Tag: God

Time Alone with God

I have been an exhorter in the past and I want to re-establish my role by encouraging others.  My question to you is; how often do you have time alone with God? If we’re too busy for God, then we are simply too busy. When I allow God to be in charge of my life, I am amazed at how much more productive I am. When I put Him first; everything falls into place. I have developed five points on how to put God first in my life. Five is the number of grace and the acronym I have used spells out the word GRACE.

G – Getting to know God:

We can’t reach others without first having our own time with God.  We have to know what the Bible says in order to share it. So why do many of us try to live a Godly life without having personal time with God? When we study the Bible, it overflows to the rest of our life.  Out of that wealth, we are able to minister to and encourage others. What we put in is what comes out. If I FILL my heart and mind with the Bible, there is not any room for negativity. We can strengthen our relationship with God by communication and observation otherwise it won’t grow. With our friends we listen and find out as much about them as we can. This is how our relationship with God should be; sharing and communicating, finding out everything we possibly can about Him (getting to know God). Satisfied living comes through knowing God. Matthew 5:6 (Amplified) “Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be completely satisfied.”

R – Refusing self:

Just as we should ask about our relationships “What can I do to make this relationship better?” we should ask about our relationship with God. When we focus on what we do rather than what we can get, we become selfless instead of selfish. When we put our own self first we are giving into our weaknesses.  In Galatians 5:20-21, the Bible speaks of idolatry. The definition of idolatry is “excessive devotion.”  This could mean loving ourselves more than others. Jesus’ example was to put the needs of others first by being a servant. Luke 22:27 “Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.”

A – Asking:

Asking for wisdom and making our petitions known before God is how we should pray, simplicity is the best approach. Our time should begin with prayer. “Never stop praying.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 We should have confidence in our prayers just as Abraham did.  When Abraham prayed that Lot would be spared from the destruction of Sodom, obviously he had confidence in that prayer because we read he had slept that night.  Genesis 19:27 “Abraham got up early that morning and hurried out to the place where he had stood in the Lord’s presence.” If Abraham didn’t believe Lot would be spared, I don’t think he would have slept.

C – Charging

Letting God be the one that charges us up. Most people don’t try to withstand a trial or problem without running to God in prayer. But why not just be hooked up to God all the time? Think of yourself as a three-prong electrical plug. The bottom prong is for “Grounding!” That grounding should plug into the Bible. Notice how it is fatter than the other two and relate that to how much we should draw on the Bible. Then take a look at the other two prongs.  Notice how they are wider at the tip? Those prongs represent our outstretched hands in worship. Once they are ‘plugged into’ the socket they are harder to pull out. Now, take a look at the holes in these prongs, relate these to ears. These two prongs make the circuit complete and if we are not listening to God along with praying, worshiping, and reading the Bible, then our circuitry is incomplete. I know people who cut off the third prong because it doesn’t fit. They take a risk of getting shocked. We need to be careful that we don’t cut off our relationship with God by only praying and not reading the Bible, which makes a one-way relationship.  Also, if we were to tape up the holes on the prongs, and we only went to God in prayer, then how can we hear? In Romans 10:17 the Bible says, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”

E – Exalting:

When we hear from God, how can we help but exalt or worship Him by praising Him in spirit and song? Exalt means to raise in rank, honor, power or character. We should exalt God far above everything and everyone. I love the song “How Can I Keep from Singing?” by Chris Tomlin. This is how I feel about God. I cannot keep quiet about all the things he has done for me. Worship is so important in our daily walk, it isn’t just for Sunday, and God loves to hear our praises! “But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.” John 4:23

We live in such a “give me” society that it’s no wonder we expect God to do everything while we just carry on until we ‘need’ Him. Grace is freely given, unmerited favor, the Love of God, and the influence of the Holy Spirit in us to strengthen us. God gave us his best through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross, a perfect sacrifice, his resurrection, and the Holy Spirit. He graced us with the Bible, but what have we given in return? Sometimes we offer a mere pittance of a prayer before our meals or a ritualistic prayer before bed when God deserves our best! The very least we can do is give of our time to communicate with Him. I encourage you to show God honor for the grace he has shown you, he loves you and wants to bless you by communicating with you. Have some time alone with God today and every day. Your life will be better because of the time you spend.

Walk in His Fullness

It is time to rise up and walk in the fullness of God. There is a shaking going on in this world, a shaking through earthquakes naturally and a shaking spiritually through various trials. Maybe this is a way to get our attention so we focus on God.

“When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.” Hebrews 12:26-28

““For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!” Haggai 2:6-9

Only the unshakable things will remain… those who serve Him, not only in the good times but during trials as well. God is looking for a people who will honor Him when things don’t go according to their plan who will “hold on” to Him during adversity. We need to honor God at All times with our praises in reverence and in awe because he is mighty to pull us through Any situation. He will shake all the nations to bring about a heart that is searching for Him, opening hearts that have grown complacent. The future is God’s. I see the church rising up to a higher standard. Those who meet trials head on are the ones who will grow in the Lord. I see people who face troubles and say “Where are you taking me Lord?” with fervor of a new adventure not a downcast spirit. Instead of being defeated when faced with problems, they are victorious, simply because they know who they are… a child of God. They are joint heirs with Jesus, walking in their inheritance, walking in his fullness. We are heirs with Christ! We may enter boldly into the throne and ask for anything within the will of the Father and it is ours. We are overcomers because Jesus Christ overcame before us!

“Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe? But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:31-33

What a glorious inheritance we’ve been given. Jesus has Overcome the world! The Veil has been torn. No, the veil has been removed! We are not under the old covenant. Read Hebrews chapters 8 through 10.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%208-10&version=NLT

If we are walking ‘in his fullness’ we will be walking in unity.  We will walk with the Holy Spirit and hear the same word as other believers who are walking in the light. The Holy Spirit imparts the same message to the believers over and over. The body of the church receives the same message through the impartation of the Word revealed through a relationship with the Father by studying the Bible.

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all. Ephesians 4:2-6

I am so encouraged when I talk to friends who are from other areas across the nation and hear that they have heard a similar message in their Bible study as I’ve received. Also, that their churches are giving the same message that mine is. It is a corporate anointing. It shows me that God gives the same message to all of us to reassure us that we are hearing from Him. It is our responsibility to grow and mature in our spiritual journey. We cannot obtain it through osmosis by attending church on Sunday or listening to some minister even on a daily basis. We must read the Word of God on our own and find out what the Holy Spirit will reveal to us. He will give us his truth if we just listen. We have to partake of the meat to grow; otherwise we will remain as infants who can only handle milk.

“For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.” Hebrews 5:13-14

“And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.” I Corinthians 2:12-13

If we don’t study and get the revelation of the Word on our own, it is just head knowledge; it doesn’t penetrate our hearts and our spirits. This is why it is important to study for ourselves.

‘If one of you is carrying some meat from a holy sacrifice in his robes and his robe happens to brush against some bread or stew, wine or olive oil, or any other kind of food, will it also become holy?’” The priests replied, “No.” Then Haggai asked, “If someone becomes ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person and then touches any of these foods, will the food be defiled?” And the priests answered, “Yes.” Haggai 2:12-13

In other words, we cannot take possession of someone else’s ‘meat’ such as a “priest” by brushing against them or being in their presence. This is why it is essential to study on our own and take possession of our own meat. Also the “priest” cannot impart the meat to others unless they are fully engaged in their own lives, by a daily walk with our Heavenly Father. In verse 13 of Haggai 2, it talks of sin, however, while we cannot become clean just by sitting in church, we can Defile many by living in sin! We are to live a life which is set apart, a life which is full of His glory. We are to show His image, the Christ in us.

“Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Hebrews 12:14-15

“He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!” 2 Corinthians 5:15-16

When we live for Christ, look beyond our circumstances, believe our inheritance, and feed on the meat of the Word of God, then we have the ability to see through God’s eyes. We will not see people’s shortcomings. We will not evaluate others from a human point of view. How much better it is to see beneath the outward appearance and see on the heart as God sees. He does want to restore everyone to him! He does want us to live a life of Fullness! I get excited just reading all the promises in Ephesians chapter one about how he chose us:

He Chose Us

Because he wanted to restore his relationship with us!

 

I was thinking how marvelous our God is and the verse that says “He chose me before He made the world” in Ephesians. Then I started reading in Ephesians 1 and I wept, tears of Joy and tears of sorrow at the same time. My tears of Joy were because of the promises that are packed into that chapter. Really, if you want to be encouraged, read the entire book of Ephesians… The tears of sorrow were for the people who don’t follow God or who don’t walk in His Promises. Here are some of the promises of God just from the first chapter in Ephesians. I hope they bless you.

 

Blessed us with Every Spiritual Blessing. v. 3

We are holy and blameless through Christ. v. 4

He adopted us as one of his own. v. 5

We have redemption through Christ dying on the cross. v. 7

He has given us wisdom and understanding of the Bible through the Holy Spirit. v. 8

Everything is under Christ’s authority – Everything! v. 10

He marked us with the seal of the Holy Spirit (our deposit or guarantee). v. 13 & 14

Wisdom and revelation to know him better are given to those who believe. v. 17

We have the same power that raised Christ from the dead! v. 20

We are seated with Christ at the right hand of God! v. 20

Placed everything under Christ’s feet (and by inheritance – ours!) v. 22

Those are just a few of the promises in the Bible! Then I read over in 2 Corinthians again where it says he wanted to bring ‘back’ all of mankind into fellowship with him. The very least we can do is to apply the lessons we learn to our lives. If we truly believe what the Word of God says, why don’t we live it fully?

REFLECTIONS –kimberly mcElroy

I look at you and I see myself.
I see your eyes sparkle like the stars in the sky.
Your smile lights up my universe.
When you laugh, it is music to me.
When you sing praises, I am overjoyed!
When you call my name, I am here.
I am so pleased when we talk &
When you talk about “us” to others;
I am a very Proud Father.
My Heart overflows with Love for you my child.
I see you just as I see the rest.
The image you see in the mirror is mine.
The images you see on the streets might be mine.
Find out…
If not, Point the way.
Let my light shine through you.
I will show you the way.
Just trust me each day.
— Your Father in Heaven