Father God Knows Best

 

If we refuse to heed the Spirit’s prompting in our life, we destroy our self from the inside out. We surrender to our flesh and Satan’s purposes, and we allow them to take up God’s place in our soul. If we choose to focus on sin in the TV shows, movies, or music we partake of, we invite Satan to also use our body, as well as our soul (Deuteronomy 11:16). God lives within us. Do you really want to drag Him through the mire with you?

However, if we seek God with our whole heart (Deuteronomy 6:5), He will give us glimpses of His glory during our life here on earth. As we dedicate our thoughts, words and actions to Him, we desire less and less of the world. Sin starts to grieve us as much as it grieves God. Satan is no longer able to pull us away from our focus fixed on God (Deuteronomy 11:17-20). We read His Word, as our daily bread, and our spirit grows stronger each day.

If we heed the Spirit’s prompting, we realize that our humanity is dead and our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). We realize that our humanity is actually crucified with Christ, and the life we now live is only by the faith of the son of God, who loves us and laid down His life to save us (Galatians 2:20). We change our focus from our self, and we begin to live in the will of God (Hebrews 10:7). We set our mind to accomplish the works, which God created for us to accomplish before we were even born (Ephesians 2:8-10).

We walk in the Spirit moment by moment throughout the day. Our life is a praise to Him who rides upon the clouds (Psalm 68:4). We live a holy life by faith in His faithfulness. This holiness is the result of our love relationship with Christ in us. We follow His example and walk in His light, because He is our light (1 John 1:5-7). The bi-product of this relationship is a life that prays, reads God’s Word, worships with other Believers, evangelizes and gives tithes and offerings.

Self-denial is not a life of sadness and struggle; it is freedom to enjoy the blessings of God instead of the fruit of the flesh. Our spirit is grieved when we sin, and the Spirit of God within us is fighting for our life. In difficulties, we surrender that trial or circumstance to God; and we walk in His Spirit, reaping the fruit of our labors. We can rejoice in the Lord regardless of our circumstances, because every trial is an adventure when God is in control. We live in the joy of the Lord (John 15:11).

Prayer:

Father God, You live the Christian life through every Believer. Show us the areas of our life that we give Satan a foothold into our soul. Thank You for Your spiritual wisdom that is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere (James 3:17). Living in your presence we experience fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). We give you the praise of our lips and the dedication of our heart as we serve You with our life.

Thought for the Day:

God saves all those who endure to the end. – Matthew 24:13

God's Broken Heart

 

During the wilderness journey, Israel continually ran from God, even when God provided for them and proved Himself to them over and over. God healed them, showed His gracious love to them and protected them even in captivity. God eventually freed them from captivity, and gave them water, food, a pillar of fire to keep them warm in the desert night and a cloud to keep them cool from the burning desert sun during the day. Their clothing never wore out even when they rebelled and they had to wander in the wilderness for forty years (Hosea 11:1-4; Deuteronomy 29:5).

God never provoked Israel to wrath and He gave us His example so we could parent our own children by His example. God is righteous and just. He disciplines us, as He wants us to discipline our own children, with mercy and truth (Ephesians 6:4). God also gives us a free will to allow us to choose whether or not to serve Him with our life. Daily, He draws us to Himself; however, we can reject His love and live life our own way if we want to do so. It is our choice.

God is our Father, not a dictator. He never takes delight in the destruction of the wicked, but He does take delight in the death of His Saints (Ezekiel 18:23; Psalm 116:15). Those concepts are just the opposite to our human way of thinking. We want the perpetrators in our life to suffer as much as they make us suffer, and we grieve ceaselessly when our loved ones die. If we were to realize that God wants to give us His heart, we would start to feel as He does.

We would do all we could to win the wicked to Christ; and we would celebrate rather than mourn, when our dear ones graduate from the school of life and go to their reward in Heaven to live with King Jesus. God adopted us into His family and He laid down His life for us; yet, we walk away from His precepts. Our disobedience breaks God’s heart, because it declares our rebellion and our rejection of His will and ways. We often act as if He is a cruel taskmaster instead of our loving God and Savior.

Not long after God created mankind, He regretted His actions, because of the wild behavior going on in this world (Genesis 6:5-6). Each sinful act broke His heart. We all break God’s heart every time we sin. Not only because it defies His holiness, but also because He sees how sin destroys us as well. God’s remedy for this penchant of ours was to become one of us. He gave His life as a ransom for everyone willing to humbly surrender his or her life to Him (2 Peter 3:9). His heart is full of love for each one of us.

Prayer:

Father God, You always love those who love You. If we diligently seek You, we will always find You (Proverbs 8:17). When we call upon You, You are always near. You desire that the wicked will forsake their thoughts and  ways, and turn to You. You will have compassion on them and abundantly pardon them (Isaiah 55:6-7). You are merciful and loving in all of Your ways and we give you the glory and honor due Your name.

Thought for the Day:

Don't be in a hurry to change your circumstances. Sit in God's presence and learn from Him through them. When God is ready, He will change them for you.