{"id":13182,"date":"2013-07-11T01:00:20","date_gmt":"2013-07-11T05:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=13182"},"modified":"2013-07-10T22:01:55","modified_gmt":"2013-07-11T02:01:55","slug":"i-am-chapter-1-day-4-look-for-the-lord","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/07\/11\/i-am-chapter-1-day-4-look-for-the-lord\/","title":{"rendered":"“I AM” Chapter 1 – Day 4: Look for the LORD"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

“O storm battered city, troubled and desolate. I will rebuild you on a firm foundation of sapphires and make the walls of your houses from precious jewels. I will make your towers of sparkling rubies and your gates and walls of shiny gems”<\/p>\n

Isaiah 54:11-12<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is the verse I have clung to over the past few years, the restoring God, the God of hope when I had none. \u00a0As Teresa mentioned in the beginning of this study, the Great I AM<\/strong> will speak to you in the manner that you need. \u00a0He will be what you need Him to be. \u00a0Have you begun to see this for yourself? As I looked up each verse, I was overwhelmed by just how much He loves each one of us, so much that He does not want to leave us in the state we are in.<\/p>\n

Today we have the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us, a gentle nudge from the Dove, a Gift left to us by Jesus when He departed into Heaven.\u00a0 But in the Old Testament, God sent prophets to do just that…to give His people His messages. \u00a0These messages weren’t always what they wanted to hear. Can you just imagine? I mean who wants to be told that you are not walking in His will and you are about to be punished? I know that being on the receiving end of “constructive criticism” is not easy (especially when I know I’m wrong) but, as Jesus followers, it is our duty to hold each other accountable and to do this in a loving, godly manner. \u00a0Praise God that He loves us enough to send messengers our way to redirect our path.\u00a0 He is relentless when it comes to His children, right?<\/p>\n

Just as Isaiah’s message to the people was “return, repent and be renewed,<\/em>” so should ours be. “Fear not, you will no longer walk in shame. He is your Redeemer!<\/em>” Isaiah 54:4-5 <\/strong><\/p>\n

He is\u00a0my _________________ (fill in the blank). For example: do you need Hope? \u00a0He is your HOPE<\/span><\/strong>. \u00a0“From eternity to eternity, I AM<\/strong> your God.\u00a0 No one can oppose what I do, no one can reverse My actions.”<\/em> \u00a0Isaiah 43:13<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you need Forgiveness?\u00a0\u00a0He is your FORGIVER<\/span><\/strong>. \u00a0“I,\u00a0 yes I alone, AM the One Who blots out your sins for My Own sake and will never think of them again.<\/em>” \u00a0Isaiah 43:25<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you need Rest? \u00a0He is your REST<\/span><\/strong>. \u00a0 “I will be your God throughout your lifetime, until your hair is white with age. \u00a0I made you and I will care for you, I will carry you along and save you.”<\/em> Isaiah 46:4<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you need Comfort? \u00a0He is your COMFORTER<\/span><\/strong>. \u00a0“I, even I, am the One Who comforts you, so why are you afraid of mere humans who wither like grass and disappear?”<\/em> \u00a0Isaiah 51:12<\/strong><\/p>\n

Friend, His message to us is one of hope, forgiveness, rest, and comfort; but we must return, repent, and be renewed in Him to receive all that He has planned to give us, blessing upon blessing, and we must not\u00a0be timid with His message.\u00a0 He wants us to be bold! \u00a0Isn’t this what we were created to do?<\/p>\n

There is a song that has been playing in my mind the entire time I have been writing. It is by the Sidewalk Prophets and goes like this: “If there’s a road I should walk, let me find it. If I need to be still, give me peace for the moment. Whatever your will. \u00a0Whatever Your will, can You help me find it?”<\/p>\n

He will rebuild us and continue to work in, and through us,\u00a0until His grand finale’ — the Coming of Jesus<\/strong><\/em>!!<\/p>\n

How is He speaking to you today? \u00a0As you wrote out each verse from today’s section,\u00a0which\u00a0of His names really spoke to you? Would you tell us about it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I love each one of you and I’m praying for you.<\/p>\n

Blessings!!<\/strong><\/p>\n