Tag Archive | work

Pursuing the Heart of God – Day 27 – Put Me First – Seek Me in the Morning

Apr18

Pursuing the Heart of God – Day 27 

Put Me First – Seek Me in the Morning

Lord God Almighty, help me to get up a few minutes early each morning to put You first by meeting with You alone, away from all noise and distractions. I know my days end better when they begin with You. You are the First and the Last and everything in between. You meet all my needs and fulfill all my longings. Lord, thank You for loving me more than I love myself. Please share with me today another piece of Your heart.

A Message from God’s Heart to Yours:

O My sweet child, do not put off meeting with Me. Seek Me first thing in the morning before your feet hit the floor. Acknowledge Me and speak with Me before you get out of bed. Think of Me while you drink your first cup of coffee. Make time to meet with Me, if only for a few moments, before you begin your day. Let’s get you started in the right direction. My intentions for you are good.

I do not require too much from you. I simply want to say, ‘Hello.’ I will love you and encourage you for the day that waits ahead. I know what you will face each day, and I would love to walk you through your challenges and your triumphs, your sorrows and your joys, your work and your play. I created you to love you and I care deeply about you. I want to be involved in your life. No detail is too small for Me. Please put Me first, and seek Me in everything you do.

I am with you all day, whether you acknowledge Me or not, but I would love to partner with you. I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Would you like to check with Me before you run ahead and make your own plans? I know what’s best for you, and I would love to see you thrive and succeed.

No matter what, you do not go it alone. I am with you always (Matthew 28:20). I know you enjoy your independence and control, but I would love for you to depend on Me. I will not let you down. Consult Me for your wisdom and answers to your questions. Call to Me and I will answer you; I will tell you things you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3). Do not be the master at controlling your own life and destiny, when I am in control of all things, I know all things, and I will use all things for your good (Romans 8:28).

Worship Me with gladness. I am God. I made you, you are Mine. (Psalm 100:2-3). Worship Me in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Ascribe to Me the glory due My name and worship Me in the splendor of My holiness (1 Chronicles 17:28). I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13). I am all you need. I am sufficient. You can depend on Me for all things. Seek Me first, and everything else will fall into place as it should. I love you, My child, more than you will ever comprehend. 

Prayer:

Father God, Thank You for loving me so well. Help me to partner with the Holy Spirit as He guides me through my entire day. Lord, jog my memory to think of You all day long. Allow me to hear all the whispers spoken by You, all throughout the day. Help me remember to seek You first in all I do. When I do, I will find You, and You will show me what’s best for me. Lord, I am seeking You right now for Your counsel and Your wisdom for my day. Please show me what You want me to see and hear. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Two-way Conversation with God: 

  • Lord God, I am putting You first today by spending this time with You. Please share Your heart with me now. What is it that You want me to hear and know for today? (Record all thoughts and words that come to mind.)

 

  • Jesus, You are the ultimate example of putting God first and seeking Him alone in the morning. Please show me how to do that in my busy life. Show me what will work for me. (Write the ideas and promptings that flow through your thoughts.)

 

  • Holy Spirit, please nudge me now to walk in partnership with You. Let me see a glimpse of Your work in my life, in my day. What do you want me to see and know today? (Jot down what He impresses on you right now.)

 

Review the Holy Spirit’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, thank You for meeting with me today to show me the importance of putting You first in my life. You have all things under Your control. I need not fret, worry, or strive to create my own destiny because You have marked out a path for me. You have my best interests at heart and You will see that I prosper in all I do, in all You have planned for me. Help me fulfill the purpose for which You created me. In Jesus’ precious name I pray. Amen.

Supporting Scripture:

Deuteronomy 4:29, But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Deuteronomy 5:7, “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

Deuteronomy 6:5, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Joshua 24:15, But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

1 Chronicles 17:25-29, 25For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods. 26For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 27Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His dwelling place. 28Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 28Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.

Psalm 5:3, In the morning, Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.

Psalm 100:2-3, Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Psalm 105:3-4, Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.

Proverbs 8:17, I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me find Me.

Isaiah 44:6, “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from Me there is no God.”

Isaiah 55:6, Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.

Jeremiah 29:11-13, “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. Then you will call on 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.”

Jeremiah 33:2-3, “This is what the Lord says, He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is His name: ‘Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’”

Matthew 6:33, But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 22:36-39, 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Matthew 28:20, “…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark 1:35, Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.

John 4:24, “God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

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.

1 John 5:3-5, 3In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Revelation 22:13, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Copyright © Sindy Nagel. All Rights Reserved

Step 6 – Enjoy the Rewards – Reward #7

Mar21


A woman is standing at the microphone and holding a pen.

Reward #7 – Delight in the Peace

By the time I reached my mid-thirties, I had created a busy life for myself. I had everything I wanted: a husband, a home, a job, a girl, a boy, friends, a dog, God, a church, a ministry, and much more. Why did I feel so empty? I controlled my life—or did my life control me? My life resulted in exactly what I had made of it, not what God had planned. My life was good, but it was not God’s best for me. My life felt full, but I remained hollow. My whole life had left me with a hole in my heart. Our definition of a full life is different than God’s. The life I had created quickly spun out of control and into depression. I was in pieces and had no peace within.

God met me at the bottom of my pit of depression. He stretched out His hand to me. I took hold, and He pulled me up. He set me down on His firm foundation and began the rebuilding process in me. As I learned to trust God more every day, I turned over new areas of my life to Him. When I turned over complete control to God, He rearranged major things in my crazy, busy life to give me the peace He wanted me to enjoy.

After many months of meeting with God on a daily basis to listen to His voice—absorb His healing, find freedom in forgiving, enjoy His encouragement, follow His instruction, consider His conviction, and savor His wisdom—I could now delight in His peace. God had rebuilt my demolished soul through the work of His Holy Spirit inside me. He gave me a newfound confidence in Christ and in myself as a child of God. He gave me a renewed relationship with the Father. He gave me a stronger, more vibrant faith and a passion for serving my Savior. He gave me more spiritual knowledge and a better understanding of the Holy Spirit and His role of transforming me into a new creation.

Let me be clear. Life did not get a lot easier, but it did become more peaceful as I gave over control to God. That statement seems contradictory. Losing control should not produce peace in one’s spirit, but the things of God are not as they seem. He does not operate as the world does. When I gave up control and surrendered to the will and plans of God, He lifted a burden from me.

As I consulted with Him in all areas of my life, big and small, I turned from being a people-pleaser into being a God-pleaser. I didn’t care as much about what people thought anymore; I concerned myself with what God thought. I did not have to please everyone; I had to please the One. I tried not to spread myself thin going in too many different directions. I focused my attention in one direction—up.

It took many months for God to rearrange my life in order to give me the kind of peace He wanted me to experience by trusting fully in Him. I had obligations I needed to fulfill and positions I had to find replacements for. I had to change the way I operated in my home among my family. As God freed up my time by releasing me from a few responsibilities, I became more available for Him to use in His work.

Doing God’s work generated a much greater reward than anything I might take on myself. With obedience come peace and joy. As I faithfully met with God every morning, our relationship deepened immensely. He did a great deal of intense work with me on discovering, processing, and healing my emotional wounds. I shed many tears along the path to healing. The rough and rocky emotional journey had to be traveled to get to a better place—a place of freedom, peace, and rest.

One of the first observations my Christian mentor made about me all those years ago was that I did not have much peace in my life. It was a very smart—and true—observation. I experienced a full life, yet I did not know what peace-full felt like. Some people do not experience a full life according to worldly standards but have a life full of peace and contentment because they rely on intimate communication with God through the Holy Spirit, rather than depending on things and circumstances. The full life Jesus Christ came to give us equals a life full of His peace when we are in tune with the voice and Spirit of God, not based on material possessions, human relationships, or excellent conditions.

Jesus stood at my door and knocked. I answered and let Him in. I spent time with Him and listened to His voice. I pursued Him, drew near to Him, and remained in Him. The outcome has been a deeper, more intimate relationship with my Savior. The lasting effect is a life full of His peace. I now know the peace of God, even in the midst of life’s challenges.

Get close to God by being in touch with God’s Holy Spirit inside you. Tap into the power of the Prince of Peace, who lives in your heart. Listen to God’s voice and experience a life full of His perfect peace. Psalm 85:8 says, “I will listen to what God the Lord will say; He promises peace to His people, His saints—but let them not return to folly.† Listening to God’s voice enables us to delight in His peace. The peace of God is more precious than diamonds, silver, or gold. Enjoying all the rewards of listening to God makes me want to share this excellent practice with the world.

Order now by clicking here.

A woman is standing at the microphone and holding a pen.

Book One in Hearing God’s Voice Series

Let Your Praises Ring

Nov21

Praise the Lord, O my soul

Everything in me sings your praise

All my heart, soul, mind, and strength

Will praise you all of my days

 

Praise the Lord, O ye heavens

Praise the Lord, ye earth below

He is worthy of all glory

He is awesome, this I know

 

Before I rise in the morning

Let His praises be on my lips

And when I fall into bed at night

Let the praise in my heart do flips

 

Every moment I will praise Him

For He is my EVERY thing

Let admiration flow from my mouth

As my tongue His praises sing

 

I lift my hands in holy praise

To the Almighty God above

I delight myself in the Lord of lords

And He fills my heart with love

 

The One Who bore my sin and shame

Deserves the best words I can shout

His praise flows from within my soul

And through my lips pours out

 

He is my guardian and my friend

My trusted confidant

He provides me all I’ll ever need

Much more than I shall want

 

I thank Him for His Spirit

He placed within my heart

Who seals me for the final day

When this earth I will depart

 

I hear His voice within me

He whispers in my ear

“I am with you always…

There is no need to fear”

 

If Jesus is your Savior

The Lord of what you do

Just make the time to listen

And you will hear Him too

 

Escape the crowds and noise of life

And to the Lord draw near

Pay attention to the thoughts you think

His still, small voice you’ll hear

 

He speaks to us through Scripture

When we find ourselves in need

He counsels us in God’s good ways

And convicts us of our misdeed

 

He is our hope and healing

Our anchor in the storm

When battles rage against us

He keeps us safe and warm

 

Do not forsake your time with God

He wants to be your friend

To speak with you throughout your day

From the day’s beginning to its end

 

Pay attention to His voice within

As you walk out your faith today

Be conscious of His words to you

I bet you’ll hear Him say:

 

“My child, I love you more than life

You are My special lamb

I want to be Your Shepherd

And show you Who I AM…

 

I’m your light in the darkness

I’m your stronghold in the war

I’m your comfort in your sorrow

I’m the angel at your door

 

I give you food and shelter

I protect you from your foe

I speak the truth within your heart

The things that you should know

 

I hear you when you call Me

I’m with you in all you do

And when you cannot find the strength

You can be sure I’ll carry you

 

Trust in Me, obey My words

And I will see you through

I do not ask you to perform

Without preparing you

 

And when My work you’ve carried out

My joy is your reward

Let your praises ring, let Me hear you sing

‘Halleluiah to the Lord!’”


 

Rewarded for Your Labor

Sep5

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor (1 Corinthians 3:6-8).

My child, your labor is not in vain. You may not see the results of it, but I do. At times, you plant the seed. Other times, you water it. And I make it grow. So you see, in performing My work, you are fulfilling your purpose, and you will be rewarded accordingly.

Do not be discouraged. Continue to work alongside Me for the salvation of My people. I will use you in ways you don’t even know about. Bring the light of salvation and the good news of the gospel to all the places I bring you. Plant, water, and move on. Leave the growth to Me. Your reward will come later. Your labor does not go unnoticed.

I am delighted in you. I value you as My creation. Good job, faithful one. My blessings are upon you. Now enjoy My presence and My peace.


 

The Joy of Obedience

Nov13

The Joy of Obedience

by Sindy Nagel

 

I cannot hold my heart within

It leaps out from my chest

When I obeyed the thing You asked

With joy, my heart You blessed

 

This is no temporary smile

You’ve draw upon my face

But lasting joy is found in me

As I rest in Your embrace

 

Storms may come and winds may blow

My vessel may be tossed

You take my hand and lead me through

I never will be lost

 

My joy is not dependent on

The blessings or the strife

It comes from deep with my soul

‘Cuz I’ve given You my life

 

Your Spirit lives within me now

He guarantees my fate

Forever I will spend with You

When death knocks at my gate

 

You are my Lord, I’ll follow You

Until my dying day

And when my work on earth is done

In heaven with You, I’ll stay

 

Given the chance to do Your work

I choose obedience

And You reward beyond compare

Great Joy, my recompense


 

 

Have Fun Along the Way

Sep1

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. (Acts 20:24)

Lord, for nearly two years, I have been working on a large ministry assignment you have given me. There is still a lot of work to do. Lord, I just want to do something new and fun for a few days. May I work on a new idea you have given me or do I need to keep trudging along in the larger task until it is complete?

My darling, this is not a race; it’s a marathon. You may participate in some 5Ks along the way. Have fun! I don’t want this to feel like work for you. This is a labor of love. Mix it up, while at the same time, staying the course to the finish line. Don’t start many small projects and never finish any of them. I want you to finish the original work I have given you. I want it to reach the public to be a blessing. So you may have fun, and mix it up, but also keep plugging along and finish the marathon you have started running. I am the prize; run for Me. Finish the race I have marked out for you. Complete the task I have given you, but have fun along the way. I am delighted in you.

Thank you, Lord. I will finish your work, and I will have fun along the way.

 


 

A Labor of Love

Aug28

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

My dear children, stand firm in Me. There is no power on earth that will overcome you when you remain in Me. Your victory comes through the Lord Jesus Christ. Stand firm in His victorious power, in the power of the living God within you. Do not be changed by the things of this world. Be moved by My work. Give yourselves fully to the tasks I give you. When you work for Me, your labor is not in vain. You will bring hope to the hopeless, freedom to the captives, healing to the broken-hearted, sight to the blind, hearing to deaf ears, wisdom to the simple-minded, life to the lifeless, and joy to the downcast. Because My Spirit lives in you, you will do even greater things than the Lord Jesus Christ did. Do not work for riches here on earth. Serve Me with dedicated fervor building yourself treasures in heaven. Serve Me in humility and I will lift you up. Your home is not of this world, but I have prepared a place for you in My eternal kingdom. Leave behind a legacy of faith, a heritage of devotion to Me. I am the Lord, and you are My precious child.


 

Working in You

May15


In all my prayers for you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:4-6)

Mountain Grandeur A woman is standing at the microphone and holding a pen.© Greg Olsen. Used with Permission. For more information visit, www.GregOlsen.com 

My precious child, I created you for a purpose, and I have begun a good work in you. I will continue to work in you and through you until the day Christ returns. You were made in my image from day one, and now that you have been reconciled to me through Christ, the Holy Spirit dwelling in you continues to transform you into my likeness. May you be filled with the fruit of righteousness, remaining pure and blameless until the day of Christ. Whatever you do, do it to the glory of God. Let your countenance and your actions reflect my love in all situations. You are my ambassadors of love. Let the world see who lives in you. Love out loud, sharing the message of the gospel wherever life takes you. Bring others to me as they see you walking out your faith. You are my beloved one. Be my warrior, courageous and fearless, as you fight for the souls that are lost. Let the joy of Christ in your heart overflow, touching every one you meet. I have blessed you to be a blessing to others. Go and bless my world.

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