Don't Take the Bait

"Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly." 2 Timothy 1:16

Several times in the past week or so, I've had people post comments to me online that seem to be aimed at starting a conflict. 

My first impulse was to fire off a response that would have only added fuel to the flame. Fortunately, the Lord (and a couple of friends) gave me the good advice to not respond. I didn't, but I have to admit, to a lot of soul searching and  mental sparing with the people who made the comments.

I thought of brilliantly scathing remarks I could have made, convincing arguments to refute their claims, ways that they had acted inappropriately, but each time, the Lord reminded me that those responses would just make things worse.

The soul-searching was the worst and the best thing that came out of all this, because it gave me time to reflect, time to examine my own behavior in the past, time to repent and ask God to change those things in me that need to change. To make me a better person and a better reflection of Him.

This morning in my devotional time, I read 2 Timothy 2:16 that tells us to avoid godless chatter and those who indulge in it. I thought about those comments that tempted me to engage in what would have been a futile argument - godless chatter.

Then I read a little further...

"Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful." 2 Timothy 2:23-24 

At that point, I felt justified in ignoring the comments...until I read that last little bit of verse 24..."be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful."  Is ignoring kind? Did I miss an opportunity to teach because I was resentful?

I read on...

"Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." 2 Timothy 25-26

"...trap of the devil?"

And then it hit me. The devil was up to his old tricks. New scheme. Same goal - to get me riled up, tempt me to respond in self-defense and anger, stir up dissension with someone I care for, get me to act in a way that's unbecoming for a child of God.

How grateful I am for good friends who give good advice and for the Holy Spirit pulling me back from an immediate and improper response, because I now recognize those comments as bait - not from the person who made them - but from the devil, who loves to play one believer against the other so that it will destroy unity in the family of God.

Friends, let's remember this...

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." James 1:19-20

...and don't take the bait of Satan!

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Perfectly Broken to Shine

"For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:6-7

Jars of clay...that doesn't seem like a very safe place to store treasure, now, does it?

Jars of clay are common and fragile, often cracked or leaky, but then, if the treasure stored within is the light that comes with knowing Christ, perhaps jars of clay are the perfect vessel. We are imperfect, marred by scars from past mistakes on our part and broken by hurts inflicted by the careless handling of others, who are, themselves, imperfect vessels. Still, the light of Christ is able to shine through those broken places in us to a world that is hurting to say, "Look, Christ loves imperfect, broken people just as they are. He will fill them with His light so that it can shine as a beacon to those who need Him."

So we have this power in us. What power? The power to encourage, bless and heal the broken and hurting by allowing His light - the light of the knowledge of God's glory through salvation in Jesus Christ to not only shine in our own lives, but to spill out of us into their lives.

How will you allow God to shine through you today?



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Broken-Hearted Joy

"The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

Yesterday was hard. 
Yesterday was sadness, tears and loneliness.
Change and loss are hard.
Change is thrust upon us suddenly.
We usually don't see it coming and we are seldom prepared.

Today...
Today is different.
Today is the realization that yesterday is a closing door, but today is a new beginning.

I am not alone.
God is with me, leading me into a different phase of my journey.

This is a hard thing, but it is a good thing, for God makes all things work together for my good.
People may make decisions that change the course of my days, but God determines the course of life.

He removes a spirit of heaviness and replaces it with lightness, peace and joy.

Today is different.
I'm looking forward, joyfully expectant for where He is taking me.
For how He will fill that empty space in my heart with Himself.

Closing the door on yesterday.
Looking forward to tomorrow.
Enjoying today!


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I have a Hangover!

No, I didn't go out drinking. 

Yesterday I decided to take a day and just be lazy. No, that's not quite right. I didn't decide to be lazy, it just happened because I didn't decide to do anything else.

It all began quite normally. I got up, made my bed and a cup of coffee, let the dogs out and then settled into my comfy chair to spend some time with Jesus, only He didn't show up. I felt slighted. Now, before you correct me, I already know that He is always with me, but this morning it didn't feel that way...and yes, I know that we are not supposed to live by our feelings. Knowing that didn't help, though. I missed that morning connection, which usually gets my day off to a wonderful start. I kept trying to make it happen, but it wasn't working.

I thought I might sit down and write for a bit, but that wasn't happening either. The words just wouldn't come. I wasn't inspired. Probably Jesus' fault for not showing up. (Just kidding.)

It only got worse from there. Went to get a bite to eat. Picked a lousy place and the food was yuck. 

Stopped by the grocery store, intending to just pick up something for dinner. Ended up spending way more than I intended. I have no idea how that box of mini cream puffs ended up in my cart and a an hour later, after unpacking my groceries at home, how they ended up in my stomach. (Yes, the whole box.)

My eating has been out of control for the past couple of weeks. I've been working out at the gym 3-4 times a week for almost 2 years. Spent the first 6 months on the Daniel Plan diet, the next year on a Vegetarian Diet and the last 6 months on the Keto Diet. I only lose about 10 pounds in all that time. Now, I know that any weight loss is good, but I say only 10 pounds because in that last 6 month period, my husband joined me on the Keto Diet and lost about 30 pounds in that time. I'm very happy for him, but frustrated as all get out with my lack of result. Maybe that's what's driving me to eat all the things I denied myself before.  I don't know, but it has to STOP!

After stuffing my face, I watched TV.  Make that, binged watched TV - four hours before hubby got home and with him until bedtime. I did take time to make dinner - and eat again (dumb). Dropped into bed feeling miserable, bloated and guilty for wasting an entire day and for giving into food.

Woke up this morning feeling hungover. I remember that feeling from my drinking days (long, long ago). Fuzzy brain, sluggish body and a ton of guilt on my back.

I spent time with Jesus again this morning. He showed up this time, but it wasn't the same. Not His fault this time. My fault because I felt like I had "cheated" on Him.  (Is any of this making sense to any one?) We had a good talk. I confessed, He forgave and all is good again.

Determined to have a better, more productive day today, but still feeling like I'm in a stall. Not like a horse stall. More like a stalled car. It won't go, I don't know why and I don't know how to fix it. Sigh.

Okay, enough venting for today. Not sure that any part of this will be helpful to anyone else, but just had to get it out.

Praying you have a productive day,
Jan
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Turn Your Distractions into a God Moment

Distracted when trying to focus on God?

We all do it. We all sit down to spend some time with God only to find within minutes our mind wanders off to something that happened yesterday, a hurt, something we need to do, something that we don't like about ourselve. Suddenly we realize we are no longer in prayer, in the Word or even thinking about God.

It's frustrating to think that we can't spend more than a moment with God without being distracted, so we shove those thoughts aside and try to pull ourselves back into the presence of God.

Here's a thought - what if those thoughts are not random distractions, but insight into things that we need to deal with? What if God is bringing them to mind because He wants to help us work through them? What if they are meant to reveal a sin or short-coming that God wants us to confess and seek forgiveness for?

The next time this happens, instead of pushing those thoughts aside, try this...imagine He is sitting in a chair across the table from you. Talk those things out with Him. Be sensitive to what He might be saying to you about your thoughts. Listen for Him to bring a scripture to mind or to give you some instructions.

God is interested in everything that concerns us. Let me repeat that...

God is INTERESTED in EVERYTHING that concerns us!

Talking those things out with Him will clear the air, help us grow and enable us to focus on connecting with Him on a deeper level.  Turn those distractions into a God moment!

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Do not be Easily Offended

Everybody is offended these days.

London Religious News Service reported that British Christians were incensed after the state-funded BBC decided to jettison the terms B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini or Year of our Lord) in favor of B.C.E. (Before Common Era) and C.E. (Common Era) in historical date references. 

This happened in 2011. Until this morning, I had never seen or heard a date referenced with those terms. I started a new devotional reading plan on the YouVersion app. It was and introduction to the book of James. They  noted that the book was written in 50 C.E..  What? I had to take the time to find out what C.E. meant and I came across this article (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/27/bbc-drops-bc-ad-dating-method_n_984081.html).

Why did the BBC make this change? Here's the reason they gave, "The BBC said in an official statement that since it is “committed to impartiality, it is appropriate that we use terms that do not offend or alienate non-Christians.”"

Seriously? How often do you hear the terms BC and AD mentioned on television shows? If the mention a year, it's usually just the year, not BC and AD. I seriously doubt that anyone is offended by these terms.

I have two questions:

1. Are non-Christians really that easily offended?
2. What about the Christians that they (the media) offend all the time?

Especially the BBC. I can't tell you how many times I have started watching a BBC show and turned it off because of vulgarity, which offends me. It's that easy, people. If something offends you, turn it off. Media is supported by viewers. If no one is watching, they die. We vote with our remotes.

Okay, I am done ranting. On a more positive note. I love the YouVersion app. (Bible.com) It has helped me grow in my walk with the Lord through many great devotional readings, Bible reading plans and the ability to share what I'm learning with others. I'm not sure why they allowed the C.E. reference. It probably slipped through unnoticed. What did I do? I switched reading plans. I switched "channels" and found a delightful new plan called Presence-Filled Prayer: Experiencing God in Prayer.

The first day's reading really challenged me to be honest with God. There was something bugging me that I just kept stuffing down. I know God was aware of it, but I had never addressed it with Him and allowed Him to forgive me and show me how to work through the issue. It encouraged me to then, sit in His presence, listen for any directions, allow Him to minister to me. What a wonderful time I had with the Lord this morning.

If you haven't discovered the YouVersion app yet, check it out. You'll be blessed by it daily.

(This blog post was written on March 5th, 2019 A.D.)


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Rabbit Trails Through the Bible

Wait - where does that trail lead???

Sometimes, when I read the Bible - okay, often, when I read the Bible - I get sidetracked. Not by things around me or by things I need to do, but by something I read in the Word. A particular word or phrase will catch my attention and set me on a rabbit trail through the Bible, searching for other incidences of the word or phrase. I usually find myself knee-deep in the Strong's Concordance looking up Hebrew and Greek words and their meanings, to further understand God's Word.

That happened this morning, but about the time I realized I was on a rabbit trail, the Lord whispered to my heart, "You only think you got sidetracked and wandered down this path. What you didn't realize was that I took you by the hand and led you in this direction because I have something I want to show you."

How cool is that?

This morning, as I was reading about the Transfiguration of Jesus in Luke 9:28-36, the word "transformed" caught my attention. I looked it up in Strong's and discovered that it is only used 3 times in the King James version of the Bible. (Strong's Concordance is an index of every word found in the King James version, with links to and definition of the original Greek and Hebrew words.)

First, I was struck by the fact that it was while Jesus was praying that the Transfiguration took place and I realized that prayer has the power to transform us, too. Then I wondered what the definition of transfiguration is. (Hold on, I'm taking you down the rabbit trail with me.)

Definition of transfiguration - a change in form or appearance, metamorphosis, an exalting, glorifying or spiritual change

Here's the verse that describes what happened to Jesus as he prayed:

"About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning." Luke 9:28-29

This reminded me of the story of Moses in the Old Testament 

"When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord." Exodus 34:29  

(Do yourself a favor and read a little more about this incident - Exodus 34:29-35).

So, what happened when Moses spoke with the Lord? His appearance change. He glowed with the radiance of the glory of God.

Did you read the rest of the story? If so, you know about the veil. (Nope, I'm not going to explain it here. You will have to read it for yourself.)  It reminded me of another phrase in the New Testament when Paul writes...

"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate (Or reflect) the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18

What? Unveiled faces reflecting God's glory and there's that word transformed again, but this time it says transformed into his (Jesus) image with ever-increasing glory.

Back to Strong's Concordance and the definition of the original Greek word for "transformed." There are two words for transformed in the original Greek...


The first is metamorphoō: to transform (literally or figuratively, "metamorphose"):—change, transfigure, transform

The second translation of the word transformed, metaschēmatizō, is found in this passage...

"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14-15

What? Satan is transformed, just like Jesus, Moses and believers are transformed? No! Upon further digging, I discovered that the definition of the word used in this passage has a critically different meaning, for this compound word is made up of two words, one of which is defined as...

to transfigure or disguise; figuratively, to apply (by accommodation):—transfer, transform (self).

Did you catch the difference? Disguise. Transform self.

Check out 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 in the New International Version.

"For such people are false apostles,deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

This version uses the word masquerade in place of transformed, because it accurately shows that Satan and those who follow him are trying to pass themselves off as being equal to those of us who have been transformed by the glory and Spirit of God.

In conclusion (did I just hear you sigh in relief?), let me leave you with a verse from the NIV...

"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." Romans 12:2

My friends, we, too, can be transformed - through prayer, through refusing to conform to the patterns of this world, by allowing God to renew our minds through the reading of His word and by allowing His glory to penetrate our heart and minds and spirits, until we shine like Jesus, like Moses, like the early believers, reflecting the glory of God.

So, that's my rabbit trail through the Bible this morning. I hope I didn't lose you along the way and that God has led you, along with me to the realization that He was leading us all along, so that we might have a deep-seated desire to be transformed into the image of Christ. I am praying for you, dear reader, that God will do amazing things in your life as you surrender yourself to the transformation process.

Blessing to you, my friends.

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Don't let anyone put your fire out!

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." Romans 12:11 (NIV)

I remember years ago when my cousin, who was big into drugs and womanizing turned to Jesus. He was a changed young man, on fire for the Lord and eager to share the love of Jesus to anyone who would stand still long enough to listen. There was a new spark of life in his eye.  Of course, as is the case with new Believers, he was now so conscious of avoiding sin in his own life that he sometimes felt the need to point out the sin in other people's lives. Some people just ignored him, some rolled their eyes at the over-eager young zealot, but some people got annoyed or even upset.  In fact one person complained to me about it and made the comment, "He's so heavenly minded that he's no earthly good. He'll settle down and that fire will go out."

What?

Is that even possible? I don't think so.

I understand what she meant. Some new believers lack the discernment to know how to allow the Holy Spirit lead you in sharing God with others in a way that is tactful and respectful. It can be offensive to those who don't know Christ, but as a fellow Christian we should understand their excitement and hope that fire never burns down, much less goes out.

That was early in my Christian walk. Right then I made up my mind that I would never let my zeal for Christ and for helping people know the saving grace of salvation through Him. I keep my fire stoked through the Word, prayer and fellowship with other believers.

How about you? Is your fire burning bright or is it down to barely glowing embers? The world need us to be ablaze with the glory of God so that we will be a light in the darkness.

How will you build up your fire today?


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Why Should I Attend Church?

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Hebrews 10:24-25

Do you attend church regularly? As we can see from the scripture above, God considers getting together with other believers important. He tells us not to neglect it. 

Why?

What good does it do?

Well, the easy answer to "why" is because God said so.

The longer answer to "why" is the answer to "what good does it do?."

The Benefits of Church Attendance (as I see it)

• It gives me a place to belong and a spiritual family to belong to.
• It gives me a chance to spend time in worship with other believers.
• I learn more about God by hearing His word and the message that He has laid on the heart of the Pastor.
• I am encouraged to greater love for others and to good works as I serve those around me (and not just in church).

These are all great reasons to attend church, but I've left one very important reason out. You see, all of the above is focused on what I get out of church, but what's more important is what I give to others while I'm at church. I'm not talking about money, although, giving the tithe (10th of my income) is a part of my weekly worship. I'm talking about helping others to experience the benefits I've listed above. How can I help others to get the most out of coming to church?

I can...

• Welcome them with a hug or handshake and a sincere, "It's good to see you this morning. How was your week?"
• I can enter fully into the worship time by singing the songs, clapping my hands, raising them to God. This may encourage others to worship God wholeheartedly, too.
• I can listen intently to the message, taking notes and jotting down scripture references. After church, I can share briefly a highlight or a scripture that particularly spoke to my heart and ask others what spoke to them.
• I can show real love by being attentive to the needs of others and by serving in some capacity in my church.
• I can be part of a small group that meets during the week to go over the message again and dig a little deeper into the topic, so that we all can grow in our relationship with God.

God wants us to stir one another up. 

Sometimes that takes a negative form. Some use the time after church to criticize the Pastor, the message, or another believer. They might complain about the music, the temperature in the room, or any number of things. That will stir things up, for sure, but that's NOT what God meant. We are to encourage one another, refresh one another, even challenge one another to take the next step in spiritual journey. 

Daily life - problems, busyness and stress all tend to weary us through the week. Sundays give us the chance to revive, refresh and renew. Not just for ourselves, but to be a part of building others up. We were never meant to do life alone. We are better together.

So, I leave you with this; how will you strengthen others this Sunday? How will you "stir up one another to love and good works", this week? How can you give as much as you get?

As you put this into practice, you will find that the more you give to others, the more you will be blessed by great friendships and support, yourself. Go on, give it a try this Sunday and let me know how it works out.

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Divine Appointments

Did you ever have a chance meeting with someone and just know that you were supposed to meet? That happened to me today.

I stopped in a coffee shop today to grab a bite of lunch. While waiting for my food I noticed a beautiful young girl. I didn't know her, but I recognized the look on her face. She looked like me when I'm trying to think of the next words to write - fingers poised over the keyboard, eyes looking up, searching for just the right word or phrase to express what you're trying to say. If you're a writer, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

I asked her if she was writing and that started a conversation. We spoke for just a few minutes, but in that time I learned quite a bit about her and knew that God had arranged for the two of us to run into each other. Her name is Amanda and she has a wonderful story to tell. I just know that God is going to use her to help and encourage many people along the way. He has a wonderful plan for her life and he's arranging circumstances and moving people into her life to help her along the journey.

I'm adding Amanda to the list of people I pray for on a regular basis.

Does something like this ever happen to you? When you're out and about, keep you eyes open for someone that God might want you to meet, to encourage and to pray for. You never know when your normal, everyday life will turn into a divine appointment.

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Dirty Dishes Devotional

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 

1 Corinthians 10:31

Let me just say this right up front...

I hate doing dishes.

I could say that it's because I grew up in a household with 5 brothers, Mom, Dad and me and that I was responsible for doing the dishes each night while my brothers were allowed to go outside and play...right outside the window over the kitchen sink where I slaved over a pile of dishes. (My mom made wonderful, old-fashioned big meals, so lots of dishes.) Yes, I could say that's why I hate doing dishes, but I won't. You are free, however, to assume that's the reason I hate washing dishes.

Now, here's the kicker - I have a dishwasher, but I wash them by hand. Why, you ask? Well, our dishwasher was installed when our mobile home was manufactured about 35 years ago. It's loud, it runs for about an hour and a half per load and it drives up our electric bill terribly, so until we break down and buy a new energy-saving dishwasher, I do by them by hand. Did I mention that we've lived in our mobile (which we love) for 20 years?

So, there I was this morning, dreading the pile of dirty dishes on my counter. (Yes, I'm a procrastinator.) Then the verse above came to me - 

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 

1 Corinthians 10:31

I grabbed my Kindle, put on some worship music and sang my way through that pile of dirty dishes. Was done before I knew it and, much to my surprise, I enjoyed it! Who knew?

How about you? What is that one household chore that you dislike so much that you put it off until it's a much bigger job than it needs to be? Can you pretend that God, Himself has asked you to do it for Him? 

Go ahead, do it that way and let us know how it goes.

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Struck with a Sense of Sehnsucht

Sehnsucht (n.)

Origin: German

Definition: The inconsolable longing in the human heart for a far, familiar, non-earthly land one can identify as one's home.

I didn't know there was a word for this constant longing I experience for my heavenly home. It's always there, in the back of my mind - a wondering about what it will be like, look like, sound like.

My heart beats a little faster when I think of dwelling in the presence of my Savior and my Heavenly Father. Will the Holy Spirit still reside within me or will he surround me?

I contemplate the joy I will experience at seeing those I love who have gone on before to their promised reward - that place that was prepared for them by Jesus himself.

The chorus of an old hymn comes to mind...

Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face,

There to sing forever of His saving grace;

On the streets of glory let me lift my voice,

Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice. 

Tell me, my friend, are you ever struck with a sense of sehnsucht?

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Lawlessness and a Lack of Love

Is it possible to love those who have a total disregard for the law and humanity?

 In Matthew, chapter 24, the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (verse 3)

Jesus began to list various signs that would proceed His coming. We've heard of most of them; many leaders will come in the name of Jesus and mislead people, wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, famines and earthquakes, many people falling away from their faith, betraying and hating one another, false prophets that mislead many. (verses 5-11)

Then Jesus mentions one that we seldom pay attention to. He said, "Because lawlessness is increased, many people's love will grow cold."

We see increasing lawlessness everywhere these days. Newspapers, television, the internet, radio - the bulk of what is reported as news today on every media outlet is lawlessness and not just misdemeanors, but vile, ugly crimes against humanity. I won't even list them here, because the minute you read that sentence, horrible things came to mind - things you hear on the news every day.

The more we hear about these people who have no regard for one another, for the law, for human life, the more we tend to withdraw. We no longer think of humans as kind and worthy of our love. We pull back from reaching out to those who are lost and hurting because we just don't trust humanity any more. It may be a natural response, meant to protect ourselves, but for those who are followers of Jesus Christ, this can not be, for we are commanded to love - 

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14

This does not just pertain to our fellow believers.. 

"But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Luke 6:27

So, friends, as hard as it might be, we need to guard against our love for others growing cold. Love others, fiercely and if that proves too difficult, ask God to love others through you. Let it be His love that reaches out to the ones who hurt us, disappoint us and reject us. Express that love through kindness and praying for those who are hard to love. 

Do not let the godless, lawless acts of others be the reason you pull away from doing what our Father asks us to do - LOVE.

Sometimes living the Christian life is difficult, but God has already given us everything we need to live a life that pleases Him -

"Jesus has the power of God, by which he has given us everything we need to live and to serve God. We have these things because we know him. Jesus called us by his glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3 (NCV)

What do you think? Are you having a hard time loving others? Does the behavior of others release us from following God's commands?

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Are you a member of The Church of the Wandering Heart?

Remember how much you loved Jesus when you first asked Him to be the Lord of your life? How hungry you were for the Word? And how your heart longed to let everyone around you know how much God loves them?

What happened? What distracted you? What seemed more fun, more exciting, more profitable? What was the hurt that caused you to distance yourself from the One who loves you?

In the book of Revelation, God tells the church;  I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 

God wants hearts that are committed to Him. Hearts that are not enticed away by the flashy but worthless attractions of this world. Hearts that turn to Him when they are hurting, not blame Him for their troubles. 

The good news is that when we recognize our wandering heart, repent and return to God, there is no condemnation - only love and acceptance.

Dear One, return to your first love. 

He is waiting with open arms. 

Pray: Father, forgive my wandering heart. Restore to me the fire that once burned bright for you. Give me a hunger and thirst for your Word and a love for those around me that reflects your love for them. I am returning to you - my First Love. Amen

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Restoring Intimacy with God

 "Draw near to God and He 

will draw near to you..." 

James 4:8 (NKJV)

I read these words in my morning devotional...

"Sometimes, the reason we lack intimacy with God is that we're in hiding. We might be hiding because of sin in our lives that we don't want to give up. Often, we are hiding because of a distance we've allowed as a result of something difficult we're experiencing. We allow distance because we're questioning God's love, his goodness, or his trustworthiness."  (Debbie Causey - North Point Community Church)

We all long for intimacy with God and why at times He seems so far away. Could it be that we are the ones who have distanced ourselves from Him, all the while craving intimacy with our Heavenly Father?

At some point, we have to decide whether the sin we don't want to acknowledge, much less give up is worth the lack of connection we feel to God. We will have to decide if distancing ourselves from God (perhaps unknowingly because He didn't "perform" in the way we wanted Him to) is worth the aching of our hearts to be close to Him.

Intimacy with God is the cry of every Believer's heart, but it's seldom God who has stepped back. Today, let's search our hearts and see if there is something that we have allowed to come between us, something that needs to be ripped out at the root, so that we are once again free to enjoy intimacy with the One who loves us above all else.

The Father says if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.

Take Him at His word.

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