Seeking Him devotional

Face to Face

April 13, 2014 by Ann Mwafulirwa

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8

At first, this Beatitude appears to be referring to those who are morally clean—those who don’t defile themselves with impure thoughts, or anger, or other internal sins that wreak havoc on one’s life, and which can make a Christian ineffective. This is certainly an aspect of “pure” or “clean.” And if we understand the phrase “see God” in the sense of being in God’s Presence and being able to commune with Him, then certainly, the less sin there is in our lives, the more we are aware of the abiding Presence of God. It is more often the case that God seems most distant from us when, in fact, we are distant from Him as a result of an impure and hard heart.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God,” David cried out in Psalm 51, “And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” This thought of having a “steadfast” spirit, one that is devoted to God, may also be in mind here. David wrote this psalm on the heels of his sin with Bathsheba, which was indeed one of the most dramatic and deep moral failures of a man of God in Scripture. Not only does David want a clean heart, but he wants steadfastness…the ability to focus on God…to lean on Him at all times, and not be distracted by the temptations of the world.

The Greek translation of Psalm 24 (please check it) uses the same phrase, “pure in heart.” Here I think we get further insight into the meaning of this term. Notice that the one with clean hands and a pure heart avoids falsehood and deceit. There is a sense, then, that being pure in heart is more than just avoiding sin. Rather, it is being devoted to God, and having a life that is His, and that is recognizable as being His. It is about serving only one Master, not two, and drawing near to God. The words of James echo this thought:

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:7-8 NASB

What does Jesus mean, then, when He says that the pure in heart “shall see God.” Wasn’t Moses told that no one could see God and live (Exodus 33:20)? First, I think there is a present reality to seeing God here, in the sense that those who are pure in heart draw near to God, as James says, and in turn God draws near to them. But I think there is also a future reality, looking forward to the time when ALL those who have endured this fallen world, who come out the other side beaten and bruised but, by the grace of God, have pure hearts, solely dedicated to God’s word and will, shall indeed stand before His throne and, in a sinless state (on account of the work of Christ), and see Him face to face.

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Dear Father, we thank You for the opportunity to see You face-to-face through the Holy Spirit. Create in us a clean heart, O Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: ann mwafulirwa, Beatitudes, daily devotions, exodus 33:20, james 4:7-8, Jesus speaking, matthew 5:8, psalm 24, psalm 51, pure in heart, Seeking Him devotional

Showing Mercy

April 12, 2014 by coleen hayden

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7 NIV

Two examples of showing mercy. May they each encourage you greatly! ♥

Our Merciful Lord

Blessed are the Merciful

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, being merciful, Casting Crowns, coleen hayden, daily devotions, Friendly Persuasion, Gary Cooper, Jesus speaking, Mathew 5:7, Seeking Him devotional, showing mercy, Your Mercy

Mercy to Others

April 10, 2014 by laurapattillo

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7 NIV

Do you ever feel like you have been wronged by someone or by a group of people? We are going through this right now. It is a struggle to stay Christ-like in our situation. We have an unfinished fence and an unwilling neighbor. This neighbor is using part of our unfinished fence to build their own fence. Yet, this neighbor is complaining about our unfinished fence and our backyard. My husband works hard to maintain our backyard. Also, our neighborhood is in the woods. Critters abound but we get blamed. It is hard to show restraint and not bow down to this neighbor’s methods. Instead of coming to us, this neighbor is creating havoc. We are showing mercy trying to work with this neighbor, and we are not getting any mercy. Surely, there is a better way (on the neighbor’s end) to work this out.

As Christians we are supposed to show mercy to those who do us wrong. We are supposed to be forgiving of them. We are supposed to look beyond the sin that is committed against us and be forgiving. Yet it is hard to be merciful when the wronging party does not want to be merciful back.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged:
condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:
forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Luke 6:37

It is hard not to be judgmental of our neighbor at this time. We are trying not condemn them. It is hard to be forgiving of someone who won’t even come see you face to face. We are trying not to be judgmental. We are trying to be merciful and look past human actions. We are trying to do our part and be forgiving of our neighbor.

God looks past our sins against Him and shows us mercy. One day He will take us into His Kingdom and bless us with blessings that we can’t even imagine at this time. We will be given the ultimate mercy. There will be no more suffering, sickness, sadness, or woe. There will be ultimate glory and love.

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Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy. Also thank You for giving us the ability to show mercy and be forgiving. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Jesus speaking, laura pattillo, luke 6:37, Matthew 5:7, merciful, mercy, Mercy to Others, Seeking Him devotional

Undeserved Mercy

April 9, 2014 by Ahmee Bronaugh

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7 NIV

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is by his great mercy that we have been born again,
because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
Now we live with great expectation….
1 Peter 1:3

Every Christian has received mercy.

The fact that we can call ourselves born-again Christians indicates that we have been shown mercy. God, in all His infinite wisdom and knowledge, gives mercy—freely. Not only is God’s mercy free, but He offers mercy to everyone. Jesus told the parable of the unmerciful servant. The story of the gospel is a story soaked in mercy! He offered mercy to the women caught in adultery. He showed mercy to Peter after he denied Him three times.

Each of these stories illustrate God’s mercy, but there is another account I want to focus on….

When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, He changed His mind and did not carry out the destruction He had threatened. This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord ? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that You are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”
Jonah 3:10-4:3

Reading Jonah’s response makes me laugh. Literally, he wants to die because God showed mercy to a repenting city. The difference between Jonah’s story and our day to day lives is that the people we are asked to give mercy to are the ones who steal from us, who hurt us and our loved ones—the ones who don’t deserve it and for good reason!

Oversimplified, the concept of showing mercy is give because you received. God gave us mercy and so we should give it. (And before the comparing and contrasting starts…remember, a sin is a sin.)

I personally find it easier to extend mercy by calling it “undeserved mercy.” This helps remind me that I’m not giving it because it’s deserved, but that I’m giving it because I didn’t deserve it and yet, I got it.

Oh, and don’t forget to accept mercy from God and be merciful to yourself.

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.
Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.
Lamentations 3:22-23

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Thank You, Lord, for Your new mercies. Thank You for Your endless mercy. And help me to extend the same mercies to those around me. Praying in Jesus’ name, amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: 1 Peter 1:3, ahmee bronaugh, be merciful, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, jonah, Jonah 3:10-4:3, lamentations 3:22-23, merciful, mercy, Seeking Him devotional, undeserved mercy

Relationships

April 8, 2014 by Tina Marin

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7 NIV

The word mercy for me conjures up memories of scenes from movies portraying Christ. Dictionary.com gave this meaning: “compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one’s power; compassion, pity, or benevolence: Have mercy on the poor sinner”. How many times have we been shown mercy in our DAILY walk? I shudder to think of how I may unknowingly have offended my heavenly Father.

Then I began to think, “How do I show mercy to others?” Do I become short when I am pressed for time and someone asks me questions? Yes, unfortunately I feel like I do sometimes. My boss is an excellent example of showing mercy and being fair. No matter how busy she is, she takes the time to speak with that person and make them feel valued.

Christ is a perfect example of mercy. When the woman who was caught in adultery was brought before Jesus for Him to condemn and punish her, He showed her mercy. He was gentle in His reproach to the men of the synagogue, to the point that they slowly turned away, one by one (see John 8:1-11). He did not need to be told her background…He already knew her story. But He also knew the hearts of the men who had brought her to Him. Jesus loves us unconditionally, and He wants to know us. His Father will discipline us when necessary, but Jesus will always intercede on our behalf.

My mom told me one day she was mad at me because of a dream she had. It was this: Someone had broken into our store. She had hit the man over the head with a cast iron skillet and knocked him unconscious. She told me to watch over the man and make sure he didn’t leave while she went to get help. When she came back she was shocked to see that I was dressing the man’s head wounds! She laughed and I said, ‘Well that sounds like me doesn’t it?’ She just shook her head.

I want to continue to be that person and show compassion and mercy toward others. When we pray and listen to the Holy Spirit, He will direct our paths and help guide us in our choices. This will go so far in our own relationships with family and friends. Remember there are those who watch and learn from your actions and reactions. Just remember you can start a new way of thinking today. No matter how old you are, with the Holy Spirit, you can begin practicing mercy and compassion toward others. Once you begin to extend it in all situations, you will feel a new lease on life…a refreshing of your spirit.

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Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gift of mercy. Show us, Lord, how we can use this gift in our everyday lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Jesus speaking, Matthew 5:7, merciful, mercy, Seeking Him devotional, shown mercy, Tina Marin

The Blessing of Mercy

April 7, 2014 by Ann Mwafulirwa

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Matthew 5:7

The Beatitudes were not given as commands but as realities for those who are part of Christ’s Kingdom. We might call them Kingdom-Characteristics or Kingdom-Evidences. They describe the believer; and, by the same token, they are effective instruments to root out unbelief in the heart and expose an unregenerate condition. They do reflect attitudes of the heart, but they also explain the way believers will relate not only to God but also to those about them. Without attempting to slice them too neatly, it does appear that the first four Beatitudes focus primarily on the believer’s relationship with God, while the latter four aim primarily toward others. All of the Beatitudes have to do with Kingdom Life, and thus each of them will impact all of our relationships.

We speak of having mercy, or showing mercy, or being merciful, but we don’t speak of mercy-ing someone. Yet mercy is more than a feeling–it’s something that is apparent in our actions. As Christians, we have been on the receiving end of God’s merciful acts; and so we should be the first to make mercy a characteristic of our lives.

In Matthew 18, Jesus tells the story of a king who forgave one of his slaves who owed him a lot of money. Although the slave had been forgiven a great debt, nevertheless he went out and had a man thrown in prison who owed him a relative pittance. The king’s retribution against the slave was severe, because the slave was unwilling to show the same kind of mercy he had received. Jesus told the story in answer to Peter’s question, “How many times should we forgive someone?” This is how the Kingdom of Heaven operates, Jesus is saying…as much as mercy has been shown to you (and, in Christ, we have been shown greater mercy than we can comprehend), you show that mercy to others.

The previous Beatitudes have referred to blessings poured out upon those who are oppressed, weak, and in need of mercy. This Beatitude directs those who might be in a position to help such people to show mercy. I think other Biblical teaching, particularly the example set by the early church in Acts 4, indicates that the Christian’s first object of mercy should be those within the Church. Every church has people who are in need of help—whether physical, financial, or spiritual—and the Body of Christ should be willing to help those people.

But then, every church should also look beyond their own walls to the community, and seek ways to show the love and mercy of Christ to those outside the church. And not simply as a tool to get them to come to church. But rather as a genuine, compassionate outreach that God might be pleased to use us to affect people’s lives–that we might be conduits of the Spirit’s blessings to people who desperately need Him. We can’t change people’s hearts but, through our actions, we can demonstrate the love and mercy of the One who can. It just might be that God would use us to draw people to Himself.

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Lord, thank You for Your mercy upon us. Let the Holy Spirit help us show mercy as a sign of love, too. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: ann mwafulirwa, Beatitudes, blessed are the merciful, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Jesus speaking, Matthew 5:7, mercy, Seeking Him devotional

As The Deer – Matthew 5:6

April 5, 2014 by coleen hayden

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.
Matthew 5:6

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: As The Deer, Beatitudes, coleen hayden, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Jesus speaking, Robin Mark, Seeking Him devotional

Biblical Common Sense

April 4, 2014 by Tonya Ellison

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
Matthew 5:6

Every year for the past eleven years I have filled out a survey at my children’s annual physical checkup. From ages 2-6, I am required to ask them the question, “What do you do when you’re hungry?” Of course they respond with “Eat,” or “Ask for food,” things such as that. I’ve always wondered why this question is asked…why such a common inquiry is made; even small children know what to do and how to respond. But there must be a reason that each year we are reminded to quiz our children on such a simple thing, something we see as common and natural.

When I read this Scripture, I thought of this scenario. We know we’re supposed to seek God and do as He commands and instructs; doing this leads to righteousness. In a sense it is biblical common sense. We hunger for God’s Word and for His guidance and love. and when we hunger, when we strive, we find righteousness. Just as the pediatrician reminds us to look closely at common things, so does Christ. Sometimes we become so engulfed in our life that we forget to consciously thirst for Christ and to be hungry for His word, His direction. So He has given us reminders, such as these verses, to look at and to remind us. This is more than an answer on a piece of paper. It is a reminder that when we seek Him and when we thirst for him, He will fill us. When we seek…we will find. When we thirst…we will be filled. Common sense, yes; but the reminders are much needed, much desired.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:7

He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty
Luke 1:53

Let’s Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, there are times we forget common things, like what to do when we’re hungry. Like the pediatrician, You remind us of what we sometimes forget to see—that our thirst for You will lead to righteousness and that we will be filled when we hunger and thirst for Your Word. Lord, remind us to seek You daily. And to thirst for You always. Increase our desire to be filled, so that we will not forget the common things, so that we will not forget to seek, and ask, to find and to hunger. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: atthew 5:6, daily devotional, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, luke 1:53, matthew 7:7, Seeking Him devotional, Tonya Ellison

Spiritual Hunger and Thirst

April 3, 2014 by laurapattillo

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
Matthew 5:6

As children we hunger to learn what is right and what is wrong. We are supposed to learn this from our loving parents—the ones that God has blessed us with. From a young age when we start to learn between right and wrong, we hunger and thirst to do right so as to please those around us. As children of God, we should do the same. We should hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God.

As Christians, we have a hunger and thirst for a relationship with God. Once we accept Christ, we begin that relationship. Even before the Samaritan woman received Christ, she thirsted for the righteousness of God. The Samaritan woman was already thirsting for Jesus before she even met and spoke with Him. When she asked for the living water, Jesus told her everything about herself. He already knew her. She ran back to tell the people who shunned her. That day many became children of God. Even though she had sinned, Jesus blessed her.

As the children of God we, like the Samaritan woman, have sinned. However, if we want to be in a relationship with Jesus, our spiritual thirst and hunger can be satisfied by accepting Him. All we have to do is believe that He died on the Cross for us and rose three days later to defeat death and sin.

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Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for satisfying our thirst and hunger with Your righteousness. Without You, our spirit would be forever hungry. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, hunger and thirst, Jesus speaking, John 4:9-15, laura pattillo, matthew 5:6, Samaritan woman, Seeking Him devotional

A Hunger for God

April 2, 2014 by Tina Marin

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.
Matthew 5:6

Ever had that overwhelming desire to know our Creator and God more fully? To know His forgiveness is complete? Sure you have…me, too! As we walk through our life there are those moments when the desire is so intense that we want to devour every bit of information we can glean.

As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, God.
I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God?
Psalms 42:1-2 HCSB

God, You are my God; I eagerly seek You. I thirst for You;
my body faints for You in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water.
So I gaze on You in the sanctuary to see Your strength and Your glory.
Psalms 63:1-2 HCSB

How can we satisfy our hunger and thirst for God?

By becoming immersed in His Word
By listening to music that uplifts us
By simply being still and listening to His creation that is all around us

When was the last time you sat in communion with God? I cannot remember the last time I was able to sit for more than 2 minutes and listen for God.

You may say, ‘How can I hear God?’ That is as simple as listening and observing God’s creation. Most of us have a devotional time. When we are in those moments, is it by ourselves, with no distractions, no television on to distract or the radio? Do we listen to our devotion while we are driving to work?

Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament says,

This past weekend, our pastor continued his teaching on God, Our Deliverer. He stated that no matter how many times we fail, we should not give up on repentance, and coming to know our heavenly Father more intimately. The evil one would love nothing more than to discourage you from seeking the knowledge, peace, and comfort that only God can provide.

Just as the woman at the well asked Jesus about the living water He spoke of and explained, we can continue throughout our lives seeking for it as well. It is not given just once, but continuously as we seek to know Him (John 4:14). God wants no one to perish. He has adopted us, grafted us into His family, and He will fight to keep us in it. Oh, what a wonderful Father we serve!

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Father, we humbly thank You and praise You for Your mercy and grace so freely given. Forgive us for when we fail to admit our shortcomings and our sins to You. Help us to rid ourselves of our selfish pride and arrogance and seek to model our lives after Your Son, Jesus. Holy Spirit, be with us and guide us. Show us when we stray and help us turn back to our Father. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Barnes' Notes on the New Testament, Beatitudes, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, hunger and thirst for God, Jesus speaking, John 4:14, matthew 5:6, psalm 42:1-2, psalm 63:1-2, Seeking Him devotional, Tina Marin

Face to Face

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Showing Mercy

Mercy to Others

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Undeserved Mercy

Every Christian has received mercy.

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Relationships

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The Blessing of Mercy

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As The Deer – Matthew 5:6

Biblical Common Sense

Spiritual Hunger and Thirst

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A Hunger for God

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Every Christian has received mercy.

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