Get in the WORD

If you’ve been there, it’s easy to understand how people fall in this world. As a Christian, having been there myself, it’s easy to see and understand when other Christians are on the brink of a major pitfall and it is easier to understand what happened and why it happened. Satan has so many tricks up his sleeve and once he finds that “soft spot,” with a grin on his face he comes back for more. I believe that for a Christian to have a growing, joy filled, personal relationship with God they MUST be in His word. God’s word is the guideline, the map, the foundation to a relationship with Jesus Christ! It is pivotal. When I was in the 8th grade, I was really inspired to begin doing a personal devotion time. I’m not trying to brag on myself, and I don’t claim to be any where near perfect in any way; far from it. (And anyone who digs into Gods word on a regular basis will tell you the same thing.) It has become a very consequential and momentous “event,” I guess you could say, in my life. Searching Gods word and seeking out His wisdom and knowledge will lead you to a completely different level in your relationship with Him. Too many proclaimed Christians settle and are satisfied with getting their “weeks worth” of Gods word at church once a week. Sorry, that’s WRONG. Great, go to church…even attend Sunday school, but if you are not longing to know your Savior on a personal more intimate level, something isn’t right. The whole reason I’m bringing this up is because Satan has really been fighting me on this lately. When the holidays come around, I find myself caught up in the business of: staying up late, sleeping in, and moving out of my room so relatives can have a place to sleep…and I “get out of my routine” and I just don’t do my devotions. This is completely wrong, by the way. Every time I fail to spend time in Gods word…Satan attacks. It doesn’t have to be a big catastrophe but I find him squeezing through the cracks in my life, attempting to shatter me to pieces. And every time, without fail, I find myself saying, “Emily, if you had just been in Gods word.” Satan is a smart dude. No, he isn’t omnipotent or omniscient, but he watches us and knows exactly when to strike; and if your not filled with the spirit and the abundance of Gods word, he’s a coming and you wont be ready. When you are buried in Gods word, seeking Him there is a difference in your life. When you’re not, you can tell and so can others. I challenge you, if you are not reading your Bible…do it for a week. If it doesn’t change your life and give you a direction and inspiration for your life, well, it will…so don’t worry about if it doesn’t. Keep on fighting, keep on striving. Continue to seek God and ask for His grace in your life! It will change your life.

Prayer

Daniel chapter 9 deals a lot with Daniel’s petitioning of the throne of God for forgiveness for Jerusalem. I’m not going to sum up the chapter or really give any verses related to it; I encourage you to go read it for yourself…it wont take 10 minutes. Prayer is an important factor in any professing Christian. Hey – prayer is even important to people of other religions. How many times a day do we pray? When we do pray, what do our prayers sound like? I guess this kind of goes back to the whole, “you really learn to understand when God teaches you on a personal level,” thing. Verses 4 through 19 are Daniels prayer. When he prays he is not only sincere but he is really burdened about his sin and the sin of Jerusalem. He acknowledges that the reason they are in the predicament they are facing is solely because of their sin. I’ll get to the point. In verse 20, Daniel says, “Now why I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of God…” Do you see it yet?? No? Read it again. If someone summed up your prayers, would it sound like that? Mine wouldn’t! I have really been convicted lately about my prayer life and the sincerity and time I spend in prayer. I spend a lot of time simply talking to God, and even confessing and seeking His heart, but I don’t spend enough time praising Him in the midst of it. And I sure don’t do a whole lot of praying for my country or the sinners I encounter every day. We expect God to use us to change the people around us and lead them to Him, but how can we when we don’t even give Him sufficient time in praying for them? We don’t even give Him ample “space” in our prayer lives where we just praise Him for what He has done and what He is doing in our lives. Sure, we thank Him for the day…and the food…and that He has kept everyone we love safe, but where is the petition for change in our world? Where is the fraction of praise and blessing that He so greatly deserves?! It’s stuck between our throats and selfish heart. Daniels prayer was 15 verses of truly petitioning God for change and mercy. In the midst of it He glorified God. What’s hindering your prayer life from truly being a time of worship rather than just something you do? Think about it…

Reliance: Survival at it's Best

God has a way of teaching us things in very unusual and unique ways. It’s kind of humorous and I suppose, a but refreshing how you can grow up knowing a certain concept about God, but never really understanding it until He allows you to learn it on a personal level; God’s reliance: that’s where I am at the current moment. The past year and a half, two years, God has really tried and tested my commitment to Him. There have been many downfalls, disasters, and rock bottom moments, but there have also been times of faith and faithfulness, love, strength, and a will to just keep on fighting. All of this being said, learning to rely fully on God is a concept that many Christians know but they do not put into action. I’m not talking about learning to rely on Him when it’s the typical time to call upon the throne of the Father, or in those times where you really do hit rock bottom. All of those are desperately important, but I’m thinking about the sole reliance of survival. The type of grip that says “I cannot live, breathe, move, drive to work, pass this anatomy test, without YOU God,” type of reliance. (I know it may sound kind of absurd, but just hear me out.) When we begin to learn, really learn…not just know, that full reliance on God is pivotal for a genuine, joy-filled, relationship with the one, true, God, life begins to look a whole lot greener…and I’m not talking about just one side of the grass here. Think about it. If there is one thing, which there are many, that can truly set us apart from the unbelievers in this world, it’s the fact that we can call upon our God and know that He truly wants what is best for us. There is no selfishness in His decisions, no pride in His choices. He desires for us to be the best we can be. ( This isn’t possible apart from Him) He desires to bless us beyond our wildest imaginations! Most of the time He does; but we are so caught up in the traffic that we miss the beautiful sun rise, or too busy concentrating on the absurd people in the library to realize a young man reading his bible. Little encounters of every day life, to me, are blessings from God; tiny reminders of His love and his faithfulness. So next time you are running late for class, stressed out from studying, annoyed, or tired, take a look around; stop making yourself so important, and not only hear God’s voice, but look around…He is constantly waiting for you to receive the blessings He showers all day long. [all day every day :]

Just what you need....right when you need it.

It’s amazing to me how God always gives you just what you need, right when you need it. Okay, I know this is GOD we are talking about, and everything about Him is amazing…but the fact that He loves us so much still astounds and humbles me. There have been some concerns and issues that have really been burdening my heart recently and I have found myself consumed in attempting to figure out how to make the right decision and choose the “correct path” to venture out on. By the time I realized I needed to stop trying to figure it out and let God work it out, my heart was overwhelmed and let’s just say my emotions were running rampant. (Since I’m a girl I’m allowed a few of those in my lifetime.) I remember driving in my car and just asking God to tell me what to do! We were having a nice little chat and I’m sure the people driving by me made an extra effort to hurry themselves along because a crazy person was on the loose. (So it’s a good thing it was dark and no one could see me.) I simply poured my heart out to Him. I told Him why I was scared and that more than anything I just longed to be in His will. I didn’t want my emotions to get in the way of one of the critical decisions I had to make, (…still have to make) and I didn’t want my own selfish desires or motives to get in the way of my thinking. I had been asking God to give me peace, and as soon as I realized why I had been worrying, and sincerely gave it to Him, peace is what He gave me. Right at the moment of defeat, He will give you everything you need to pick your head up and look straight to Him. Right after this little incident, He so graciously allowed me to run into someone whom I have great respect and love for and really used them to encourage me and lift me up in prayer. I know that was God. So be encouraged and never allow your pride to keep you from pouring out your heart before the Father who longs to hear your voice!

What are others seeing in your life?

Daniel 6 is a very popular story that many people have heard; Daniel and the Lions Den. As i was reading over it, a few things really stuck out to me. vs. 9-14 says,"Therefore King Darius signed the written decree. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.”
"So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day. And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him." In verse 10 it talks about Daniel's prayer life and says how praying, with his window open, 3 times a day was his basic routine. Odds are, everyone knew Daniel was a man of prayer. So when King Darius realized that Daniel had "broken" his newly established law, his heart broke! he knew Daniel prayed 3 times a day and in the midst of his haughtiness and pride, he "sealed" Daniels fate. Verse 16 says, "So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” vs. 18 " Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him."

The main thing i want to point out is Daniels testimony. As i have studied and read this, i am amazed and inspired. Darius was not a follower of Daniels God...yet he KNEW that Daniel's God would deliver him. The king noted Daniel to be a man who "continually served his God." What do unbelievers know you to be? Are you just some other person they work with, or attend classes with? Or do they see something different in you? Have you made conscious efforts to shine the light of Christ and show His love to them? If not, why not? Is your pride causing you to take a back seat and just ride through life? Darius spent the entire night fasting, and i assume this consisted of hoping and praying to Daniels God to protect him and deliver him from the mouth of the lions. Have you left that kind of impact on the people you are around every day? The point to where an they would petition the God that they declared non-existent? God had huge plans for Daniel, and because of his obedience we get to see the blessings that God wishes to bestow on each of his children who are continually seeking Him, even in the lion's den.

No matter where life has you right now, don't give up. Join me in modeling Daniel's example and living a life of obedience to God. He will do great things with a willing heart. Are you willing to trust Him with it?

Pride - a bitter bite to swallow

I have been doing my devotions in Daniel the past few weeks. John MacArthur has these bible commentaries, I guess you could call them, that go through the scriptures and provide detailed meaning to specific words and phrases throughout the passages. ( greatest quiet time books i have ever had) MacArthur brought up a great point about pride and caused me to look at it in a whole new light" Pride is the supreme temptation from Satan because pride is at the heart of his own evil nature...We will always be in a battle with pride until the Lord takes us to be with Himself. Our only protection against pride, and our only source of humility, is a proper view of God. Pride is the sin of competing with God, and humility is the virtue of submitting to His supreme glory..." . Chapter 4 is talking about King Nebuchadnezzar and how he was humiliated, to the point of becoming like the beasts of the earth, because of his pride and lack of humility. I know so many people who, if you dug down to the root of it, struggle so badly with pride because they are competing with God for supremacy over their lives. We all have issues with pride; it can be over the smallest issues, for example, admitting your wrong or even onto a bigger problem of remaining in your sin because you will not admit that you are a sinner in desperate need of a perfect Savior. In order for us to be effective witness for Christ, we must be meek and swallow our prideful arrogance. 1 Peter 3:15 says, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." Join me in making a conscious effort to swallow your pride...when you're driving, before you pass judgement onto someone when simply passing them on campus, and when we are talking to our Perfect, Savior.