March 19, 2026

CHRISTLife – One: A Crucial Question

January 13, 2014 by

CLbannerday1

 

Who are you? Is your first response, ‘Don’t ask me that question!’ or perhaps, you have a ready litany to spout out of accomplishments and positions you hold, of who you are in relation to your little world.  So I ask you again (and believe me…we are going to ask this question of each other and of ourselves many times during this study!)

Really now…who are you?

As the answers rise up within you, I suggest that you write them down.  Keep a running list.  And don’t NOT write down any response that is a little ugly or dark or something you don’t want to admit.  As we move along through this study, we will purposefully and intentionally work to find the Truth from the Scriptures of just God says you are.  And your list can be overwritten with those Truths.

Now, when you ask yourself ‘Who am I?,’ how do you feel about looking within?  Is it uncomfortable…painful even.  We each have areas of our hearts, our memories, our minds where we have pushed down the things that we don’t like and the things that we don’t want to deal with.  And perhaps there are things in your heart way down there that you aren’t even aware of anymore.

The Psalmist knew that it was God, and God alone, Who knew the depths of his heart! Over and over we read of him asking God to show him his heart.  In Psalm 139, he declares,

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
Verse 1

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Verse 23

Throughout our lives, situations and circumstances have led us to believe ‘things’ about ourselves—things that are simply not true. For many of us, perhaps even the majority of us, because of life events, our thoughts and beliefs about who we are have been molded without our even knowing it.

I encourage you to let the Holy Spirit reveal to you these lies that you believe about yourself. This will not be easy…most probably, very uncomfortable! But what great value there will be to not holding onto these lies anymore. And to shed light where there was darkness! And to hold onto the Truth that is revealed—the Truth about who God made you (each of us!) to be.

For You, O Lord, are my Lamp; the Lord lightens my darkness.
2 Samuel 22:29

This little song, sung by a few teenager girls, expresses my heart. How about yours?

“Search my heart, Lord, find anything, anything that keeps me from You
Find everything, everything that leads me away from Truth
I’m asking You, Lord, now know my heart
Every little secret, every hidden part
And what You ask of me, Lord, I’ll do…anything.”

Day by day, chapter by chapter, week by week, as we choose to persevere through this study, we will come to recognize just who we are in Christ!  Oh, to trust and believe it—I am who God says I am.

  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  

Oh, heavenly Father, I pray for each and every one of my sisters asking, Lord, that You will fill each of their hearts with the Truth of who they really are and how very much You love them. I ask that You would help each one of us to replace every single lie that is counter to the way that You see us with Truth from Your Scriptures.  Please help us to believe that ‘I am who God says I am!’  With Jesus’ precious blood we have been redeemed and made whole; it is in His Name that I ask and pray these things. Amen. Thank You, Lord.

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study Tagged With: , , , , ,

Pray to the Father

January 13, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

You will call to Me and come and pray to Me,
and I will listen to you.
Jeremiah 29:12

 Do you ever feel alone? Do you ever feel like you have more on your list than you can handle? Do you ever feel like there is no hope? Do you look for a miracle; perhaps you receive it or you do not receive it? Do you ask for something only not to get it? I think that everybody can answer yes to these questions—at some point in their lives.

Yet, many people rely on the outside world to find answers to these questions. However, the world itself cannot truly fulfill the answers to these questions/feelings. We must call on the highest power—the power of God—to answer these questions. He does not leave us. He will be there for us and help us when we feel like we have too much to handle. God brings us hope, love, and peace. He gives us the miracle we need (not what we may think we need).

Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 4:1

 Prayer is our way of talking to God. We should pray daily. Through prayer we can talk to God about our problems and request help for situations that we cannot control. If we hold true to our faith in God, He will bring relief to us. He will show us mercy and listen to us. As His children, God always has our best interest at heart. We may not like how God answers our prayers, but He answers them in ways that are always for our good.

Our Father loves us dearly. He answers our prayers in the ways that He knows we need. We may want something very much, and pray for it, but if God knows that it is bad for us, He will answer us in a way that protects us. He answers our prayers in the ways that are best for us. He knows what will harm us, and as any father would do, He protects us from what is not good for us.

*  ~  * ~  * ~ * ~ *  

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for looking out for us. Sometimes we do not know what is best for ourselves or our families. You do. Without You, we might make the wrong decisions and put ourselves in harm’s way. Continue to protect us and look out for us. In Jesus name, amen.

 

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Redeemed

January 13, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

  ~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

Seems like all I can see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me
“Son, stop fighting a fight that’s already been won”

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I’ll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain
Now I’m not who I used to be
I am redeemed… I’m redeemed

All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper “Child, lift up your head”
I remember, oh God, You’re not done with me yet

I don’t have to be the old man inside of me ’cause his day is long dead and gone
Because I’ve got a new name, a new life I’m not the same
And a hope that will carry me home

‘Cause I am redeemed
Thank God redeemed

~ Performed by Big Daddy Weave ~
~ Songwriters: Benji Cowart and Michael David Weaver ~

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

The first time I heard this song was when they were in concert.  Mike Weaver’s testimony of what he had just been through—not suceeding in his weight loss journey and the death of a family member—really touched my heart. But as time went along, and I would hear the song at other times, the words would begin to minister to me. Telling me that no matter what, by the Blood of Jesus I have been redeemed and made whole. I do not have to stay in the pit of self-pity, self-loathing, and whatever other negative emotions the evil one chooses to send my way.
It is our job to keep those destructive thoughts and feelings out of our hearts and minds. The ‘old man’ or old ways should be dead and we will need to be able to rebuke those thoughts as they enter. We are to take those thoughts captive and throw them back at the one who does not want us to feel the perfect love of God! We are to stand firm, stomp our feet, and tell him to flee! For we have been ransomed and wash clean. How I love that thought! How I have needed to write this as well. I have to let the old sinful nature die and not want to bring it back, ever!
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Thank You, Father, that we have indeed been redeemed. Thank You for those who have the gift of songwriting as You gave so freely to David. Let our hearts continue to sing praises to You as we offer our human voices to sing along with Your choir in heaven.  Thank You!  In Jesus’ name, amen.
Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Who Am I? I Am Yours!

January 12, 2014 by

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star, would choose to light the way
For my ever-wandering heart

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean…a vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I’m calling
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling
And You’ve told me who I am—I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the Voice that calmed the sea would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

Not because of who I am…but because of what You’ve done
Not because of what I’ve done…but because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean…a vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I’m calling
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling
And You’ve told me who I am—I am Yours, I am Yours

I am Yours! Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear ’cause I am Yours, I am Yours

~  written by Mark Hall; performed by Casting Crowns  ~

~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~

“WHO AM I?” have we not asked ourselves this question time upon time upon time? We, of ourselves,…we are not much. But, for those who have accepted Jesus as Redeemer and Savior…and made Him to be Lord of their lives, we are MUCH in and through Him! God’s eternal plan of redemption was to rescue back for Himself those He had created for fellowship! He tells us ‘You are Mine!’

But now, this is what the Lord says—
He who created you, Jacob,
He who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.”
Isaiah 43:1

“You!”  Yes, you.  And me, too.  Go back for a moment, please…everywhere in that verse, where it reads “you” place your own name…say it out loud. “I have summoned you, Coleen, by name; you, Coleen, are Mine.”

Almighty God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth tells me, ‘You are Mine!” Not due to anything I might have accomplished, or any accolade I may have received. Not because of any credential I might have, or even any good and righteous act.  Just because I am who God says I am!

Not because of who I am…but because of what <He’s> done
Not because of what I’ve done…but because of who <He is>!

Tomorrow we begin this journey through Ruth Myers’ book, CHRIST|Life, Embracing Your True and Deepest Identity.  Listen to how she encourages:

  • “In this book, we’ll see how He expands our self-image as we allow Him to. This will broaden our view of what is really possible for us. He superimposes a glorious, positive self-image over our false and negative views of ourselves. This helps to make triumphant living possible”  (page 7).
  • And, “The closer we walk with the Lord, the more vividly we’ll learn to recognize both the negatives and the positive about ourselves” (page 8).

We will come to recognize just who we are in Christ!  Oh, to trust and believe it—I am who God says I am.  I am His!

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study, Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Chinese Chicken Salad

January 10, 2014 by

Chinese Chicken Salad Resize

As Coleen pointed out in her post on Monday, this is National Soup Month!  She will be sharing some of her favorite soups with us.  And what makes a better meal than soup and salad?   One of my favorite salads is Chinese Chicken Salad!

This is perfect for winter, because all of the ingredients are in season now.  Instead of canned mandarin oranges, you can probably find fresh ones now – I’ve got Clementines and Satsumas left and right at my grocery store.  Red cabbage and carrots are always around, as are green onions.  For the base, I used Napa cabbage, but if you don’t have that, you can use any kind of lettuce you like, or really finely chopped green cabbage.  I cooked some extra chicken breasts last night so I could chop them up cold and throw them over the salad, but you can use whatever chicken you like – roasted, store-bought rotisserie, or even breaded chicken nuggets!

This recipe serves two as part of a lunch or dinner menu.  Try this salad with any soup you like, or paired up with a sandwich, wrap, or pasta dish.  Filling, nutritious and delicious – and it won’t break any of your New Year’s resolutions!

Chinese Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 small head Napa cabbage, or romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 head small red cabbage
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 or 3 green onions
  • 2 mandarin oranges
  • 2 cooked chicken breasts, or 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Chop the Napa cabbage into inch-wide strips.  Finely slice the red cabbage.  Place both in a salad spinner and rinse under cold water, then spin dry.
  2. Cut the carrots into matchsticks.  Finely slice the green onions.  Peel the oranges and remove as much of the white pith as possible.  Separate into segments.  Dice or thinly slice the chicken breasts.
  3. To assemble:  In two very large bowls, mix together the cabbages, carrots, and onions.  Arrange the oranges and chicken breasts on top.  Drizzle each salad with one tablespoon each of sesame oil and rice vinegar, and sprinkle the sesame seeds, salt, and pepper on top.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

With All Our Heart

January 10, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:12 and 13

I feel like I am always looking for something.  I lose something, my kids lose something, my husband needs something, or I need to find a report at work; whatever it may be, I feel like I’m always looking.

There are a few ways we can search for things in our lives:

  1. Casually looking—we wonder where something might be but we will be okay if we find it or if we don’t find it.
  2. Assign the task to someone else, maybe our husband or our kids.
  3. We look passionately, and almost frantically, for something like our keys (that we can’t find right before a doctor’s appointment or before a big meeting).

The interesting thing is this is also how we seek God at different times in our lives.

  1. Casually looking—we wonder where something might be but, we will be okay if we find it or if we don’t find it. When things are good, when we are busy, when the phone is ringing, our kids are calling from the other room, your husband needs something, the tv show is calling…. I know how hard it is to have a busy life; some things have to go by the wayside and fall into this casual category. I was guilty of this, and I was gently reminded that there are things that we can casually search for, but Christ is not one of them.
  2. Assign the task to someone else, maybe our husband or our kids. I think it is a great thing to listen to inspiring things on the radio, or watch tv shows that touch our heart mind and soul, but we need more than this. We need to take the time to read His Word and apply it to our daily lives. In addition to someone bringing the Word to us, we need to bring ourselves to the Word.
  3. We look passionately, and almost frantically, for something like our keys that we can’t find (right before a doctor’s appointment or before a big meeting). This way of looking might be used when things are bad, or when we’re facing a crisis; it might be used as a New Year’s resolution; and prayerfully we use this way of looking into our everyday walk of life. We need to look (according to Jeremiah 29: 12-13) with all our heart.

He commands us to seek Him and search for Him with all of our heart. I know that the way I seek Him needed some serious reevaluating; I needed to change how I searched for Him. It was too casual, it was based on convenience and free time, instead of daily and with intention. This week I am going to intentionally focus on this phrase “with all my heart;” will you join me? Write it…read it…live it.

*   *   *   *   * 

Let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gentleness, even when we are seeking You casually You continue to surround us with Your love. Lord I pray that we intentionally strive to seek You daily with all our heart; I know that we will see a change in our lives and I know we will draw closer to You.  In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , ,

You Are

January 10, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

  ~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

When I can’t find the words to say how much it hurts
You are the healing in my heart
When all that I can see are broken memories
You are the light that’s in the dark

You are the song, You are the song I’m singing
You are the air, You are the air I breathe in
You are the hope, You are the hope I’m needin’…You are

And when my circumstance leaves me with empty hands
You’re the Provider of my needs
When all my dirtiness has left me helpless
You are the rain that washes me

If I had no voice, if I had no tongue—I would dance for You like the rising sun
And when that day comes and I see Your face
I will shout Your endless, glorious praise

 

~  written and performed by Colton Dixon  ~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He is my Healer, my Hope…the rain that washes me. He is the song that I am singing. What about you, dear sister? Is HE your everything? Even in the rain, is He your hope?

I love this song. Because even when I am hurting, and my circumstances are difficult, and the dirtiness of my past has left me helpess…He IS and WAS my Hope, My Healer from the pain.

Even in the most difficult of circumstances He is the song I am singing. God showed me this verse in one of the most difficult of circumstances in my life.

And be not grieved and depressed,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold.
Nehemiah 8:10 AMP

You see, my son was going through a sleep disorder at the time that caused him to have seizures while he was sleeping. We walked through this for about 7 months before he was completely healed from it. That was one of the most difficult walks I have had thus far with God. But joy was possible because it was found in Him. I watched God use that situation with my son for Good over and over again. If I was focused on my circumstances, I would slowly feel my joy being drained from me as well as my strength. But when I focused on God—my joy in Him began to return and the peace that surpasses all understanding began to wash over me! And He would remind me that I was ok. It was then that I would regain my strength.

I got to thinking about this verse, “…the joy of the Lord is my strength and stronghold…” How do I find joy in the midst of the most difficult of circumstances? The answer is found IN THE LORD! Joy and happiness are two different things. Happiness is a feeling and is dependent on circumstances.  Joy is only found in the Lord and is NOT dependent on my circumstances. So even in the midst of the most difficult of circumstances, I hang onto my joy because if I let my joy be stolen… there goes my strength. And in Romans 8:28 God reminds us that He causes “all things to work together for good to those who love God, and to those who are called according to His purpose.”  So be encouraged, dear sister, that even in the hardest of situations joy and peace in the Lord is possible…but it is ONLY found in HIM!!!

 *   *   *   *   *  

Heavenly Father, I pray this day for each and every one of my sisters  that may be struggling to find the joy in You in their difficult circumstances. I pray that they would get their eyes focused back on You and that they would be encouraged that You will use it for their good and for Your glory; in Jesus’ name. Amen!!

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

In Christ Alone

January 9, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

 ~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my Light, my Strength, my Song;
This Cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my all in all—here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness, scorned by the ones He came to save.
‘Til on that Cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory, sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—this is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His hand;
‘Til He returns or calls me home—here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.

 

~  In Christ Alone; words and music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend  ~

 *   *   *   *   *

The words of a song can be so stirring!  Particularly, I have found hymns to have this effect on me.  A choir director once told me that hymns are songs that “are soaked in doctrinal truth.”  One definition of hymns says that they are “… songs that help teach faith.”  What we sing through this type of song can profoundly affect how we think and feel.  And each of us have our own favorite hymns and choruses…they come to mean so much to our hearts!  This song, In Christ Alone, is considered a modern-day hymn. It contains such foundational truth.

For example, the very first three words of this song, “In Christ alone…” You could say them in other ways, too—‘only Jesus…’ ‘Jesus is everything to me…’ ‘You, Lord, JUST You…’

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;
all things have been created through Him and for Him.
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
And He is the head of the body, the church;
He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead,
so that in everything He might have the supremacy.
Colossians 1:15-18

In and through Jesus we have been given so very much! He truly is our ‘Light… (John 8:12), our Strength… (Psalms 28:7 and 8), our Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:5 and 6)!’

I just love to sing these next lines of this song; they are so beautiful!

What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All, here in the love of Christ I stand.”

Through Jesus, also, we have love (Romans 8:38 and 39), peace (Philippians 4:7), comfort (Psalm 46:10), and joy (John 15:11)! He IS our ‘all in all.’

And when all things shall be subdued unto him,
then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him
that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
1 Corinthians 15:28

In Jesus our hope, our trust, our constant assurance is in the right place—on the solid foundation of who we are in Christ.  In my own life I must need continual reminding  to not let my feelings get in the way or my circumstances be allowed to dictate my actions. But, as we (I!) stand firmly on the unchangeable truths of the gospel of Christ, our (my!)faith is being continuously built.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,
where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us….
Hebrews 6:19 and 20

How about you? Do the words of this beautiful hymn evoke a response in your heart when you hear them?  (I would so LOVE to ‘hear’ your answer in the comments below.)

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With All Our Hearts

January 9, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Then, you will call upon Me
and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you.
You will seek Me and find Me,
when you seek Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:12-13

Would you go to the swimming pool to swim and only put your big toe in the water? Would you give a bracelet as a birthday gift and only put part of the bracelet in the box? Would you love someone only on Mondays?

It would be equally silly (and quite sad, I might add) to not seek God with all your heart. Take a moment to think of your relationship with God. We are to come to Him and pray and seek Him with all of our heart. To go back to the three analogies: dive into that pool with all your heart—totally submerging yourself to seek Him!!! As a gift, think of giving your heart whole-heartedly to God! And with your time, seek Him every day of the week! (That’s not bits and pieces of our time here and there like on special occasions, holidays, and emergencies! If you go to Him surrendered with all your heart, there’s not a day that comes and goes when your relationship with Him does not matter! Seek Him whole-heartedly!)

But even though we come to Him often, let’s always be in awe of the fact that the great God of the universe loves us and is willing to listen, care, and respond to our needs just like He did with the people in the Book of Jeremiah. Let’s not ever get over the fact that He can save us, restore us, forgive us, guide us, strengthen us, and help us. Let’s call to God, come to God, pray to God—knowing and believing that He will hear us if we seek Him with all of our heart. If we do, we will find Him (verse 14)!
Jesus doesn’t want partial heart commitments.

Look at this excerpt from the Scriptures:
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees,
they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer asked him a question to test him.
‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’
And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:34-37

It’s always the heart condition and amount of heart-surrender that matters to God! We are to give Him our all! He alone to the full extent knows who seeks Him with all their heart and who does not.

But if we could see it, I wonder what we would see. My imagination takes me to a place of wondering. Join me for a minute….
Imagine if all people wore a necklace that had a representation of a 5-inch heart that served as a gauge dangling from it. Imagine that the hearts would be completely shaded in red for those who seek God with all their heart. Now here’s the hard part: As we moved about our lives at the grocery store, at church, at school, or work, and within our families and friends…I wonder how many dangling hearts would be sadly empty, only partially-shaded, or completely shaded red? How much of your heart and mine would be shaded red when we look into the mirror?…How does this hit you?

If this imagination exercise is here to convict any or all of us, let the conviction take us to a place in our heart to strive to live (through the power of the Holy Spirit ) “a completely, red-shaded heart for the Lord” and also desiring and praying for the same for others! Let’s all seek Him with our whole hearts!

*   *   *   *   *

Dear Lord, Let us always seek You and find You because we come seeking You with all our heart. Wherever each of us is in our relationship with You, let it grow even more. Thank You for being our Rescuer, Restorer, Deliverer, and Comforter. We give You all praise and glory, and we thank You for being a faithful God Who does not change, waiver, or hide from us. Let our hearts be drawn to You daily and completely! In Jesus’ precious Name I pray. Amen.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , ,

Wholeheartedly

January 8, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

In those days when you pray, I will listen.
If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
Jeremiah 29:12-13 NLT

I want to seek the Lord wholeheartedly. I’ve uttered these words plenty of times in my almost 4 year journey with the Lord. I’ve also assumed the fetal position and/or thrown a tantrum at some of God’s responses to my bold statement—after all, wholeheartedly is much easier to say than to do.

There are areas of my life I feel comfortable with God having control over…and some that I do not. For instance—my finances. I know a lot of what the Bible says about finances and, yet, I’ve hesitated when it comes to submitting to the Lord in this area.

Whenever we seek Him the Bible says,

The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.
Lamentations 3:25

How good?

Daniel sought the Lord and, in doing so, defied the decree of the king (Daniel 6:1-28). And he was tossed into the lion’s den for it—but he was saved. The Lord is good to those who search for Him.

Joseph sought the Lord and, in doing so, was betrayed by his brothers, promoted in slavery, set up by his master’s wife, promoted in jail, forgotten about—and ultimately—promoted in the kingdom of Egypt. The Lord is good to those who search for Him.

The bleeding women suffered many years, was deemed unclean and unworthy of social contact, made an outcast. The Lord sees and heals, He is good to, those who search for Him.

Father Abraham was given a promise from God Almighty and, though the fulfillment of this promise seemed physically impossible, the Lord delivered and (then shockingly) asked Abraham to offer up the manifestation (his precious son, Isaac) of that very promise. The Lord provides and blesses, He is good to, those who seek him wholeheartedly.

Wholeheartedly means to hold back nothing or be sincere. As a living sacrifice, I must daily commit to a wholehearted relationship with the Almighty. I stumble, I fall, but I always get back up. One of my favorite verses says it like this, “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked” (Proverbs 24:16). Wholeheartedly is not about perfection. No, wholeheartedly is about a heart position. It’s a choice we can make at any millisecond of the day, after any mistake (killing off Christians), doubt (when walking on water) or even outright denial of Jesus (three times).

And as always with our loving God, His way has its perks.

*  *   *   *  *   

Lord, I want my life to be one of wholehearted devotion to You and You alone. Everything (every idol) I have held on to and given pieces of my heart to, I ask that You show me these areas and then give me Your truth so that I may submit these areas to You. And when I want to squirm, Lord, give me the courage to stand strong instead! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   

Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »