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The Bible is filled with invitations to come and experience the Lord God. This one in particular grabbed my attention: “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life.” Isa. 55:3
I love the imagery this statement creates. I understand how to open my eyes wide to see, but how do I open my ears wide in order to listen? I picture someone leaning toward the one speaking with their hands cupped around their ears…their eyes laser-focused, avoiding all distractions because what is about to be said is really important This is a call for us to be intentionally focused…not to be distracted by the chatter of the world around us, but to really listen for the Word of Life to speak into our lives. It’s followed by the promise that if we do listen, we will find life. The truth is, if we really listen, we will find the Word of life. 1 John 1:1 says: “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.” John 14:6 says: “Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” In John 10:10 Jesus says, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Paul says in Philippians 2:16, “Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” The Word of life has power…the Word of life is a person…the Word of life has a purpose…the Word of life is Jesus! Listen intently…can you hear Him? Bro. Joe Questions for Reflection:
Suggested Readings: Sunday - Isaiah 55:1-13 Monday - John 1:1-5 Tuesday - 1 John 1:1 Wednesday - John 1:14 Thursday - John 14:23-31 Friday - Philippians 2:16 Saturday - John 6:63 Prayer: Father, help me to listen with ears wide open in order to hear the very Word of life speak peace to my life, joy to my heart, and love to my soul. Amen
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Moses said to the Lord, “If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.” Exodus 33:13 NLT
Why is it we’re more often than not concerned about our ways than God’s ways? The Bible is pretty clear about the differences. 'There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.’ Proverbs 14:12 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9 Knowing God’s ways doesn’t simply mean knowing what He does…it means knowing who He is; it is more than observation…it involves obedience. How about you? Do you want to know His ways? I do. Bro. Joe Questions for Reflection:
Suggested Readings Sunday - Exodus 33:12-23 Monday - Isaiah 55:9 Tuesday - Psalm 86:11 Wednesday - Psalm 27:11 Thursday - Psalm 25:4-5 Friday - Psalm 5:8 Saturday - Psalm 77:13 Prayer Father, “Teach me your ways, O Lord , that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.” Psalms 86:11 NLT Amen There are different things in life that help us recognize the activity…presence…power and availability of God.
When do we most often seek Him? When everything is going great? Or when needs arise and we face difficulties in life? Have you ever looked at a picture that at first glance the image is clear and visible, but then you’re told there is a hidden image inside the bigger picture? You look and look…adjusting your eyes, trying to see the hidden image; once you do, the more you look at the picture, the harder it becomes to see the original image. Think about how at times that’s how we live life. We go along caught up in the only image we can see at the moment…our circumstances. Maybe it’s difficulties…maybe it is simply routine living, and we fail to see God in the midst of our living. Is God hiding? No. We’re just so focused on what we are dealing with, we fail to see that God has been there all along. When God reveals Himself, or better yet, when we recognize His presence… …light shines in darkness …hope is renewed …help has arrived …perspectives change …the enemy flees …strength is found …promises are proven true …we see ourselves for who we really are…helpless and hopeless without Him. Are you looking for Him today? He’s here. Don’t miss Him. Bro. Joe Questions for Reflection:
Suggested Readings - Sunday - 2 Samuel 22:1-37 Monday - Psalm 18 Tuesday - Psalm 19 Wednesday - Psalm 20 Thursday - Matthew 6:25-34 Friday - John 15:1-17 Saturday - Revelation 3:20 Prayer - Lord, help me to be more aware of your presence, activity and power in my life. Thank you for never leaving me nor forsaking me. Amen “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!” Philippians 3:7-11
What does it mean to experience the mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead?
The question is: where is your focus? Is your focus on Christ…is your hope, faith and trust in Him or in yourself or what the world has to offer? I choose to focus on Christ. How about you? I want to live in resurrection power. Bro. Joe Questions for Reflection:
Suggested Readings - Sunday - Philippians 3:7-11 Monday - Galatians 2:20, Romans 10:9-10 Tuesday - Romans 8:11 Wednesday - John 11:25-26 Thursday - 2 Corinthians 4:14 Friday - Ephesians 2:1, 4-6 Saturday - Ephesians 1:19-23 Prayer - Lord, Thank you for the victory of living in the power of the resurrection. I choose the freedom found in Christ…to stand strong through the power of Christ in me no matter what the enemy brings my way. “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.” Amen |
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January 2019
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