{"id":13535,"date":"2013-07-26T01:00:41","date_gmt":"2013-07-26T05:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=13535"},"modified":"2015-07-21T15:38:07","modified_gmt":"2015-07-21T19:38:07","slug":"i-am-week-3-day-5-malachi-the-bridge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/07\/26\/i-am-week-3-day-5-malachi-the-bridge\/","title":{"rendered":"“I AM” Week 3 – Day 5: Malachi: The Bridge"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Memory Verse<\/em><\/h2>\n

The Sovereign\u00a0Lord\u00a0is my strength;<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n

he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n

he enables me to tread on the heights.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n

Habakkuk 3:19<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

____________________________<\/p>\n

We have been so very inspired\u00a0(perhaps revived?) as we have spent the past three weeks considering the character of the Great I AM as He has made Himself known throughout the Old Testament.\u00a0 How AWEsome is He!<\/p>\n

The Great I AM deserves our all<\/em><\/span><\/strong>\u2014our love, our obedience, our worship, our devotion, our service, our focus, our praise, our whole heart, our everything.\u00a0 Actually, He requires our all<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

When Moses gave the Law to the Israelites, he said:<\/p>\n

These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe…so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.\u00a0 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.\u00a0 Love the Lord your God with all your heart<\/span><\/strong> and with all your soul<\/span><\/strong> and with all your strength<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Deuteronomy 6:1-4<\/strong> (excerpts)<\/p>\n

The prophet Jeremiah was given\u00a0a compelling message to send to the exiled Israelites who had been carried into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar and his army.\u00a0 Think about how comforted they might have been hearing God\u2019s Words!<\/p>\n

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord,
\nthoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil,
\nto give you hope in your final outcome.<\/p>\n

Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.
\nThen you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity]
\nand find Me when you search for Me with all your heart<\/span><\/strong>.
\nI will be found by you, says the Lord….
\nJeremiah 29:11-14<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our Lord also gave this same convicting message to His followers.<\/p>\n

\n

And one of the scribes came up…and asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”\u00a0 Jesus answered, “The most important is, \u2018Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.\u00a0 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength<\/span><\/strong>.\u2019 The second is this: \u2018You shall love your neighbor as yourself.\u2019 \u00a0There is no other commandment greater than these.”
\nMark 12:28-32<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We know from the Scriptures that God desires us to–<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Trust Him with all of our heart<\/span><\/strong> (Proverbs 3:5 and 6)<\/li>\n
  • Work heartily as if for Him with all of our heart<\/span><\/strong> (Colossians 3:23)<\/li>\n
  • Seek Him with all your heart<\/span><\/strong> (Deuteronomy 4:29 and 30)<\/li>\n
  • Serve Him with your whole heart<\/span><\/strong> (1st<\/sup> Chronicles 28:9)<\/li>\n
  • Love Him with all our heart<\/span><\/strong> (Matthew 22:37)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Our author, Teresa, asks the following question today in our study…<\/p>\n

    \n

    What would it take for you to give service “your all<\/span><\/strong>?”
    \nGo “all in<\/span><\/strong>?”\u00a0 Be “sold out<\/strong>” for God?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Have you answered that question yet?\u00a0 Would you share your answer (below in the comments) with all of us?<\/p>\n

    Friends, whether the anointed words of this song\u2014this prayer\u2014cause you to throw your hands in the air raised in praise, or fall on your face in humble submission, may you voice your commitment to the Great I AM<\/strong> with all your heart<\/span><\/strong>!\u00a0 <3<\/p>\n