Spending time with God

 

James 4:8 NIV

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Sometimes I call my husband on the way home from work and just listen to him work.  Even when I stop to get gas or go into a store I take the phone with me and just listen.  I hear the noise of the tools or his banter with a colleague and I am at peace.  I love my husband and I like being close to him.

My "phone calls" with my husband got me to think about the peace I have from being in God's presence.  Just knowing He is with me keeps me from getting flustered when problems arise because He is God.  He is on my side.  Just knowing He is there strengthens me.  And like my phone, I can take Him everywhere I go because He lives within me.  I need to draw near to God even more so than I do my husband.

I also noticed how it was calming just to listen.  That's something I need to do more with God.  I need to spend more time just meditating on His Word and listening to what the Spirit says.  I do a lot of talking in my prayer life, but I need to do a lot more listening.  I need to let His peace wash over me as I hear His voice.  I need to be more observant of His work, being grateful and offering praise.  I have a 24-7 open line with God and He beckons me to draw near to Him , just as He draws near to us

Lord, I thank You for wanting me to be near You.  I thank You for all of the benefits being near You brings.  Forgive me of my sins and let me stay close to You.  In Jesus name.  Amen

Checking my filter

 

2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

This week I found myself becoming irritable and grumpy.  My morning routine felt rushed and I couldn't settle into my days. When I started to feel this way I began to pray because I wanted to guard my heart. Proverbs 4: 23 tell us to "above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."

I had to check the filter of my mind and bring negative thoughts into captivity.  I had to look at life the way God sees it.  I had to let go of those thoughts that lifted up pride and self-righteousness.  I had to forgive when it was hard and give things over to God.

I did not want any roots of bitterness to destroy my joy.  The enemy would have us focus on self and all that is going wrong rather than all the good that God does or just simply think on the good that God is.    I had to pause and breathe and let the rhythm of the Spirit run my day.  I had to take those thoughts that would rise up against being gentle and kind and put them in check.  I had to keep my mind on Christ and let His peace settle in.  I used the word to check myself and regulate my mind and heart and as always the word produces.  

It's a busy time of year.  A time where people begin to feel rushed as the days appear to be shortening.  Our "happy" gets bump, but we can keep our joy if we remember to focus on Christ and speak life into our lives.

Lord, I thank You for being with me when I was irritable and I thank You for your redirection.  I thank You for You.  Thank You for dying on the Cross so that I might have my sins forgiven and have life instead of death.  Thank You for being the magnificent God that You are.  In Jesus name I do pray. Amen

Do the Word

 

James 1:22 NIV

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

I remember raising the question to my students, "Are you hearing me or listening to me?"  Hearing requires that you hear sounds, but listening means you are attentive with the intention of doing something with it.  You are preparing to take action.  

I ask myself, am I taking action or is the Word just background noise that I hearing like a song on the radio or am I actively listening so that the Word can make a difference in my life?  Am I doing the Word?  Am I loving my neighbor?  Am I forgiving those who have wronged me?  Am I asking for forgiveness?  Am I walking in faith and trusting God?

Is my quiet time more than just a check on my to do list or am I really trying to get into His presence so that I can be transformed? Listening to the Word is the first step, but I must follow through the whole action by being obedient and doing what it says. The Word tells me when I do this, when I am intentional about following the word I will be blessed in what I do.

James 1:23-25 NIV

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

I need to hold the proverbial mirror up daily so that I can know what I look like and I should look and act like someone who has been in His presence.  I am His child.

Lord, let me not treat your Word like background noise.  Let my reading of it be accompanied by the intentionality to do what it says.  Your Word is life and I want to live for You.  Forgive me for those times when I have taken it for granted.  In Jesus name I do pray.  Amen

Jesus

 

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

It all comes back to Jesus.  The life we have.  The freedoms we enjoy.  The blessings that overflow are all because of Jesus.

We can never forget His sacrifice.  He died on the Cross for our sins that we might be redeemed.  He was innocent, but He took our sin upon Him so that we could receive a verdict of not guilty.  His love covered our sin and His grace ushers in salvation for our souls.

God did not want us to perish so He provided a way of escape through Jesus.  And now for those of us who believe we can live eternally with Him.  Sometimes, living in this world, I can lose sight of the fact that this is not my home.  This is a temporary station for me and for all my brothers and sisters.  Heaven is my home because of Jesus. Jesus must be at the center of our hearts.  We can't forget the foundation for everything else.  The Rock on which we stand.  

Lord, I thank You for Your Son Jesus.  I thank You for His shed blood that covers me.  I thank You for the freedom from sin that His sacrifice grants me.  I thank You for love and for eternal life.  Let me never lose sight of the fact that it all comes back to the gift of Your Son Jesus.  In Jesus name I do pray. Amen

He causes me to smile

 

James 1:17 NIV

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

God causes me to smile.  When I think of His goodness and the myriad of ways that He shows up joy abounds.  God is good and every blessing is perfect and perfect in its timing.  I serve a God who is stable.  He does not change.  He is steadfast and His love is good.  I am secure in Him.  He does not move the goal post, but rather keeps me centered in Him.  He provides and meets all of my needs; spiritually, physically, and emotionally.

I love all the ways that He shows up and reminds me of His presence.  He comforts me when I am distressed.  He strengthens me when I am weak.  He fuels me when I lack energy.  He is my all and all. He is God! He is the light of my life and the joy of my salvation.  He is all that I need.  His gifts are good and I say thank You.

Lord, You know just what I need and when I need it.  Every good thing is from You and it is perfect.  Thank You for being my Rock.  Thank You for not shifting like the shadows.  Thank You for being the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Thank You for being God.  I bless Your Holy name.  In Jesus name I pray. Amen

He strengthens me

 

Philippians 4:13 NIV

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

The alarm clock is about to sound and the day to come lies ahead.  Without opening my eyes I speak the truth and promise of God's word over my life.  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)  I ask God for help for He is the source of my strength.  God is my hope and my courage to face the day.  The fact that I have another day is a blessing all on its own and I have to choose to rejoice in the day He has given me.

Being transparent, the work week exhaust me, but God sees me through each day.  He allows me to see glimpses of Him and feel His presence.  He gives me my daily bread so that I can have fortitude and endurance.  He provides.  He is Jehovah Jireh.

Because of Christ I can extend grace to others as well as myself.  Because of Christ, I can press on knowing that my reward is in heaven.  Because of Christ I can do things I thought I couldn't do.  I can do it because of the sacrifice He made on the Cross for me.  I can do it because of the power He exuded to rise again.  I have Christ in my life.  I have Him as my Lord and Savior.  I have been redeemed so I can face anything because I don't do it alone.  He is with me always.  He is my breath of fresh air, my second wind.  He gives me the strength so I stand on His Word.

Lord, thank You for Your Word and Your promises.  Thank You for giving me the strength to live out my days and accomplish the tasks that are before me.  Thank You for mercy and grace.  Thank You for your love.  Thank You for You.  In Jesus name.  Amen

Make the choice

 

Psalm 118:24 ESV

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Some days are harder than others, but we have to make the choice to rejoice.  We have to make the choice to realize that it is another day that the Lord has gifted to us.  Another chance to get it right. We have to make the choice to celebrate God and rejoice.

A friend of mine passed away a week ago today.  Every morning I wake up the with realization that he is no longer with us.  The same way that others who have gone to soon are now with us.  So to be alive and breathing is a gift.  It's not something promised, but granted through the graciousness of God.  So for that I choose to say thank You.  I choose to smile when I would rather frown.  I choose patience over irritability.  I choose God.

I choose to think about His goodness and faithfulness.  I choose to think about all the many ways He blesses me.  The ways that He shows me that He is near and I rejoice.  I am glad to be in this day under His will and again I say thank You.

Lord, thank You for granting me another day.  Another day to choose gratitude, to choose You.  I thank You for all the ways that You bless me and my fellow brothers and sisters in this day.  I rejoice and sing praises unto Your name.  Forgive me for those times when I take my days for granted  and nurse my pride instead.  Thank You for Your grace and thank You for Your mercy.  In Jesus name.  Amen