Seeking Him?. . .He will be found!

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 4:29

. . . If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9

If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. 2 Chronicles 15:2

But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state. Job 8:5-6

As I begin to write today, I can honestly say I don't know what to say.  I feel like God is deeply pressing the above verses on my heart to share.  Today as I read in 2 Chronicles, I thought "didn't I read that same verse in 1 Chronicles" so I took a look. To my amazement, almost that same verse is written at least the four times mentioned above.  Wow! I would say that God certainly wanted to make sure we understand and believe it is important.

So if God wants to be found and tells us we can find Him, then why do so many seem to not be able to find Him? It is heartbreaking.  I have heard people say so many times that they are praying but they just don't feel close to God.  They are struggling and seemingly loosing the battle.  Yet it is so hard to help them find their way.  But it is not because God won't or doesn't want to be found.  Rather it is way we seek Him.

These passages say things like "seek Him with all your heart and soul" or "seek God earnestly." This kind of seeking is not an instant thing. It requires allowing His Word and His Holy Spirit to plow the fields of your heart.  It takes loving Him enough to spend time with Him.  When you spend time in His Word each day, it literally feels like your heart is being plowed. The yucky hard rocks are removed and replaced by fertile tender soil.  His word settles into the soil and grows and produces fruit.  The best part is that you will begin to come to Him excited to see what else His word will reveal.  And HE WILL BE FOUND!

I know those first steps can be hard. But please be encouraged that the changes that will take place will be more than you could dream.  God, who created everything, wants to have a relationship with YOU! Imagine that! He wants you to come to Him with all your heart so that He may be found by you. The question really is. . .Do you want to find Him?

Need a place to start? Of course, it would be reading His word.  There are all kinds of reading plans out there but I highly recommend getting a "One Year Bible." For each day of the year, you will read something from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms & Proverbs.  After just a couple days, you will settle into the amazing story and truths being read. It only takes about 15 minutes a day and is so worth it.  You can also read online at One Year Bible.

I hope this encourages you and helps you surrender your heart for some good plowing. May you find the Lord your God when you seek Him today!

Praise be to you, Lord. . .

 David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,

“Praise be to you, Lord,
    the God of our father Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.
 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
    and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
    for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
    you are exalted as head over all.
 Wealth and honor come from you;
    you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
    to exalt and give strength to all.
Now, our God, we give you thanks,
    and praise your glorious name.

1 Chronicles 29:10-13 (NIV)

 

Today, I just wanted to share a praise to the Lord. His Word speaks to our hearts so much more than mere human words.  I want to give Him the rightful place of honor and praise in my heart and on this blog.

Finding the Light in the Darkness

They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Ephesians 4:18

 

We live in a time that the darkness is becoming more and more apparent. People aren't hiding the evil (Genesis 8:21) within their hearts any longer.  It seems that many feel it very socially acceptable to put it on display.  Even so many of the TV shows and movies put on display the overwhelming evil that comes from Satan.

"Day after day we exercise our natural impulses, spurning our Creator's authority over us. God beckons storm clouds, and they come. He tells the wind to blow and the rain to fall, and they immediately obey. Everything in creation responds in obedience to the Creator. . . until we get to you and me.  We have the audacity to look God in the face and say no. . . when you reflect not only on the power of God but also on the fullness of His perfection, you come to see just how heinous, destructive, and arrogant our rebellion really is." David Platt

Yet even within such a dark time, it seems that many are hoping/ pleading for something more. Often times we do not even know what we are yearning for. In Ephesians 4:18 and 2 Corinthians 4:4, the Bible tells us that our understanding has been darkened and ours hearts hardened. We no longer "see" the truth. In fact, aside from Jesus there is no way we can see the truth. That is why God had to make a plan for us.  So He sent His Son who is Truth to show us His light in the darkness.  Jesus is the light beckoning us from the darkness.

Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Have you submitted your life completely to Him? Do you obey the Word of God? When the Holy Spirit speaks do you obey? Be like the ocean, wind and all the rest of creation. . .obey God!

God loves us with an everlasting love. When you see the light rather than the darkness. . .you will know that love. When you obey Him, then His love will over-whelm you.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

 

 

 

Stressed Yikes!

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

I have lived my life in a perpetual state of varying levels of stress.  I am fully aware that it wreaks havoc with every aspect of life and health.  Unfortunately, it has still been something that I simply could not manage.  The fear of giving up control and the lack of patience just would not permit me to move forward.

Until. . .I learned something that revolutionized my life.  I hope I will be able to explain it in a way that is understandable. Really, what I learned is so simple but yet so foreign to us (as modern day Christians).  It is something that we want but yet at the same time it goes against everything else we want for ourselves. Have I lost you yet?

How many times have you thought. . . I am a Christian but yet things are still a mess. I want more out of my relationship with Christ but don't know how to get it. Does God answer prayers? I don't understand the Bible and it is too hard to read. I don't have time for Bible Study.

We have so many questions that our heart just burns for answers, but have we asked the most important question? The one that will ultimately answer all other questions. . .

Have I ever really come to Jesus on HIS TERMS?

I not too long ago began asking myself this question.  The answer surprised me. I was sure I could answer yes at first. I considered myself somewhat of a prayer warrior. I have facilitated many Bible Studies. I have tried to be diligent about reading His word. Etc, etc, etc.  But had I done anything that was really and truly on Jesus' terms?  Jesus, Himself, had some difficult things to say regarding this. Honestly, I think it is verses that we rather skip or try to explain away.  But, they cannot be explained away in complete truth!  Please read the verses from Luke 14:26-35

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

These are the words of our Savior and while they may sound harsh. . .they are truly not.  He is trying to help us understand that we must love God more than anybody or anything.  We must die to our old life and "follow Him" just like the disciples.  Once we do this all other aspects of our life fall into place.  Because our love is great for God and His Spirit fills us then we love others. Not only that and this is hard. But if we call ourselves Christians and we are not true disciples. . . then leave a bad testimony.  Our saltiness is gone and our testimony (salt) is worthless. Father, please forgive us for letting our testimony of you mean so little.

How long have we tried to balance being a good Christian and living in the world? It is impossible and furthermore, it is extremely stressful.  If we want to be a disciple of Christ, we must lay down our life. He wants ALL of us.  This is the part I love! I have discovered that when I go to Him on His terms. . . there is no stress!!!! Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!  He is in control! I simply follow Him.  I can't wait to see where He leads. Will you commit this for your own life? Will you go to Jesus on His terms?