Spiritual Pursuits

Old Testament Saints were given seasons of the presence of God's Spirit within them; but in this new dispensation of time, we enjoy the presence of God dwelling within His temple within us every moment of our life (Romans 10:9).

God's Spirit brings to our cognizant thoughts an increasing awareness of His wisdom, direction, presence and truth (Colossians 1:27; Galatians 2:20). This consciousness affects our thoughts, words, attitude, behavior and feelings.

We often drain the resources of our body and soul by over-extending our time and commitments beyond what God's Spirit leads us to do. This weariness causes us to neglect our times of prayer, Bible study and worship with other Saints.

We are so caught up in the affairs of this world that we forget to communicate with God until we fall exhausted into bed. We take God for granted, trusting that He is always there and will bail us out of any negative issues.

Yet, He often allows us to boil in the stew of our own making. The fountains of Living Water within our spirit dry up and we ignore our thirsty soul, getting more parched with each passing moment (John 4:14). We stubbornly continue to pursue worldly gain and advantage.

Thankfully, God loves us enough to discipline us, in order to teach us lessons and to cause us to walk only in His Spirit and not to rely on our human reasoning (Proverbs 3:5-6).

It is important for us to understand that the most vital aspect of our life is spiritual advancement. Our spirit longs for a deeper relationship with God. Prayer, Bible study and Christian fellowship are the key vehicles for our spiritual maturity.

No amount of worldly gain can satisfy us as much as immersing our self in spiritual pursuits will fulfill us. God created us as spiritual beings and our entire body, soul and spirit long to return to this intimate relationship.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for wooing us back to Your presence when we wander from Your chosen path for our life (Ephesians 2:10). Help us to remain focused on the pursuit of Your Kingdom rather than building our own kingdom on this earth. We thank You for Your love, kindness, supply, presence and spiritual leading as we progress through each moment of time.

We want nothing more than to know You more deeply and to understand Your ways. We draw all of our strength from Your Spirit within us and we delight to do only Your will with the life You provide for us both now and throughout eternity. We enjoy the intimate fellowship with You, which You provide for us all day long.

Thought for the Day:

Mankind is so convinced of the laws of science that they believe these laws can exist without the Creator of it all; yet, God holds His entire creation of the cosmos together in the span of one of His hands. - Isaiah 40:12

Feeling Empty Inside

Read: Ephesians 3:16-19

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” – 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

So many people today feel forsaken and lonely, disconnected from love and care. They have lost homes, loved ones, financial security, job longevity and friends they once held dear. They wander in virtual darkness, wondering what lurks just around the corner for them, and dreading it with every passing day (Ecclesiastes 2:20). They wonder if they will ever find happiness again and they despair of ever feeling whole once more. Satan convinces them that God no longer cares about them, and that they are lost in the darkness of their circumstances forever.

Why are we so discouraged? Why is our heart so utterly sad? The Psalmist repeatedly declares that if we put our hope in God, He will never let us down (Psalm 43:5a). We have no need to hope for something which we already have. Hope does sustain us, however, when we cannot see any way out or any success in our future (Romans 8:24).

If we put all of our hope in the Lord, and not on anything or anyone of this world, He will renew our strength. He will see to it that we take flight on wings like eagles; that we run, but do not grow weary; and even when we have to climb the steepest mountain, we will not faint (Isaiah 40:31).

When calamity falls upon us, and everything we try bears no fruit and every resource we once had fails, we can still be joyful in the Lord (Habakkuk 3:17-18). He never leaves us and He never fails (1 Kings 8:57). In His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). This hope only comes through praising Him and recognizing Him as our Savior and God every waking moment (Psalm 43:5b).

We all connect with God differently. When you wake up in the morning, meet with God and walk in unity with Him all day long. Take a walk and pray, sing worship songs, listen to Christian music, spend time in nature, sit quietly in God’s presence in your prayer closet, read His Word or whatever helps you to feel closest to God. Only as you keep your mind focused on Him can He keep you in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). The minute we take our mind off Him, negative emotions will flood our soul.

When you feel your peace slipping away, go to a quiet place and ask yourself why you feel as you do. Once you realized what robbed you of your joy, fix the issue. If you cannot fix it, then give it to God and trust Him to work it out for your good in His timing (Romans 8:28). Do not ever entertain negative emotions. They rob you of your joy, peace and hope, as well as your physical, emotional and mental well being.

Focus on the positive aspects of your life and thank God for those. He will provide all of your needs according to His riches in glory in His own time, not in your time. Praise Him for all things, even the bad things, each and every day. God inhabits our praises (Psalm 22:3). So, when we praise Him, His presence fills us to the fullest.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, fill us with Your presence and allow us to feel Your love flowing over us like a waterfall as we sit in Your presence. I pray that, as the source of all hope, you will fill us completely with joy and peace, simply because we trust in You. Help us to overflow with confident hope through the power of Your Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:13)

Thought for the Day:
The severest of trials cloaks a miracle just waiting for you to believe.