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Who in your life knows you better than anyone else? Is it a parent, a spouse, a sibling or a friend? Do they really know everything about you…everything you’ve thought…everything you’ve done…everything you’ve said? Probably not. Most of us really don’t want someone knowing everything there is to know about us. Some things we simply prefer stay hidden.
The truth is there is One who does know you; One from whom you cannot hide; One who sees all of you and knows everything there is to know about you. To be known more fully than you can know yourself…To be known more deeply than others can know you. This is the knowing with which God knows you. But don’t be afraid…for He still loves you. “O Lord , you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord . You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!” Psalms 139:1-7 “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 When we understand and embrace this truth, it is easier for us to pray the prayer that David prayed in Psalm 139:23-24. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” You are fully known and fully loved. Bro. Joe Scripture Readings: Sunday - Psalm 139 Monday - Romans 8:38-39 Tuesday - Hebrews 4:16 Wednesday -1 Samuel 16:7 Thursday - Galatians 3:27 Friday - Genesis 3:8 Saturday - Hosea 2:20 Prayer: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Amen
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Have you ever given serious thought to just how much God loves you?
I believe we rarely catch more than a glimpse of how deeply God cares about and loves each and every one of us. Malachi 1:2 begins with this great affirmation: “I have always loved you, says the Lord…” In other words, there has never been a time when God didn’t love you. Listen to the words of the Psalmist: “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered” Psalm 139:13-17 What is most overwhelming is to realize that I have done absolutely nothing to deserve His love. Yet He loves me anyway. “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 The great hymn, “The Love of God” by Frederick M. Lehman, begins by saying, “The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell. It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell.” And then the third verse… “Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made; were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade; to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry; nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.” Remember…God truly loves you. Bro. Joe Scripture Readings: Sunday - Malachi 1:2-3 Monday - Jeremiah 31:3 Tuesday - Psalm 139 Wednesday -John 3:16 Thursday - James 1:17-18 Friday - Romans 8:35-39 Saturday - 1 John 4:7-21 Prayer: Father, your unfailing love sustains me. Forgive me when I take it for granted. Thank you for loving me as you do. Amen Reflections
February 10th - February 16th How will you respond when God says go? I didn’t say if…I said when. “Go”…a simple two letter word…one of the smallest of words…with one of the biggest of meanings. It may just be one of God’s favorite words. God told Abraham to go…to leave his family, his friends, even his own country. God told Moses to go to Pharaoh and lead His people out of Egypt. God asked Isaiah, “who will go for us?” God sent Jesus into the world to save the world. I know what you’re thinking: I’m not Abraham, Moses or Isaiah, and I’m certainly not Jesus. You are absolutely right. You are you, and as His child God has a calling for you to fulfill that will include going. For you see, to even respond to Jesus’ call to “come and follow me” requires that I go where He goes. The problem is we too have a small favorite word that often competes with God’s word “Go”, and that word is “Me”. It comes in various forms. “Why me?” Like how Moses responded when God told him to go. Or, it may go like this… “What about me and what I want?”…often followed by “not me” or ”that’s not for me.” Sometimes God’s calling to go is more than to a geographical place. Maybe it’s a spiritual place or perhaps a relational place…a place somewhere new…a place you’ve never been before with Him. One thing you can know for certain is that when God says go, He’s going with you. Remember, what God said to Joshua is still true for us today: “This is my command-be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 Are you willing to go with Jesus? Bro. Joe Scripture Readings: Sunday - Genesis 12:1-4 Monday - Exodus 3:10-12 Tuesday - Isaiah 6:8-9 Wednesday - Jeremiah 1:4-7 Thursday - John 3:16-17 Friday - Matthew 28:18-20 Saturday - Ephesians 2:10 Prayer: Lord, my heart, my life, my all I bring to Christ who loves me so; He is my Master, Lord, and King…wherever He leads I’ll go. Amen Is there really any Hope for us today?
We as a nation need a Spiritual Awakening! We as the church need a Spiritual Awakening! Is a true Spiritual Awakening even possible today? How do we get there? While we must recognize the sovereignty of God in sending spiritual awakenings, I believe that 2 Chronicles 7:14 offers us tremendous hope for a great awakening in these days. “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 First, Spiritual Awakening must begin with God’s people…”If my people who are called by my name…” It begins in the lives of people who are related to God personally. Second, Spiritual Awakening must follow God’s plan. As far as I know, Prayer has accompanied every great spiritual awakening in history. Prayer in which we humble ourselves…Earnest prayer that is not so much for God to do something, or to give us something, rather it is seeking the Lord himself. Also, prayer that is truly repentant…”turn from their wicked ways.” We must remember that Spiritual Awakening is based upon God’s promises for those who seek the Lord with all their hearts. God says, “I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and restore (heal) their land.” Throughout history, God has from time to time sent a Spiritual Awakening to His people. Oh that He might do it again in our day. Bro. Joe “Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you?” Psalm 85:6 Scripture Readings: Sunday - 2 Chronicles 7:12-16 Monday - Jonah 3:6-9 Tuesday - John 7:37-39 Wednesday - Psalm 51 Thursday - Hosea 10:12 Friday - Isaiah 55:6-7 Saturday - Jeremiah 29:13-14 Prayer: Lord, may Spiritual Awakening begin right now in me. Amen |
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