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Walking in the Presence of God

LynnLeave a comment
Grand Teton National Park

Hallelujah!  Praise the LORD, O my soul. I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Psalm 146:1–2 (BSB)

My soul is enraptured by Your majestic Presence, O God. In the stillness of Your creation—among the towering mountains and whispering winds—my spirit trembles in awe. Even the smallest flower, placed purposefully by Your hand, resonates within my heart that You see me. 

Columbine Flower

You commanded it to bloom in this very place, at this very moment, to stir my heart toward You, to refresh my weary soul, and to rekindle the longing to continue to draw nearer.

How humbling it is to stand before such magnificence and realize how small I am—yet how deeply I am loved. You, the God of the universe, are not ashamed to call me friend. Every petal and every breath of wind proclaims Your affection. Words fail me, yet my heart overflows with praise for Your beauty, Your faithfulness, Your mercy, and Your forgiveness… and most of all… Your love.

There remains within me a quiet ache—a loneliness that only You can fill. Who could ever understand the wonder of moments like these? Still, I long for the world to know Your glory, to see Your beauty, to taste Your love. I long for them to know You as I have known You, even more so. You reveal Yourself so tenderly to those who seek You. May Your glory shine through me and may Your Love be demonstrated through every small thing I do, Lord—not that I may be known, but that You may be known.

Lord, You have filled my soul with wonder. You meet me in quiet places and remind me that I am seen, loved, and chosen. Let every breath I take be a song of praise to You. Use my life to reflect Your glory— not that I might be noticed, but that others may behold You.

You are my joy, my friend, my everything. May my heart never cease to be in awe of You.

Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name.  Psalm 103:1 (BSB)

Selfless Love

Lynn1 Comment

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2 BSB

In today’s world, we have a wonderful opportunity to gain knowledge like no other previous generation. Almost every one of us has the world at our fingertips through tiny screens, we call cell phones. Within the last several years, there’s been an explosion in the technology of artificial intelligence (AI). People have programmed AI so well, that at times, it can be difficult to distinguish between whether or not you are speaking to a real person or an AI program that sounds like a human being.

If you’ve written a book or an article, AI can check for proper grammar usage and punctuation. AI can now make suggestions for a better argument or the use of more articulate sentences. In fact, AI could write the book for you if you’re detailed enough in your requirements. AI can create pictures and videos that are so life-like that you’d think they were real. (A scary thought.) AI is also being used to write its own programs to solve complex, mathematical equations and many scientific puzzles, including calculating and proving out abstract theories.

If you want to know how to switch out the climate control panel in your car or fix your dishwasher, just YouTube it or ask AI specific questions, and BAM!! you’re on your way to fixing the issue yourself. In many ways, having all of this knowledge so readily available can be a blessing, like in the examples above. If there’s a common household problem that needs resolving, the internet offers a million and one ways to solve it. I especially enjoy this kind of knowledge because I like understanding how things work and how they go together. I can easily get pulled into a night of watching YouTube about things pertaining to any type of engineering. You like mathematics? There are millions upon millions of websites and videos you can get lost in. Want to become the best debater and sharpen your skills? Grab your phone and YouTube it. I think in some ways it’s good that knowledge is not out of reach for those who have a thirst for learning that is never quenched.

Just as much as it is can be good, it can also be distracting, taking you down unnecessary paths and stealing hours upon hours of your precious time. Sometimes, you can find yourself so submerged in all that information that you’ve forgotten what brought you there in the first place. You started out looking for information about what kind of tree you saw and somehow you ended up watching adorable kittens playfully pouncing one another. We laugh about it because it’s true. I think most of us enjoy learning new things. After all, God has instilled this desire within us so that we would seek Him.

Studying the Bible is one of the most important things, as believers, we should do. Held within the very words of the Holy Scriptures is Life itself. However, just like we can get lost on the information highway, sometimes we can get lost in obtaining knowledge about God too. Of course, this can be a good thing, until it gets to a point where knowledge becomes superior to love. If I were able to connect each and every Scripture perfectly and interpret them correctly, but are unable to have compassion for a fellow brother or sister, what use is knowing all of those wonderful things? If I can formulate the most perfect argument and win every debate, but lose the soul, what good is it?

Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8 BSB

As we draw nearer to knowing God, transformation should not only be happening in our understanding of the Scriptures, but also within our heart as well. Such transformation should be bringing about the love of God from within you. This love is then demonstrated by how you treat others.

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, Colossians 1:9-10a BSB

I recommend that you read all of Colossians Chapter 1. What spiritual wisdom and understanding is Paul referring to?

While knowledge is the accumulation of facts, wisdom is the ability to use that knowledge in a way that brings about a good outcome. Spiritual wisdom, in particular, involves using knowledge with insight, patience, and compassion, which reflects God’s love and truth. (James 3:17)

What does Paul mean when he says, “so that you might walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way” ? (An entire article can be written from this question alone. 😊) What fruit are the above Scriptures referring to? Such fruit is clearly explained in the below reference:

52 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 BSB

Notice that the kind of fruit Paul is referring to doesn’t speak of having the ability to solve every mystery held within the Scriptures or to prove yourself right in a debate. He is talking about those things that we cannot possess without first having an intimate relationship with God. Through our intimacy with Jesus, He develops within us a kind of love that is completely selfless. This selfless love is the very nature of who God is and the very reason why Christ died. (And the reason why we need God so very much.)

5 But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked. 1 John 2:5-6 BSB

What does it mean when it says “walk”? By saying walk, it is referring to a continuous journey. It involves making a daily decision to follow God’s path, seeking His guidance and wisdom to grow more aligned with His heart and purpose. And, how did Jesus walk?

1 Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:1-7 BSB

Can you see the love and compassion woven in Paul’s pleading? He’s saying, if you have any love within you, then consider others better than yourself, be like Christ, who humbled Himself and willingly died in complete submission to God for the betterment of others. We are supposed to be servants of God and then likewise, servants to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our walk with God should not only be solely focused on gaining knowledge for ourselves, but also on the building up of others in the faith. I’m not suggesting that we lose ourselves in serving others, but to remember why we are here. Are we only here to gain knowledge just for ourselves? Are we not to also to build one another up? I implore you, what kind of fruit are you bearing?

As a side note, I noticed this beautiful complement Paul gave Timothy. Read this:

19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I learn how you are doing. 20 I have nobody else like him who will genuinely care for your needs. 21 For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:19-21 BSB

Paul’s deep appreciation for Timothy stems from Timothy’s faithfulness and devotion to Paul’s calling. Timothy’s love for Paul was demonstrated by his continued support and faithful friendship. Paul trusted Timothy so much, that he was sending him in his place to care for their fellow believers. What an honor! The bonded friendship between them had a foundation of love that stemmed from being selfless towards one another. What a beautiful example of the kind of friends we should not only seek, but to become.

5 The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith. 1 Timothy 1:5 BSB

Sincere faith is laden with love. Faith should not exist without love, but it can and often it does. This should not be.

All knowledge will cease and only God and those who love Him will remain. In the end of all things, the ultimate goal that God desires for each of us is for us to become like Jesus.

Jesus possessed all wisdom, faith and love. By looking intently into the Scriptures, you can identify Christ’s love woven throughout. The people Jesus rebuked the most were the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the teachers of the Law. Why do you think that was so? You might say that was due to their lack of faith in Who Jesus was or that they had more faith in their doctrine than in God Himself. I see this, but I am also seeing something deeper. We intellectually know that it is never a good thing to place doctrine over God. In fact, it is not good to put anything over God, including faith, and might I so audaciously say, even the study of the Scriptures.

So, what happened to the Pharisees and the Sadducees? They studied the Scriptures all day long and went through special training. That’s all they knew… the precious Scriptures, and yet, they missed the most important thing in all of life!! Jesus Christ Himself! How can such a thing be possible, that is, for a person to spend that much time researching the Scriptures and miss the entire point of it all? (This should pose to us a warning.)

I think it was in part due to their lack of genuine love, the selfless kind of love that God is. They unraveled the Scriptures and understood things that most of the common people did not, and yet, they possessed no true love for others and so God withheld their ability to see the Truth.

22 But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22 BSB

What is acceptable obedience according to Scripture?

12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. John 15:12-14 BSB

37 Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 BSB

The Bible shows that love for God leads us to love one another. By obeying what God has commanded, that is, to love your neighbor as yourself, you will walk in perfect faith toward God.

If the only point in studying the Scriptures is to gain understanding of what they mean, then the Pharisees and the Sadducees would have been first in line and the most praised, but that ended up not being the case. They got lost in their search for understanding. They missed the entire point of it all.

Yes, the study of Scripture is wonderful and glorious, but if it does not lead you to a life of selfless love, then the Scriptures themselves will have had no real impact on your heart. And this is the purpose for their existence, to lead you to a Selfless Loving God, so that you may exemplify the very traits Christ possessed. God’s selfless Love is woven throughout the Scriptures from Genesis 1:1 all the way through Revelation 22:21. The whole point of our relationship with God should be based on love, and if this is so, then that love should radiate to those around you. The kind of love that puts Self aside and thinks of others. One that puts agendas aside and reaches out to build up and encourage our fellow believers. Sometimes, people put forth a false sense of selflessness, only to hide their true motive, and such motives are to serve themselves. This should not be.

My friends, let us love one another selflessly. In the end, it really doesn’t matter if you can solve all the mysteries in the world and understand all the deep meanings within the Scriptures, if you do not have love, you have missed the most important thing.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 BSB

7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. 10 And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we remain in Him, and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like Him. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because He first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well. 1 John 4:7-21 BSB

12 And by these, my son, be further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body. 13 When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:12-13 BSB

May your studies lead you to the greatest wisdom of all: Selfless Love.

Confluence

Lynn1 Comment

Image taken from Google Earth

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines confluence as “a coming or flowing together, meeting, or gathering at one point.” In geography, it is known as a point where two rivers meet and flow into one another.

It is actually a pretty fascinating thing to see. Evidently, there are many confluences around the world, but there are 10 notably ones. One such confluence is the Rio Negro and the Rio Solimões in Manaus, Brazil. The coffee color river, Rio Solimões (aka Amazon River), gets its color from the Andes Mountains and the black color of the Rio Negro (black river) gets it’s color from the rich rain forest’s decaying matter. What makes this particular confluence interesting is the two rivers run side by side without intermixing for approximately 3.7 miles.

The reason why they stay separated for that length of distance is because the Rio Negro is warmer (82°F) and flows at a rate of 1.2MPH whereas the Rio Solimões is cooler (72°F) and flows at a rate of 2.5-3.7MPH.

I have been thinking about this amazing geological phenomenon and how beautiful it is. While pondering its interesting features, I began to think about God and our relationship with Him.

I think that if we are intuitively listening, we will discover that God is always speaking. There are hints of His beauty displayed everywhere and hints of His deep love for those who seek Him. Sometimes life can become littered with so many distractions, that we can find ourselves less observant of these amazing mysteries God has placed before us. When I finally understand something, I can’t believe how blind I’d been previously and it becomes almost impossible to unsee it.

Take a closer look at the image above. Look at the Rio Negro and how it very slowly begins the process of fully intertwining with the Rio Solimões. However, when the two rivers converge, they don’t immediately become one river, the process takes time and the transformation is gradual. After all, the Rio Negro is moving slower and more steadily whereas the Rio Solimões is moving quicker and more hastily.

As I was studying Google Earth and reading about these two rivers, I thought of how those rivers somewhat symbolize how our relationship with the Lord works. Here we are going about our lives, doing what we think is best and suddenly, we come in contact with God.

God was there all along, but we are just now becoming aware of His presence. When we come to Him and acknowledge His presence, He is patient with our lack of understanding and immaturity. It’s interesting to think that God doesn’t immediately reveal all of who He is. The process is slow, and mostly dependent upon our willingness to trust Him.

As we walk in faith towards God, we draw nearer and the internal transformation begins to take place. The transformation is gradual, and at times it may seem like nothing is happening at all and you are not changing, but you are headed in the right direction. Like when the two rivers meet, they don’t immediately mix into one. Instead, they run side-side in the same direction. God is allowing you time to develop and time to conform, while at the same time, He is gently guiding you, nudging you along in the right direction.

There may even be times where you desire to quickly jump into a full-fledged intimate relationship with Him, but upon a closer examination, it’s discovered that you may have parts of you that is not willing to fully surrender. God will not impose Himself upon you and neither will He push you along to a place you are not ready for.

As the two rivers slowly converge, so it is when a person becomes a born-again Christian. The Holy Spirit enters into the soul of the new believer and the transformation begins. The transformation of the believer into becoming like Christ is a life-long process. As Christ becomes more important, you become more invisible.

If you look closely, the Rio Solimões, the coffee color river turns the Rio Negro brown. The black river changes to look like the Rio Solimões. As you slowly conform into the likeness of Christ, traces of who you used to be becomes less noticeable.

Fall

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I love you, O LORD, my strength. Psalms 18:1| NIV84

God is a personal God. I mean, He is vividly and actively involved in each of our lives. Sometimes we don’t recognize His presence or acknowledge that He is there, but He is always there. One cannot escape His love and there has been many times where the invisible God has made Himself visible to me. Sometimes it’s through revelation knowledge about a certain subject within the Bible, and other times it’s the refreshing wind on a hot summer day or even rain falling gently upon my face like tender kisses. No matter how He chooses, He makes Himself known that He is there beside me and it blesses my heart beyond measure.

As I grow older, I place these special moments with the Lord God inside my heart and deeply cherish them. I pull them out from time to time and enjoy knowing that my Heavenly Father truly cares about every aspect of my life and all the tiny details. I don’t normally request things for myself of the Lord, at least, not as much as I did in years past. It seems anymore, I petition the Lord on the behalf of others. I guess I could say that I have become content in knowing or better yet, trusting, that God has everything under control, and all is well even if everything is falling apart in regard to myself personally.

Most people do not like getting older, especially women, but I do. Age has brought upon me some maturity and had I not gone through certain things, I wouldn’t have the relationship I have with the Lord. If I could choose between yesterday and today, I would choose the present.

In mid-October when the grey skies and rain started coming sooner than usual, I looked outside feeling kind of disappointed. I then sighed and quietly pleaded with the Lord,

“Please don’t let the grey come so soon this year. I mean, look at all those trees. I haven’t seen them this beautiful in so many years and now the rain is taking away all of their beauty. Can you please give me one day, this weekend, where the sun shines with blue skies? Please…” I paused for a moment and smiled while looking out the window up at the grey colored sky, “…and can you make it warm? Like 60°F? Oh, it would be most wonderful to feel the warm sun one more time… and thank you. Thank you so much for all that you do. You are so wonderful.”

Just so you know, I don’t watch the news, nor do I pay any attention to the weather forecast. I learned many years ago that weather forecasters cannot accurately tell the weather more than one day ahead… even with all of the quadruple Doppler systems in place! They like to drum up emotions and all kinds of nonsense, so I don’t normally pay any attention to it.

Would you know that God so graciously provided a day that weekend (a Sunday) with clear skies and warm temperatures? The high got up to around 65°F. It was so wonderful and amazing. I took full advantage and spent the day outside going all around town taking pictures of the beautiful foliage. I know it’s trivial to ask for such simplistic things, but somehow there are times when I need to.

I hold these times very close to my heart, they are most precious and incredibly beautiful. They demonstrate the love between the Creator and the created. I am merely a woman and nothing more, but my soul is of unlimited value and within it possesses a longing for my Beloved. I am a child of the Living God, my Heavenly Father, the Lover of my soul. He loves me more than anyone ever will and with a faithfulness that has no end. I am both awed and humbled by this truth and more times than not I don’t even know how to respond.

I offer Him my life in return. When He shows me something I should do, I do it out of love for Him. He is my Loving Father and His ways lead to freedom. Living in this world can be burdensome and so can the distractions within. At times my body is a burden and all of its physical and emotional demands a nuisance. I long to shed this body to live with God forever without limitation. I long to dance with my Beloved on the streets of gold, but while I wait for that glorious day, I will close my eyes and imagine dancing with Him in the kitchen remembering and cherishing the moments of simplistic prayers answered in demonstration of His sweet Love. I will bask in the remembrance of that splendid sunny day in October when the sun shone down warming my face, keeping me cozy all winter long.

I long for the Lover of my soul, for my Beloved to come take me Home so nothing stands between us, neither time nor distance. Oh, how I long for my Lord.

If you can…

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“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”  Mark 9:23 (NIV84)

Have you ever been to a point where you’re uncertain if the things you are facing are things that even God cannot handle? Have you tried praying, fasting, and extending your faith to seek answers, but nothing becomes of what you’ve done? Have you ever felt God’s silence? Has discouragement imbedded itself within your heart?

I don’t know why there are times in our lives where life seems to engulf every moment with despair. I don’t understand it myself, and to be honest, there have been times where I have walked in the shadow of the valley of death, times where I have questioned the seemingly absence of God’s sweet presence. I don’t have any elegant words of wisdom and neither do I have any real explanation to offer. The only thing I have to share is that no matter what you’re going through and no matter how overwhelming it may become, God is greater.

God created the Universe with a spoken word and at this very moment, the Universe is still expanding at God’s command. The trees are still growing and the ocean’s waves are still coming to the exact place to where God said they may go.

27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29 when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. Proverbs 8:27-29 (NIV84)

The Earth still rotates around the sun and the stars still mark the seasons. And all those very wonderful astounding things were created out of love by the will of the LORD God. Not only were those things created out of love and for a very important purpose, so were you.

You see, God does not make mistakes. He is not a man where He changes His mind or His mood.

19 God is not a man, that he should lie,
    nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Numbers 23:19 (NIV84)

Way back before the Universe was spoken into existence, God knew the beginning of time to the end of time and every millisecond in between… and even more importantly, He knew you would be born, because life does not happen outside of the will of God.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be. Psalms 139:13-16 (NIV84)

God’s will is driven by Love because He is Love. God loves you so very much, much more than you can possibly imagine. There isn’t anyone better suited to be you. No one can take your place and no one can measure up to the very specific things the LORD God desires for you to accomplish for the glory of His Name. He longs for you to know His love, I mean, really know and understand who He is, so that, like Jesus says above, “Everything is possible to him who believes.”

Do not let discouragement overwhelm you to the point of where you lose sight of what’s most important. Discouragement is sneaky and so very subtle. Often you don’t even know it has paid you a visit until you feel like the man to whom Jesus was speaking, ”If you can…”

Let me remind you, my friend, it is not a matter of “if” with God, but rather a matter of “when”. Don’t lose sight of the big picture, God’s plan for your life. He desires nothing but good.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV84)

Hold fast and stay strong in the strength of the Lord and He will lift you up. He will never leave nor forsake you. He will surround you with songs of deliverance and engulf you in His Love. Continue seeking Him, knocking on His door, and pressing into the Holy of Holies so that you may receive a fresh revelation of who He is, for such revelations are Life and nourishment for your soul.

3 The Lord appeared to us in the past,

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV84)

7 You are my hiding place;
    you will protect me from trouble
    and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalms 32:7 (NIV84)

10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (NIV84)

14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16 (NIV84)

Prayer

Lynn1 Comment

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24 | NIV84

I have discovered that I pray three different ways. One is I just pray. Meaning, I pray just because I said I would. Two is I pray, but I don’t really want what I am asking God for. I’m being honest here. Three is I pray in faith. Prayers offered in faith are most definitely answered and it seems they are answered every time. So, why don’t I pray in faith every time? What makes a prayer done in faith different than a prayer just prayed?

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 | NIV84

Faith. Hope. Love. These three things are spiritual and the Bible says that the greatest of them all is Love. That’s interesting. One would think faith would be the greatest because with faith many things can be accomplished, but Scripture says that’s not as important. The greatest is Love. Why is that?

God is love. 1 John 4:16b | NIV84

Well, Scripture says that God is Love. So God is greater than faith and He is greater than hope. When you give your life to Jesus, He fills you with His Spirit and you become a person of Love.

Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16c | NIV84

Love drives everything we do… or the lack there of. When you pray, no matter what kind of prayer you are offering, whether it be one filled with selfishness or one with love, the drive comes from the motive of your heart. This is why, sometimes, when you pray your prayers are actually selfish.

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:3 | NIV84

When you pray, the motive of your heart must be pure. But, what makes a motive pure? A pure motive is when you selflessly ask for what would be the best thing for someone else… even if it is something you really don’t desire for that person you’re praying for. We need to put other people above our own desires… even when we pray and when we pray, we need to pray in Love. God is Love and no selfishness lives in Him whatsoever. He is all about the other person so therefore, we need to strive in that direction.

When we pray in Love, hope abounds and then so does faith. The three work in unison and I believe that’s when our prayers are answered.

I have wondered what the purpose of prayer actually is. After all, we have an Intercessor, the greatest Prayer Warrior, who is at this very moment, is interceding on our behalf before the Father. Jesus’ prayers are WAY more powerful than mine will ever be, so what is the purpose of prayer then, really, if He is already praying? Why pray at all?

Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Romans 8:34 | NIV84

I believe one of the purposes of prayer is to help purify the heart of the one who prays. What I mean by that is, when you pray the motive of your heart is exposed through your words and conscience. When you bow your head before the Living God, His Holy Spirit examines your heart and if you are willing to receive the truth, He reveals to you the motives of your heart. It is at this moment you need to decide what you will do with what God has shown you. You can choose to ignore Him or listen to Him, to follow the flesh or follow the Spirit. If you submit to Him, God will then drive the motive of your heart to love above all else and to offer yourself on the behalf of another person. When you do such a thing, Love grows in you and God’s Spirit shines through. The result is a closer, more intimate relationship with the Lord God. The result is a more humble man or woman of faith. Prayer draws one’s true motives to the surface and allows an opportunity for you to become selfless in seeking the good in other’s lives. There is a reason why Scripture says one should pray. There is a deep purpose for it.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2 | NIV84

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 | NIV84 (underlines mine)

I have prayed with impure motives and I have not prayed because my own selfish desires got in the way of what was truly right. I’m sorry, but this is true… I just haven’t seen it until now. This is very humbling for me to admit, but I must expose the darkness that clouds over the Love I am called to have. I’m guessing, I could be wrong, that I’m not alone in this since all of us have a tendency to be inherently selfish and that’s why I share honestly with you. Maybe you have done the same thing too and you haven’t recognized it either.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. Luke 22:42-43 | NIV84

When you lay down your life honestly before the Father and submit your will to His, He will strengthen you to do the right thing.

I believe when all three spiritual things, faith, hope & love, work in unison, God moves. I need to empty myself of myself so I may be filled with Love, so I can pray more effectively, so I can grow closer to Jesus and bring others along with me. Will you join me?

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16b | NIV84

Self Denial

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Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:24-26 | NIV84

To seek the Lord is to deny oneself, to lay down your own personal desires, and to follow after the One and Only true Way, that is, Jesus Christ. No matter where the Lord has placed you or what responsibilities He has bestowed upon you, remember to keep a humble, servant-oriented heart before Him. Remember, after all, you are serving the King of Kings and such things should not be taken lightly. When one serves the Lord God, they become almost completely invisible because God ends up shining through them and people are drawn to the Lord and not the person who is serving the Lord. Granted, there will be those who will seek after the servant instead of the King, and it is there within where temptation lies for both the seeker and the servant.

A good leader will always place the attention onto the Lord God and point people to Scripture for wisdom. Be wary of those leaders who like to stir up emotional feelings and who like to entertain you because if the attention is not placed upon the Lord, what’s the purpose of whatever it is they are doing? Ponder that question for a moment or two, seriously.

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 | NIV84

Please also consider that you must be diligent in your own private spiritual walk. Such things like reading and studying Scripture on your own is vital to gaining revelation. Praying, fasting, and listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit in the privacy of your own home. It’s important to build yourself up in the Faith with the Word of God so that you may test and approve those who teach Scripture, and also, so that you may test and approve what you believe. Do you know why you believe what you believe? Can you confirm those beliefs with Scripture? Does that particular belief align itself up with the whole of Scripture? If not, such beliefs must be re-examined. Spiritual growth can happen quickly, but it also happens very slowly and often it is when time has passed before God begins to reveal the errors of your own heart or any misunderstandings you may have gained within Scripture. However, the only way to ever get past being spiritually immature, that is, only knowing the simple truths, is to spend time seeking God and putting aside those things that do not build oneself up spiritually. Sometimes it is good to stop being so busy serving here and there and return to your First Love. It is always better to sit at the feet of the Teacher than to be so distracted trying to please Him by performing empty tasks for all to see.

Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:13 | NIV84

Fill your mind with Scripture not to build a foundation of Doctrine, but rather to build a foundation of humility and love. When one draws nearer to God, it is hardly ever a time of boasting, but rather a time of reflection. It is often a time where you discover who you really are and how wonderful God really is. Words are not suitable for the proper description of what transpires when you humble yourself before the LORD and come willingly to learn. It is both marvelous and breath-taking all in one.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 | NIV84

Consider that Moses, outside of Jesus, was the closest a man ever got to God. Moses spent the majority of his life in the presence of the LORD and do you know what Scripture says of him?

(Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) Numbers 12:3 | NIV84

Now I find it rather interesting that this Scripture is noted in parentheses. Parentheses are often used for clarification inside of another explanation. In another words, it’s not the main attraction. In this particular chapter, Aaron and Miriam (Moses’ siblings) were questioning Moses’ authority and laying claim that they themselves had equal authority. In short, they were indirectly questioning God’s wisdom and in a round-about sort of way elevating themselves above the authority of God. A big no-no, but that’s for another discussion. The point here is to show that the more one-on-one time Moses spent with God, the more humble he became.

If you find someone boasting about their relationship with God, consider Moses. The closer you draw to Him, the greater your understanding of who God really is becomes. To glorify yourself is to take glory from God, or to elevate yourself and such behavior is the opposite of God’s character. Remember that Jesus, who is God, humbled Himself even to the point of death on a cross, which you know was the most disgraceful way to die at that time. Jesus never took glory, and likewise, neither should we. God’s perfect love practically prohibits such behavior if one is truly seeking Him. God is absolute perfect Love, and although such Love is nearly impossible to resist, it also shines its light upon every impurity within your soul. His love invites you in, draws you near and you can’t help, but come in complete humility. His Grace and Mercy covers you so you can commune with Him and His Spirit opens the eyes of your heart so that you may gain a greater, spiritual understanding of everything around you.

Lay aside those things that do not draw you nearer to the Holy precious presence of the LORD. Throw them away, and come to Him. Just you, alone, come. Then sit, wait and be ready with an open heart. His Spirit will transform you entirely.

Worship

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2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2 | NIV84

The art of worship starts within the heart and when the heart begins the journey of seeking the Lord, the heart yearns for the Lord, to know Him more intimately. Worship then becomes engraved into the very being of the believer insomuch as whatever he is doing, becomes an act of worship. The mind and the senses want to pull you in one direction or another, but your heart was specifically designed to become one with the Lord. The Holy Spirit sings sweet love songs to your heart longing for you to draw near unto God. Listen carefully for the quiet voice of the Spirit, as He speaks continually with the desire to lead you onto the narrow path to the Truth. Distractions in life want to pull your eyes off of the Lord and lead you into confusion, but keep your eyes fixed on Him and He will lead you to everlasting life.

2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 | NIV84

The act of worship starts within the heart by continuing to seek the Lord, longing for a more clearer view of who He is and for all those who seek Him, He gladly reveals Himself to. Long after and thirst for God, and He will open the floodgates of Heaven revealing the many wonderful mysteries of who He is. Pray David’s prayer constantly, seek the Lord, and He will give you a treasure you’ll sell everything to keep.

18 Open my eyes that I may see

wonderful things in your law.

Psalms 119:18 | NIV84

Contentment

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Do not wear yourself out to get rich;

  have the wisdom to show restraint.

Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,

  for they will surely sprout wings

and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Proverbs 23:4-5 | NIV84

Finding contentment in whatever circumstance you find yourself in can be quite the challenge, especially when it’s so easy to see others not struggling so much. It’s hard not to look upon earthly wealth as a means to solve many of the problems you face. Solomon, the richest man in the world at the time, wrote. “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,”.  Those are wise words because what seems like a temporary solution to a problem invites other unwanted troubles later on down the road. Having a vision of the whole picture, the purpose of your life, is a good way to keep your focus on what truly matters and a way to find the peace you are seeking. The purpose of this life is to find God, to know Him intimately, and to learn how to model your life after Jesus. Such things are impossible without a personal relationship with Jesus and having the union of the Holy Spirit to guide you.

If you want contentment, look to where your heart is leading you.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Matthew 6:21 | NIV84

If your heart leads to you worldly desires, then the world becomes your treasure. If knowing Jesus is your greatest treasure, then your heart will lead you to Him. The difference is, one is temporary, the other is eternal. One heaps on trouble, the other sets you free.

But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:6 | NIV84

When you read Paul’s words, keep in mind that the main focus is contentment. People associate gains with worldly wealth, but Paul says, godliness with contentment is great gain. Why is that so? Contentment is based on trusting the Lord, on putting your heart where your treasure is. It’s all about keeping the right mindset. It’s good to loosely hold on to things so that when someone else needs it, you can give it away. This world is temporary and so is the physical life you have been given, but your soul is eternal. Put your heart on seeking the Lord, the One who created your soul, and you will find great wealth that does not fade away or sprout wings and fly off like an eagle.

Sunset

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This past week I was able to see, probably, the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen while living in the North. The sun filled the sky with brilliant purples and pinks… it was truly remarkable. When the sun kissed the horizon, the horizon blushed, and turned bright red. What a precious gift God painted in the skies. He truly is the Master Artist, but what made this sunset even more special is that He knew I needed encouragement and something beautiful to reflect upon.

Image

God cares about the little things in our lives and knows just when to intervene. A smile here, a kind word there, and even a beautiful sunset. He knows that we are human and sometimes our needs are more human-based than spirit-based. Like, take a hug for example. Sometimes we just need a hug, to feel comforted and protected. Sometimes we need to laugh to ease the burdens we carry. Sometimes we need to feel loved and we need to be encouraged. God cares about those things, because He cares about you.

He may bring someone your way to offer up words of encouragement, or perhaps a child to wrap to their arms around your neck. Or, maybe He will paint the skies, to display His love for you in a glorious and grandiose way.

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 | NIV84

Remember to look for the small moments when God is reaching out to you, extending His hand, and giving Himself to you. Time is the most precious gift a person has to give, and when God takes the time to display His love for you, cherish it. If you look closely with your heart, you will see that God is always, somehow, someway, reaching out to you. Let Him love you, by giving in to Him. By doing so, He will give you freedom in return. May God bless you with eternal hope and joy within your heart.