draw us away. Where we have done any of the things James is warning about, then today’s verses apply to us.

1. If we have allowed our thinking and our attitudes to blend in with the world’s ungodliness and unrighteousness, we need to take action.

2. If we have ignored God’s overtures to draw us to Himself, we need to take action.

3. If we have allowed pride to rise up in us, we need to take action.

4. If we have allowed the enemy to entice us away from God, we need to take action.

Please be careful, these are all very real dangers, which is why we have marked them out like this above.  They are each common dangers when we live in the world and things we need to be aware of. If we can be honest with ourselves and recognize that some or all of these things apply to us, then we need to seek the Lord whole-heartedly in repentance and humility. It means we have drifted and we need to take the Biblical steps to return to the place where God wants us.

Isaiah 29:17-24

Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

Matthew 9:27-31

All of us suffer from some degree of spiritual blindness, even as Christians.  We seek to be closer to God, but the things of the World obstruct our vision of Him.  We seek to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and allow Him to be our light and our salvation.

Like the blind man in Matthew 9, we ask the Lord to have mercy on us.  His question to us is, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”  When we reply “Yes, Lord”, he will restore our sight according to our faith.

Seek Him today.  Wait for the Lord.  He desires for us to see His goodness and promises us that if we seek Him, we will find Him. 

The eyes of the blind will see.

Prayer:  Lord, I desire to have any spiritual blindness taken away.  Give me faith to wait on You to restore my sight and see Your goodness in every part of my life.  Change me Lord and give me courage to leave the World behind and follow You whole-heartedly.  Amen.

Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth: The Lord is his name.


Amos 5:8


Some people find the Bible to be a boring book, it can seem so old (and odd), it can seem to be addressing things of a bygone era that has not much relevance to today…on the other hand, I think that one of the real mistakes is to think that the Bible is entirely made up of one thing alone.  Have you read Amos recently?  Have you read Amos at all? I encourage you to take a look, and before you do, do a bit of background – heck, read the wikipedia page on Amos, or any brief introduction.  Even better, take a look at the VTS (Virginia Theological Seminary) “Bible Brief” on Amos, which you can find HERE.  Amos is an unlikely prophet, a “nonprofessional” prophet who has much to say about the political and social structures of his time.  He is willing to “call a spade a spade,” in all sorts of ways.  Beyond all this, there is great beauty in this prophetic book of the Bible, as evidenced by the above quote.

It may sound old fashioned, it may sound crazy, but we would do well to pick up the Bible and read!  And, check out Amos!


In the name of Christ and the Lord who made the Pleades and Orion,


~The Rev. Peter M. Carey  

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.” declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 29:12-14

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There is a mystery to knowing God. His love draws us to Him. God has made it abundantly clear that “whosoever will” may come to Him; but this is the beginning, not the end. If we are to follow Him, be His disciple, take knowing Him seriously, then He demands preeminence in our life. Solomon knew this. He prayed for Godly wisdom. He sought it more than anything else God could offer him and God gave it to him. He writes that it is the same for us. We must want to know God more than anything else. We need to “call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding”. He assures us that knowing God will come when we look for Him like we would look for silver and search for Him like we would search for hidden treasure. Jeremiah says it another way. He says that we will find God when we seek Him with all our heart. How much have you wanted to know God? What treasure are you seeking? What has your heart sought after? If God is going to be a serious part of your life, if you are going to live in His wisdom, then you must make knowing Him a priority. God didn’t say we had to be smart, wise, rich, talented or gifted to know Him. The only requirement is desire. Turn your desire toward God. When you do, He promises, “I will be found by you.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I admit I have let my desire wander. I have sought for fools’ gold. I have put other priorities ahead of knowing You. I come today and seek You with all my heart. Father, I yearn for Your wisdom. I desire to have understanding. I want to know You more than anything else. Teach me, guide me, lead me. I pray this in the precious name of Jesus.
AMEN

______________________________________________________________

CLICK HERE to send this to a friend

 CLICK HERE to go to our BLOG Walking the Talk, and find out ways to help others.  

 Do You Know What Your Spiritual Gifts Are?
Now You Can. CLICK HERE to Get your FREE Spiritual GIfts Test and Workbook  

Do you want to know how to be a Child of God? CLICK HERE to find out how

God lists us up.  He raises us to places of influence.  You think you got that promotion on your own?  Think again.  God exalts those who are mindful of Him.

God gave us certain skills and abilities.  He expects us to use them. He leads us to the place of employment.  He gives us wisdom for decision making.  He rewards us financially for the work we do. If not for Him, we wouldn’t be where we are.

Everything we have is a gift from God.  It is God who provides for us.  You might not see the connection, just as the children of Israel seemed to forget.

• Do you have a job? Be thankful.
• How about a place to live? Praise God.
• What about a form of transportation? Thank Him.
• Do you have clothes to wear and food to eat? Rejoice in God.

Remember God knows what we need.  He knew us before He made us.  He planned the family we would be born to and live with.  He counts the very the hairs on our head.  All the days of our life are known in advance by Him.  He knows us better than we know ourselves.

Today’s verse is a warning to us. Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful and have forgotten the God who fathered you. Don’t be like the children of Israel. Don’t take for granted all that God does for us.

Be mindful of God instead.  Be on guard.  Set reminders everything.  As you get ready in the morning, thank God for the clothing you’re putting on.  As you put on each piece, think about God’s armor from Galatians 6:10-20. As you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, praise God for providing nourishing food to keep our bodies healthy.  While driving to work or school or the store, thank Him for the car you’re driving.  As you enter your workplace, thank Him for employment and ask Him to help you be a godly influence there.  You get the idea.

Be mindful.  God gave us a brain.  Let’s start using it to bring glory to God by remembering all He does for us.

Lord God Almighty, if we stopped to consider all that you do for us we would never cease praising you. Open our eyes to the various ways you provide for us.  Let our hearts be joyful as we discover the depth of your provision for us.  In Your name we pray, Jesus. Amen.

©Elizabeth Marks has led small group Bible studies for almost a decade.  Author of ThinkOnItBibleDevotions.com and BeingWomenOfInfluence.com websites she has a heart for encouraging others with God’s Word. 

be strong and take heart

and wait for the Lord

Psalm 27:14

I make plans. I conjure up ideas in my head about what I want to do today, tomorrow, five years from now. I am flexible, yes, but I still make plans and roll with the changes as they come.  I play out the what-if game in my head and toy with all sorts of ideas.  Yet, right now, I find myself in a place that takes me out of my comfort zone.  I am learning to wait.  I am learning to let go of my plans to seek Him.  I am waiting for guidance. I am digging deep and holding His hand.  I am learning to love the uncertainty. I am learning to trust all over again. I am terrified yet my heart is happy.  I am taking a step out onto the water. I am ready for a little excitement, adventure, and risk.

To paraphrase Moses, he says “Look God’s word isn’t too mysterious for you and not too hard to grasp. You don’t need anyone to interpret it for you.  You can understand it yourself.”  Everyone is able to read it and understand it.  God ensures this. To those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, He gives His Holy Spirit to dwell in us.  By His Holy Spirit we are taught the things of God.  He reveals His truth as we seek Him in His word.

This is great news! No special training required.  You don’t have to go to seminary school to unlock God’s word.  There’s no human middle man needed.  God Himself, in Spirit form, will help us understand.  With His help an inductive type Bible study can greatly increase our understanding of the word.   Inductive method simply means we observe what it says, then think about what it means, and only then move to how it applies to us today.  Structured, reasonable and logical study lead by the Holy Spirit in us will reveal truths you never thought were there before.

Sadly, many professing believers don’t read their Bibles.  You’ve probably heard some say “I just can’t read it” or “I just don’t understand it.”  What are the possible driving factors that prevent people from reading God’s precious word?

(1)   Lack of Perseverance – Maybe they tried reading it once or twice but gave up too soon.

(2)   False Expectations – Perhaps they expected some great “Ah-ha” moment to happen but it didn’t.

(3)   Lack of Reverence-Unbelief may cause people to doubt the Bible is really God’s Word.

(4)   Lack of Priority – Many people are just too busy with the “cares of this world.”  There’s really no time to read they say.

(5)   Lack of Discipline – Some just read God’s Word without making any effort to really see and understanding what it says.  You’ve heard the saying “in one ear and out the other”, well these folks take in God’s word but it doesn’t stay with them.

(6)   Lack of Salvation – Another reason could be they haven’t given their life to Christ yet.  Without the Holy Spirit’s instruction, it may be difficult to read God’s word.

Do any of these reasons apply to you? Pray for God to show you what may be hindering further insight of His word.  Then be obedient and take care of whatever He shows you.  Lastly, keep at it.  Read a little every day and in time you will begin to see more clearly.

Whatever the reason, God’s word is still for everyone. God is real and He rewards those who seek Him.  Not only does He save us from sin and death, but he reveals Himself to us in various ways.  The more we seek Him through His word and prayer, the more He shows us who He is and what He’s like.

God doesn’t want anyone to perish, but all to come and be saved.  The Bible teaches us about God and His Ways.  It also tells us about our own sinfulness and our need for a Savior.  The Bible shows us the path to Salvation is in Jesus Christ who said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

God’s word is for everyone.  It is clear and not confusing.  God expects His children to read it, learn from it, live by it and share it with others.

Lord, thank you for making yourself known to us.  Thank you for your Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation and great help in leading us in your truth.  Draw us closer.  Give us a desire to seek you through your word each day.  In Jesus’ name Amen.

©Elizabeth Marks has led small group Bible studies for almost a decade.  Author of ThinkOnItBibleDevotions.com and BeingWomenOfInfluence.com websites she has a heart for encouraging others with God’s Word.

Read Deuteronomy 29.  Read it slowly.  Read it more than once.  Take time to reflect on it.  Look for the facts first.  Move to the meaning of the words next.  Look for the timeless principle God is showing you.

Deuteronomy 29 is about the Lord speaking to the children of Israel through Moses.  He is reminding them of all God has done in their presence.  He is encouraging them to remain in covenant with the faithful God Almighty.

As mentioned, this chapter outlines some of God’s characteristics. Let’s take a look:

• God’s power is on display in verses 2 – 3.
• God’s compassion is evident in verses 4-8.
• God’s kindness is extended in verse 9.
• God’s authority and our accountability are shown in verses 10-11.
• God’s faithfulness and reliability are depicted in verses 12-13.
• God’s fairness to all is discussed in verses 14-15.
• God’s mercifulness is outlined in verses 16-19.
• God’s jealousy is graphically displayed in verses 20-22.
• God’s wrath is explained in verses 24-28.
• God’s revelation is spoken of in verse 29.

God, who is all-powerful, compassionate, kind, faithful, fair, merciful, jealous and has all authority is angry with those who do not come to Him.  God has blessings upon blessings for those who will receive Him.  God’s plans are not to harm but to prosper us.   In verse 9 He says “keep the words of this covenant that you may prosper.”

God wants all to prosper under His blessings, but it is conditional.  If we choose to enter the covenant we must acknowledge He is God, deny our self and idols, and turn to Him.   If we don’t turn, we choose to deceive our self, live in denial and we reap curses instead of blessings.  God doesn’t want us saying “‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.” (verse 19)  If we are to experience peace, it will be when we yield to God’s way of living, depending on Him to provide as a result of our obedience.

Speaking about depending on Him, it is God who makes and keeps the covenant with us.  He is faithful even when we are not.  For Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  He was willing to make a way for us, even while we were His enemies.  We shunned Him.  We exalted our self as god.  We lived how we wanted to, yet God came in the flesh to die for our crimes against Him.  God’s covenant is for everyone who is willing to enter it.

It is my sincerest desire you take time with God and His word.  Prayerfully read it daily.  Let it change the way you think.  May you regard God’s Word as the oxygen you breathe, for in it contains the truth about life and death.  May you, as Moses said in Deuteronomy 30:19: “Choose life.”

Lord God, thank you for your life-giving words.  Thank you for your Spirit helping us discern your truth.  Teach us your way of life.  Enable us to receive your blessings through obedience to you.  We come, just as we are, to you this day.  In Jesus’ name we pray Amen.

©Elizabeth Marks has led small group Bible studies for almost a decade.  Author of ThinkOnItBibleDevotions.com and BeingWomenOfInfluence.com websites she has a heart for encouraging others with God’s Word.

You cannot be fully convinced of something and doubt it at the same time. This is double-mindedness. You are either fully convinced or you are not. To be fully convinced of something and to act against that conviction is to violate your conscious which means to sin against a belief in your mind and heart. To do anything that you are convinced is wrong is sin. In the same way, to fail to do anything that you are fully convinced is right is also sin.

In the morning, when I come to God, I am fully convinced that I will be rewarded with fruit that comes from spending time with Him. I don’t know when the fruit will appear. I don’t even know what that fruit will look like. But, I do know that I know that coming to Him every morning to spend time in His Word will lead to growth in my life even if I don’t get to see huge amounts of that growth right away. There is never a time when I question that His work in me or my act of coming will work or not. That is because I am fully convinced in the depths of my heart and mind that He will reward me for simply coming.

That is my act of faith. And if I come each morning with any doubts that meeting Him will be a waste of time I will reveal that I am not fully convinced at all. That would be sufficient proof of my lack of faith. In fact, my doubts will be reason enough not to come at all. The only reason why I continue to come is because I know that I know that I know that there is no other way to know Him or to grow fruit in Him. If I thought there was another way, I’d be following that way which I thought would be right. Faith always follows conviction. And conviction is to be fully assured in your mind that something works a certain way no matter what. Faith is conviction plus expectancy plus action.

Here is an example. When you come to sit on a chair you don’t come to it as if the chair would grow arms, take hold of you, and swallow you up. Instead, you come with confidence that the chair will do what it is designed to do—hold you up. To come any other way is to demonstrate your lack of confidence in the chair’s ability to support you and keep you comfortable. You will not sit on the chair if you were convinced that the chair would turn into a monster and eat you alive. You believe therefore you act. It is the same with our spiritual lives. We believe therefore we act and live according to our belief.

Therefore, our greatest need is not for more faith as if much faith in the mystical sense will do more than less faith. A mustard size faith is good enough to accomplish much. What we need is to pray that we would be fully convinced that what God says in His Word is truth and reliable. For this, we need to be in His Word so that our minds can be transformed by it and convinced differently than what they are now. The more we spend time in His Word, the more we are convinced that our ways are not right and that God’s ways are. The more we are changed this way, the more we will naturally align our lives according to our new conviction or way of thinking. There is no work in this involved, just faith.

By Faith

11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

If we lack faith—that is a mind that is fully convinced—we can ask Him for it. And guess what, if we believe that He can convince us of His power, nature, love, and goodness, He will.

Father, change our minds and thinking so that they will truly reflect what you want us to believe about You and not what we think we should believe or the lies that we believe now. Convince us of your power, your love, and your truths. Helps us know and believe and understand in the depths of our hearts that your ways are better, reliable, trustworthy, and that they work for our good all the time so that we may live lives display Your glory on this earth. Amen.

But because of what you’ve done, (“For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten son, that whosever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” -John 3:16; “It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” -Romans 9:34; “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us abundantly,through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”  -Titus 3:5-6)

 Not because of what I’ve done, (“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh, ) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me: but how to perform that which is good I find not.” -Romans 8:18)

But because of WHO YOU ARE!!! (“We love him, because he first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19; “Behold, he cometh in the clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him; and all kindreds of earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen.  I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE ENDING, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8-9

 ….PRAISE  GOD!!!

“For he is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” -Psalm 95:7

Sheep are the only animals that need a shepherd for outside care. Without a shepherd, they would wander off, starve to death, or fall prey to predators like wolves. The Lord calls us His sheep because, in the same way, he guides us, to protect us and provide all our needs.  Matthew 18:12 offers a parable about a man who has a hundred sheep. When one of them goes astray, that man leaves the 99 to seek that one lost sheep.

2 Peter 3:9 tells us that it is God’s will that no one die and spend eternity away from His grace and fellowhship.God loves each of us so much, He desires fellowship with every being He has created.

Have you sought a relationship with God? If you have taken time to read this, you know in your heart you are at least interested in knowing more about Him. ASK God to reveal himself to you… to let the words here bear witness with your soul that they are truth. SEEK HIM, AND YOU WILL FIND Him!!! And if you want to know more about who HE is, read Job 38-40!

God Bless!

You have probably heard the “Miranda Rights” read to someone being arrested on a TV show before. It goes something like “every word you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” Well, everything we think, do and say will be used to determine our destiny.

Every decision we make to sin or not is known by God. Everything we do is witnessed by Him. There is nothing that will not be exposed. God is the Great Judge. He is just and fair. His rulings are right and true. He doesn’t make hasty decisions. Instead He investigates, verifies and gives the benefit of doubt to the accused.

If you read Genesis 18:22-33 you will see God is fair. Abraham pleaded with God for the sake of the righteous. God said He would spare the city if even ten righteous people were in it. But there were no righteous people and so God judged Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities were destroyed.

The people of Sodom and Gomorrah chose to sin. Their sin was very grave. It was so bad that an outcry was heard by God. Therefore, God had a choice to make: let the people continue doing wicked, evil, detestable things or take care of the problem so as not to spread wickedness to others.

They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, no, not one. Psalm 14:3 NKJV

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 NKJV

Sin is always dealt with. Romans 6:23 NKJV says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The end of sin is death. Therefore, to continue to sin is to knowingly accept the fact one day we will die to pay the penalty of that sin. But did you also notice the later half of Romans 6:23 says “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord?”

It’s our choice to either follow God and live or follow sin and die. God will honor our choice. But we must make sure we are willing to accept the consequence of our choice.

Almighty God, thank you Lord Jesus for dying in our place to pay our sin debt. May we always remember the choice is ours to accept your gift and live or turn our backs on you and die. Give us a desire for your way. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

©Elizabeth Marks has led small group Bible studies for almost a decade. Author of ThinkOnItBibleDevotions.com and BeingWomenOfInfluence.com websites she has a heart for encouraging others with God’s Word.

The fourth step in healing is repentance. Don’t let the word “repent” scare you. It simply means turning from and turning to something. It’s a decision to change your mind. It means to stop one way and start another. God asks us to turn from ungodly ways and turn to Him.

So let’s look at what we need to turn from as 2 Timothy 3:2-5 outlines:

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Pastor Rick Warren took these items and looked each word up in the Greek to seek further meaning. We’ll use his list (taken from January 10-11, 2009 sermon) as our checklist below. Rate how frequently you see these appearing in your life. Use the following scale: 1 for not at all, 2 for occasionally, 3 more than I’d like, 4 becoming a habit, and 5 all the time.

If you rated any item more than a 1, stop. Pray and ask God to help you repent of this ungodly behavior. Confess it and ask for forgiveness.

Acts 3:19 NKJV says “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Now who doesn’t want their sins blotted out and times of refreshing to come?

Act now. Turn from your ungodly ways and turn to God Himself. In this turning you are repenting. If repentance comes with sincerity, it is well pleasing to God and He will be glorified.

Lord Almighty, your Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment to come. May your word settle deep without our hearts that we may be convicted of ungodly behaviors to confess them and be freed from them. Forgive us our sins and send your times of refreshing. In Jesus’ name Amen.

©Elizabeth Marks has led small group Bible studies for almost a decade. Author of ThinkOnItBibleDevotions.com and BeingWomenOfInfluence.com websites she has a heart for encouraging others with God’s Word.

“I sought him, but I found him not.” {#So 3:1}

Tell me where you lost the company of Christ, and I will tell you the most likely place to find him. Have you lost Christ in the closet by restraining prayer? Then it is there you must seek and find him. Did you lose Christ by sin? You will find Christ in no other way but by the giving up of the sin, and seeking by the Holy Spirit to mortify the member in which the lust doth dwell. Did you lose Christ by neglecting the Scriptures? You must find Christ in the Scriptures. It is a true proverb, “Look for a thing where you dropped it, it is there.” So look for Christ where you lost him, for he has not gone away. But it is hard work to go back for Christ. Bunyan tells us, the pilgrim found the piece of the road back to the Arbour of Ease, where he lost his roll, the hardest he had ever travelled. Twenty miles onward is easier than to go one mile back for the lost evidence.

Take care, then, when you find your Master, to cling close to him. But how is it you have lost him? One would have thought you would never have parted with such a precious friend, whose presence is so sweet, whose words are so comforting, and whose company is so dear to you! How is it that you did not watch him every moment for fear of losing sight of him? Yet, since you have let him go, what a mercy that you are seeking him, even though you mournfully groan, “Oh that I knew where I might find him!” Go on seeking, for it is dangerous to be without thy Lord. Without Christ you are like a sheep without its shepherd; like a tree without water at its roots; like a sere leaf in the tempest—not bound to the tree of life. With thine whole heart seek him, and he will be found of thee: only give thyself thoroughly up to the search, and verily, thou shalt yet discover him to thy joy and gladness.

CH Spurgeon.

rotten969 Stock.xchng

Are you able to admit when you are wrong? How about confessing your part in a disagreement? Are you able to come before someone and share your flaws, problems, addictions, hang-ups, or struggles?

If you answered yes, then chances are you are on your way to be humble. If you answered no even to one of these questions you might have to deal with your pride. James 4:8 NIV says “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t want God opposing me. I want his grace instead.

No one can be humble when they are full of pride. One must first empty out the pride before humility will shine. How do we empty out the pride?

Start by identifying all the ways pride shows up in your life. This may take some time. You may want to start a journal to keep track of the times you spot it. If you don’t think you have pride, ask God to help you see. Look for situations where your thoughts are constantly about you. Bingo! There’s pride. Watch for times when your feelings are hurt when no recognizes your good deed and log that down too. Yep, more pride. Listen to your words. Are they bragging or boasting about your hard work or your efforts? Now, you’re starting to see pride.

This next step helps you deal with pride appropriately. Once pride is identified, learn to confess it to God through prayer as soon as possible. This will help get rid of pride before it becomes a stronghold. Learning to pray on the spot to confess your pride when it happens also develops a lifestyle of prayer which will draw you closer to God.

The last step in this exercise is talking things over with a trusted Christian friend of the same sex as you. Sometimes lessons aren’t learned completely until they’re shared with another believer who can help you see what you might have missed. Other times the believer is there for moral support. James 5:16 NIV says “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” It’s difficult being completely honest with our self. We need the strength of other believers to encourage onward so we don’t grow weary of doing what it right.

Proverbs 28:13 NIV says “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” If we want to learn to be humble, we identify pride in our life then confess it to God and others through prayer. Openly facing our flaws and asking for God’s grace is the path towards humility. Of course, none of this is possible with out the power from Jesus Christ in us. Through Him we can do all things.

©Elizabeth Marks has led small group Bible studies for almost a decade. Author of ThinkOnItBibleDevotions.com , YourBibleWitnessAtWork.com, & BeingWomenOfInfluence.com websites she has a heart for encouraging others with God’s Word.

“Seek Me. You will be satisfied and We will do mighty exploits together.”

In a few words He forever set the course of my life… to seek Him and Him alone. There was nothing I could ever do, nothing I could ever own, no other person on this earth that could ever truly satisfy my deepest need.

King David understood this. He is the first person that comes to mind when I think of mighty men of God who did mighty exploits in His Name. One of my favorite accounts in the Bible is when David slays Goliath. There was no fear, only confidence.

Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, Whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will smite you and cut off your head. (1 Samuel 17:45-46, Amplified)

David went from a shepherd boy to a giant-slayer and king. How? Before he slayed the giant, before he became king, David spent years upon lonely hills watching his father’s sheep, only he wasn’t alone. Through the book of Psalms we see what he was doing in those hills and what he continued to do as king.

As the hart pants and longs for the water brooks, so I pant and long for You, O God… One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD… When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. (Psalm 42:1; 27:4, 8; Amplified, KJV)

Psalm 27:8 in the Amplified Bible reads, “You have said, Seek My face [inquire for and require My presence as your vital need]…” And David did just that. God was what David was after as a lowly shepherd boy and God was what David was after as king. And David did mighty exploits, not for God, but with God.

So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.” Acts 21:14 NKJV

Why is it so hard to accept the will of the Lord?  One reason is we can’t understand why pain and suffering are part of the Lord’s will.  When we study God’s word, it is pretty clear we will have tribulations.

James 1:2-3 NKJV “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

John 16:33 NKJV “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Romans 8:17 NKJV “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”

Trials, testing, and tribulation are part of life.  But all of it God uses for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28).

Another reason for not accepting the Lord’s will is stubbornness or self-centeredness.  Again, studying God’s word reveals we are not the only stubborn ones.  Even God’s chosen ones, the Israelites, were stubborn.

Exodus 32:9 NKJV “And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people!”

2 Chronicles 30:8 NKJV “Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the LORD; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you.”

Acts 7:51 NKJV “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.”

Let’s face it we want our way most of the time.  I have found when I am least willing to accept God’s will it is due to my own immaturity.   If thoughts like “I deserve it”, “It’s not fair”, “I have a right to…” are present, you can be sure you are out of God’s will.  Self-serving thoughts are not part of God’s will.

What did Jesus teach?  He told us to deny self, pick up our cross and follow Him (Mark 8:34).  He said if someone strikes you on the cheek, turn and give them the other cheek also (Matthew 5:39).  Jesus is our role model.  He laid down His life for us.  We in turn lay down our claim/desire to have things our way.

Ignorance is another reason for not accepting God’s will.  It is pretty hard to accept something you have never heard of before.  This is an easy one to correct.  Start reading God’s word.  Join a small group so you can talk with others about questions you may have about what you have read.  Pray God will open your eyes.

When Judgment Day comes, ignorance will not be an excuse that saves your hide. 

Romans 1:20-21 NKJV “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Creation points to God.  The stars of above, the ocean depth, the uncountable grains of sand on the beaches, and even the tree branches that reach heavenward all point to a creator.  The world we live in shows obvious signs of a “designer”.  It didn’t just happen by chance.  I saw a bumper sticker the other day saying “THE BIG BANG THEORY: GOD SPOKE AND BANG IT HAPPENED”. The evidence of God is all around us.  It’s even within us.  If you studied human anatomy for any length of time you would find evidence of God in how the body works.  We were made to know God, because He has put eternity in our hearts. (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

We have looked at a few reasons for not accepting God’s will.  What’s holding you back?  If trials have stopped you in your tracks, trust God to use it for good.  If self-centeredness or stubbornness is the issue, pray for God to give you a desire to follow him.  If ignorance holds you back, read God’s word.

Jesus gives us peace beyond what the world offers.  You just need to trust and obey, there’s no better way.

 Lord thank you for your life-giving word. Give us a desire to follow hard after you.  Help us be God-center rather than self-absorbed. Give us endurance to get through the tough spots in life.  Help us see life from your perspective.  In Jesus’ name Amen.   © Elizabeth Marks, author of ThinkOnIt Devotions and has a heart for encouraging others with God’s Word.  For more devotions, bible studies and a recommended book store, visit http://www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com today.