Tag Archive | wise

Pursuing the Heart of God – Day 63 – Your Body, My Temple

Pursuing the Heart of God – Day 63

Your Body, My Temple

Oh Lord, I am in awe that You, the Sovereign ruler of the universe, would choose to make my heart your dwelling place. I am so blessed, and yet, so convicted that I should live a life pleasing to You. However, I still fall short, so many times. I don’t remember that You live in Me, or choose to live according to the flesh, rather than the Spirit. Please show me Your heart.

Message from God’s Heart to Yours:

You are My child. I have adopted you as My sons and daughters. You are a member of My family. You have received My life in you. I have given you My Spirit. I sent My Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is My Son, I live in them and they in Me. So you know and rely on the love I have for you. I am love. Whoever lives in love lives in Me, and I in them (1 John 4:13-16). I live in you.

Be careful how you live—not as unwise but as wise. Do not become drunk on wine, but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:15-20). Flee sexual immorality. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from Me? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor Me with your bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18-20).

The one who keeps My commands lives in Me, and I in them. And this is how you know that I live in you: You know it by the Spirit I gave you (1 John 3:24). And if the Spirit of Jesus is living in you, I will also give life to you because of His Spirit who lives in you (Romans 8:11). I anointed you, set My seal of ownership on you, and put My Spirit in your hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Corinthians 1:21-22). You are Mine and you will spend eternity in heaven with Me.

My Son has said, “Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them” (John 14:23). I am with you always; live with that in mind. Do not defile your body, My home. Keep your heart pure. Die to sins and live for the righteousness provided by My Son (1 Peter 2:24). Let others be won over to Me without words by your behavior when they see the purity and reverence of your lives (1 Peter 3:1-2).

Your body is My temple. Worship Me with your body. Treat it with care and respect. Take care of your body, My home. Your heart is My sanctuary. Live as dedicated to Me, set apart for a higher purpose. You are My workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which I prepared in advance for you to do (Ephesians 2:10). Honor Me in all you do and say. You are Mine; live as so.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, my heart is Your home. You live and work in me. Therefore, I can hear the voice of Your Spirit within me, as He teaches me more of Your character and Your ways. Lord, speak to me now as we meet in sweet fellowship in Jesus Christ. I am eager to hear a word from You today. Show me more of Your heart through our intimate conversations right now. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Two-way Conversation with God: 

  • Abba Father, please show me any ways that I have offended You with my body. Help me to see the error of my behaviors, and let me repent of my sins. (Record everything He shows you, and then, confess your sin and turn from these ways.)

 

  • Jesus, my Savior, teach me what it means to live a life set apart for You. (Write down all thoughts and ideas He gives you.)

 

  • Holy Spirit, convict me of my sin and help me to live a life of purity and righteousness. Spend some time with me now, cleaning my heart, Your home. (Journal everything you heart from Him.)

 

Review God’s thoughts and impressions you’ve sensed and written above. What Scripture comes to mind as you review your notes? Use the concordance of your Bible to look up an impression from God’s Word. Record the verse or passage here. Write all insights and encouragement the Holy Spirit illumines for you as you read God’s Word right now.

Prayer:

Father in heaven, who lives in me, I want to honor You with my body. I want to live as dead to sin and alive to Christ. Empower me to live a life set apart for you; a life of holiness and purity, free from debauchery. I want to live by Your commands, empowered by Your Spirit, to carry out the work You planned for me from the beginning. Thank You for the gift of Your Spirit who helps me in my weakness. I yield my spirit to the sanctifying work of Your Spirit in my life. I desire to display the fruit of self-control in my life. Spirit of God, please produce that fruit in me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

Supporting Scripture:

John 14:23-26, 23Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24Anyone who does not love Me will not obey My teaching. These words you hear are not My own; they belong to the Father who sent Me. 25All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. “

John 16:13-15, 13“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is shy I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”

Romans 8:9-11, 9You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you.

1 Corinthians 3:16, Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

1 Corinthians 6:18-20, 18Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? 20You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

2 Corinthians 5:1-10, 1For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God; who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 6Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7For we live by faith, and not by sight. 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, ,so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

2 Corinthians 6:16, What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.”

Ephesians 1:13-14, 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 2:10, For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:22, And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.

Ephesians 5:15-20, 15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:20-21, 20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ sand to die is gain.

1 Peter 2:24, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by His wounds you have been healed.”

1 Peter 3:1-2, 1Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.

1 John 3:24, The one who keeps God’s commands lives in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us.

1 John 4;13-16, 13This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

Copyright © Sindy Nagel. All Rights Reserved

Pursuing the Heart of God – Day 50 – The Will of God

Pursuing the Heart of God – Day 50

The Will of God

Dear Lord, I want to live the best possible life You have for me. How do I know Your will? What are your plans for me? When do I need to check with You to make a decision? What direction should I take for this situation? Lord, please let me in on Your will for me.

A Message from God’s Heart to Yours:

My child, do not live as unwise but as wise; do not be foolish, but understand what My will is for you (Ephesians 5:15-17). Approach My throne of grace with confidence, so that you may receive My mercy and find My grace to help you in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16). I want you to seek My will in all decisions, in every aspect of your life. I desire your obedience, and in order to obey, you must know My will. Do not conform 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 My will is—My good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).

Renew your mind in My Word. One place you can discover My desired will for you is in the Bible. Read it, believe it, and follow it. Also, when you pray, the Holy Spirit will lead you to Scripture which will instruct you to follow the path I have marked out for you. The Spirit will guide you to the next step in the plans I have pre-determined for you, plans to prosper you, give you hope, and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Seek Me any time, day or night, and I will let you in on My plans for you. You know My voice, listen and follow (John 10:27).

As long as you remain yielded to Me, and in communication with Me, I will guide you in My will and provide everything you need to accomplish it. Even Jesus, the Son of God, depended on Me and submit Himself to My will, even unto death on the cross. He did not face that alone. He prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but yours be done.” My will for you is not always the easiest path, but I work all things together for the good of those who love Me and are called according to My purpose (Romans 8:28). Nothing is impossible for Me, and that means, nothing is impossible for you when you have faith in Me (Matthew 17:20).

I ask you to trust Me. I am in control. I established My throne in the heavens, and My sovereignty rules over all (Psalm 103:19). If you think you are in control of your own life, you are deceived. I am in control of all things. However, I do give you the free will to choose. But I know ahead of time, what your decision will be, and I work behind the scenes to use it for good. I will continue to work in your life through your circumstances, but it may not be My best for you, unless you seek Me first and walk in My will.

That doesn’t mean you won’t suffer the consequences of your poor decision gone wrong. A person reaps what he or she sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life (Galatians 6:7-8). Live by the Spirit, not the flesh. Walk in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). He guides you along the right paths (Psalm 23:3).

I know the future, and it is most beneficial for you to seek Me for your next step in all situations. I give you guidance for every step of life. My plans for you are best. Submit yourself to My will, and you will prosper. When you make decisions of your own free will, without consulting Me, you may suffer the pain of your own making. Do not run ahead of Me. I act on behalf of those who wait on Me (Isaiah 64:4). Hope in Me; you will not be disappointed (Isaiah 49:23).

I know all things, while you have limited knowledge. Making decisions based on your emotions and earthly desires, may cause you to step out of My perfect will for you. Your life is but a mist, here for a little while and then gone; you do not know if you will see tomorrow (James 4:14). Walk in the favor of My will and lead the best possible life I have for you. I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10).

Prayer:

Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground (Psalm 143:10). Guide Me along the right paths (Psalm 23:3). Help me remember to seek You first, before I make my decisions. Lord, I delight in You; please give me the desires of my heart. Help me run with perseverance the race you have marked out for me, fixing my eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:1-3). Lord, share the inner workings of Your heart and Your will with me now. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Two-way Conversation with God:

  •  Lord, is anything in my life blocking my ears from hearing Your voice? Please show me way I have offended You, so that I may remove this roadblock. (Write all words and thoughts He gives you.)

 

  • Jesus, Your Word is a light to my path (Psalm 119:105). Please light the next step for me now. (Record whatever you hear from Him.)

 

  • Holy Spirit, please guide me in the way You would have me go. I commit my way to the Lord; I put my trust in Him. Show me how to live in step with You. (Journal all the thoughts He gives you.)

 

Review God’s thoughts and impressions you’ve sensed and written above. What Scripture comes to mind as you review your notes? Use the concordance of your Bible to look up an impression from God’s Word. Record the verse or passage here. Write all insights and encouragement the Holy Spirit illumines for you as you read God’s Word right now.

Prayer:

Father God Almighty, I will take delight in You. I commit my way to You; I put my trust in you. Please make my righteous reward shine like the dawn (Psalm 37:3-7). I will be still and wait patiently for You. You know what is best for me. Lord, please show me Your plans, one step at a time. I desire to do Your will God (Psalm 40:8). Give me the forbearance to wait on You and trust in You to give me the full life You intended for me. I want to walk in step with Your Spirit. Guide me along the right paths (Psalm 23:3). In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Supporting Scripture:

Psalm 23:3, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.

Psalm 37:3-7, 3Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. 5Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: 6He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. 7Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Psalm 40:8, “I desire to do Your will, my God; Your law is within my heart.”

Psalm 103:19, The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.

Psalm 143:7-10, 7Answer me quickly, Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. 8Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life. 9Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you. 10Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Isaiah 49:23, “Those who hope in Me will not be disappointed.”

Isaiah 64:4, Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

Jeremiah 29:11-14, 11“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.”

Jeremiah 32:17, “Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.”

Matthew 7:7-8, 7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. ”

Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 12:50, “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 17:19-20, Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there.’ And it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Luke 22:39-42, 39Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed Him. 40On reaching the place, He said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed. 42“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but yours be done.”

John 6:37-40, 37“All those the Father give Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do My will but to do the will of Him who sent Me. 39And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of all those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

John 10:10, “The thief comes only to seal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 10:27, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Romans 8:28, 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 12:2, Do not conform 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.

Galatians 5:24-25, 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Galatians 6:7-10, 7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Ephesians 5:15-20, 15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:13, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.

Colossians 3:23-25, 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, 3It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that his holy and honorable, 5not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you His Holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 16Rejoice always, 17pray continually, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 4:16, Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 12:1-3, 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

James 4:13-17, 13Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and to this or that.” 16As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17If anyone, then knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

1 Peter 3:17, For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 5:14-15, 14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.

Copyright © Sindy Nagel. All Rights Reserved

Justified

I absolutely love how God works! He is so amazing! For example, in my previous blog post entitled “No Sin is Too Big,” I quoted from 1 Corinthians 6:11, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

After I posted it, I wondered, what does the word “justified” really mean? I think I know what it means, but I also considered, do all my blog readers understand the meaning of the word? After a few hours, the topic faded from my mind. Until two days later, on Sunday, God generously provided me with two succinct learning opportunities regarding the concept of justification.

My first routine activity every Sunday morning is to select a flavorful K-cup and brew a cup of Joe with my new Keurig machine. Next, I plop down in my favorite recliner, grab the remote control, and turn on the TV to either the Inspiration channel or the Lifetime channel and watch Dr. Charles Stanley, from In Touch Ministries, preach two sermons back to back.

In his first sermon today titled Your Convictions about Eternal Security, Dr. Stanley explained that the word “justified” means we are declared “no longer guilty” by the blood of Jesus. His atoning, sacrificial death on the cross reconciled us into a right relationship with God. When we confess our sin, God is faithful and “just” to forgive us and declare us no longer guilty because He sent His Son, Jesus, as a living sacrifice to pay the death penalty for our sin. One of the Scripture passages for this message came from Romans 5:6-10. Dr. Stanley’s In Touch Sermon 06/26/16

I cracked a smile, pleased that God had designed a way to answer my justification question so swiftly. After watching Dr. Stanley’s sermons, I showered, dried my hair, slapped on some makeup, and got dressed for church.

At Radiant Church this morning, we enjoyed an excellent message by guest pastor, Curt Anes. Romans Road Chapter 5 – Sermon He started his sermon with a definition of the word—you guessed it—justified. When I heard the word, I grinned, even more pleased that God had orchestrated the universe on this day in such a way that I would receive more clarity on the word I had questioned a couple days prior.

Pastor Anes offered a similar definition, “Justified is a divine benefit we have in Christ as Christ followers. We are declared righteous in God’s sight because of what Jesus Christ did for us.”

Supporting it with Scripture, Pastor Anes read Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.”

Next Pastor Anes read from Romans 5:8-9 says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!”

Also, Romans 3:22-24 says, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

In summary, when we confess Jesus as our Savior and invite Him into our hearts, His blood washes us whiter than snow, and He declares us no longer guilty, but righteous children of God. His sacrificial death on the cross paid our sin debt in full and redeemed us from our slavery to sin, making us not only children of God, but also co-heirs with Christ.

I heard two sermons within two hours from two different pastors in two different parts of the country that both taught me two similar Biblical definitions of a term I had questioned two days earlier. Is this a coincidence? I think not!

I am so grateful that the Creator of the universe made the time to weave the answers to my questions into messages from these dedicated men of God that I would listen to today.

Lord, I thank You and praise You for Your wonderful works. Your ways are higher than my ways and Your thoughts higher than my thoughts. I appreciate the way You speak to me in my thoughts and through the instruction of wise, godly people. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit who brings Your Word to life in so many ways. I am eternally grateful for Your amazing grace in the gift of Your Son who died for me, that I might be JUSTIFIED by His blood, no longer guilty, but made righteous in Your sight. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Listen and Obey


A woman is standing at the microphone and holding a pen.Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:27)

My dear children, I have given you all eyes to see and ears to hear. Read my Word with your eyes. Listen to my Spirit within you using the spiritual ears I have given you. However, do not deceive yourselves by merely listening to the word, but do what it says. When you listen and then walk away and forget what you have heard, you mislead yourself. Yes, it is wonderful that you listen to my word, but what good is that if you do not obey it? Are you any richer for it? You are my precious children. You belong to me. Show yourselves to be mine by your actions. Do not be just hearers of the word—be doers of the word. My wise words are like a priceless treasure. Do not keep this fortune to yourself, but share this wealth of knowledge with all who will listen. Others will see who I am, when they see who you are. Be doers of my word.