God's Perfect Will

Sometimes we actually hate our life. Too many trials and disappointments rip at our heart and smother us with a blanket of insecurity, fear and trouble.

We attempt to control our circumstances, but that is not any easier than grasping for the wind (Ecclesiastes 2:17). It is impossible to do; and therefore, crazy to attempt.

Solomon, the richest and wisest man who ever lived on this earth, realized that he could not buy happiness. He tried to find it by amassing worldly goods, marrying a multitude of wives, and even by worshiping false gods.

Eventually, he applied the wisdom from above to his own life and realized that this world's riches are fleeting at best. Total surrender to God is our only hope of attaining unending joy in this life.

Before He even created the universe, God specifically chose each one of us to walk in holiness according to His will for our individual life and to live for His praise and glory (Ephesians 1:4; Isaiah 43:21).

God created us for a purpose (Ephesians 2:10), not just as a cruel joke or at some random selection. He designed each of us with His perfect will in mind and He attempts to lead us to walk in His ways (Hebrews 13:21).

Too often we take a sidetrack from His intended route and waste valuable time and resources on pursuing our own dreams and goals. We end up spinning our wheels and making our self miserable.

We can walk in lasting happiness only as we follow God's plan for our individual life. It takes time to seek His will for each moment of our day, but the results are totally worth any effort on our part.

Prayer:

Father God, help us to receive what You offer to us rather than trying to manipulate You into giving us what we want. Work in our life to draw us closer to Your heart each day. Create in us a clean heart and renew a Godly spirit within us (Psalm 51:10) until we can truly say with conviction and veracity, "Lord, You are all I need".

Show us the times that we attempt to manipulate You and use You for our own gains. Remind us that You have our best in mind (Jeremiah 29:11). You remove our defenses and affirm Your love for us by Your acceptance of us even while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). You build us up and meet all of our needs until You remove all doubt from our heart (Colossians 2:7).

Thought for the Day:

Once we decide to totally submit to God's will for us, regardless of where, with whom or how it plays out, we eventually find true contentment and fulfillment in this life.

Filled with God's Spirit

I write the posts for my blog between the latest hours of the night and the earliest hours of the morning. By that time, I am usually "three sheets in the wind", as they say.

On a sailboat, if the sheets - the ropes used to secure the sail - are loose, the sail will shake around in the wind, causing the ship to sway, much like a drunk person.

However, I am not drunk with alcohol. I am filled with the presence of God's Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). There are no distractions, no demands on my time, no interruptions with phones or chores. I am al-one with God.

There is nothing mysterious about God's Spirit. Our body is His temple (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and He does the work of God in our life through Christ in us (Hebrews 13:21).

The function of the sail on a boat is to catch the wind, so the craft can move in a stately and confident manner. 

When our "sheets" are tight, we can catch just the right amount of God's Spirit in order to move confidently in God's will. 

The Holy Spirit is described as a rushing, mighty wind on Pentecost, and He moves wherever He pleases (Acts 2:2; John 3:8). We cannot see God's Spirit, but we can see His effects in us. 

The number of sails used on a boat at one time depends on the strength of the wind. The determining factor is to remain balanced and steady as the wind propels the ship through the water.

The stronger the wind of the Holy Spirit moves in our life, the fewer sails we need in order to be guided in the correct direction. We quickly respond to His prompting, because we are in tune with His ways.

We operate in the power of God's Spirit as we walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:15-25). We share His Truth with everyone we meet in every city, state and country, in which we travel or live (Acts 1:4-9).

Prayer:

Father God, help us not to trade in our treasure by buying into the lies of the devil. Satan will imitate You and draw us away from following hard after You (Psalm 63:8). Give us discernment to tell the difference between Your Spirit and his.

We thank You for the power of Your Holy Spirit within us, giving us both the desire and power to serve You with our whole heart, mind and strength (Mark 12:30). Remind us to cling to Christ, who is the head of His Body, and to be complete in Him (Colossians 2:10, 18).

Thought for the Day:

Through the power of God's Spirit within us we spend our life glorifying God.

Proof that God Exists

 

God reveals His thoughts to His people just as surely as He formed the mountains, named the stars and makes night follow each day (Psalm 42:8, 90:2, 147:4). He stretches out the heavens over the foundations of the earth, which He set in place (Job 9:8-10).

God created mankind and all of the universe. Nothing is too challenging for Him (Jeremiah 32:27). He always existed and He will remain forever throughout eternity.

God thought about every contingency before He created humanity, the heavens and the earth. We have the sun to light the day and the moon and stars to light the night.

His reign over the universe continues throughout every generation (Lamentations 5:19; Daniel 4:3). God creates the winds in their seasons (Amos 4:13).

He even has fun with the waves of the sea by stirring them up into mountains of mighty water (Jeremiah 31:35). He gives us signs of His existence in the mighty wonders He created (Romans 1:20; Daniel 4:3).

If we could ask the earth, animal, fish or birds, they would teach us that the hand of the Lord created us all, and in His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind (Job 12:7-10).

Each day, the heavens declare the glory of the Lord and the wondrous works of His hands. In every land on the earth, everyone can hear the heavens and earth declaring the existence of God (Psalm 19:1-4; Romans 1:20).

The great creatures of the ocean depths; the rain, snow and hail; the stormy winds; mountains, fruit trees and firs, wild and domestic animals, and even the rodents and birds all do God's bidding (Psalm 148:7-10).

The heavens and earth rejoice, the seas roar, the fields exult, and the trees of the forest sing for joy, because the Lord is coming again to earth in His righteousness and faithfulness (Psalm 96:11-13).

Prayer:

Father God, You tread the high places of the earth and the earth is Your footstool (Micah 1:3; Zechariah 12:1). Although You are involved in every detail of nature around us, You also formed Your Spirit within each and every Born Again Believer (Zechariah 12:1).

We can never thank You enough for sharing Your Kingdom with everyone willing to surrender to Your love. We pray that You will draw all of our loved ones to Your heart, until they stop resisting Your love and grace.

Thought for the Day:

If people fail to praise God, even the rocks will cry out to honor and praise Him. 
- Luke 19:40; Habakkuk 19:40