Oh, the Places!
The instructions He gave Moses in Exodus repeatedly reminded them not to worship any other gods because no other god carried His character traits of mercy and justice and grace and faithfulness and so many more. To misrepresent His character was to take His Name in vain!
In the Old Testament, God chose to place His Name on His chosen people as a nation and specifically on the Tabernacle and later Solomon’s Temple. This was the place where God placed His Name. But even the prophets knew the buildings were temporary. Ezekial records the glory of God leaving the temple sometime before it was destroyed in 586 BC and there is no record of His presence returning to either the second temple or Herod’s temple.
Scripture: Deuteronomy 12:5-14; John 4:19-24; James 4:8-10
Prayer: Father, help me always surrender to You and Your plan for my life. Help me to draw closer to You by recognizing your amazing gift of salvation. Write Your Name on my life and use me to shine a spotlight on You so others can see what an amazing God you are. Amen
Respond: Think about this statement – “You are as close to God right now as you want to be.” You may want to reject the thought, but this statement is so true! You can be as close to God as you want to be! What do you need to be as close to God as you want to be?
The explanation that made me realize I needed to keep the basics in front of my students regularly was that of walking the same area across grass. If you walk several times a day for a few days, a path might begin to show, but it will disappear if you quit walking the same path. However, walking the same path daily and continuing it regularly will cause the grass to stay off the path where it is clearly visible. The same happens to us as we read God’s Word. If we study for two weeks and then quit, it doesn’t stay with us. However, if we continue to study on a daily basis, we will retain it better as well as draw closer to God.
I read my Bible daily every morning and try to have some quiet prayer time as well. However, that schedule may not work for you. Find what does. The important thing is to continue on a regular basis until it becomes a habit. That’s not to say that you should simply read and pray because it’s the thing to do at that time. You need to crave God’s presence and desire to meet with Him. But it may take a few times of making yourself do it to begin to realize just how much you are getting out of it.
Put in some extra time studying what a particular passage means. Did you read enough to get the entire context? Don’t just read one or two verses and take them without checking what comes before and after. What do the original words mean? I know that the English language has changed greatly just in my lifetime. It certainly has changed since the King James version was translated. Besides checking other more modern versions of the Bible, you may want to check what the original Hebrew or Greek meant.
Make time for God. After all, He made time and gave His only Son just for us. In fact, He gives us all the time we have, so use some of that time to take a daily walk with Him in His Word. Renew your relationship with Him through prayer. Create a path that doesn’t go away.
Scriptures to read: Isaiah 58:2; Acts 17:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Prayer: Lord, thank you that I can come to You at any time for any reason. We don’t have to wait to be in church or on our knees or for a certain time of day. You’re as close as a thought. Help me to remember to call on You at all times, whether it be to thank You, to ask You for help, to intercede for someone else, or simply to remain close to You. I want Your will done and for You to be glorified in everything. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Respond: Make a special time today for God. Even if you already meet Him every morning or evening or whenever, take a few extra minutes to meet Him at a special time. Ask Him to help you remember to come to Him daily (even if you already do, because our lives do get busy sometimes and we forget). Then DO IT.
SEED FLINGER
By Judy Wallace this is article seventeen in our series on drawing closer to God.
I saved as many seeds as I could.
Why do we make this so difficult? What are our excuses?
- “I don’t know what to say?’
- “What if I say the wrong thing?”
- “What if they ask me a question that I don’t know how to answer?”
- “I don’t really have any opportunities to witness.”
Does the interaction with a stranger bring up the topic of weather? Then state, “I’m so glad I’m not in charge of the weather. The Lord knows what He is doing.” I’ve had responses all the way from “Yes He does” to “I’m not so sure”! But seed was flung!
What if you are number fifteen?!?! What if you do have the privilege of taking someone through the plan of salvation? Does that stir fear in your heart? We will cover that in my next blog. Until then, meditate on these scriptures and respond to them.
SCRIPTURE:
- Matthew 28:18-20
- Acts 1:8
- Matthew 4:19
- Acts 22:15
- Romans 7:4b
- Proverbs 11:30
- Daniel 12:3
- Luke 8:1-15
What convicts, instructs, or encourages you from these verses?
RECOMMENDATION:
God Space: Where Spiritual Conversations Happen Naturally by Doug Pollock
I highly recommend you get this book and read it. You may not agree with everything he says, but I do think you will walk away with a wider view of evangelism and less fear.
“We are not responsible for a single conversion,
But we are responsible for every single conversation.”
(I first read this quote in the God Space book but I am not sure if this is where it originates.)
God’s Voice/ Satan’s Voice
By Susie Edgar. This is articke sixteen in our series on drawing closer to God.
Isn’t that just like God to make it simple enough that even the least of us can understand.
I pray God’s voice becomes clear to you at this very moment in your time of need.
God’s Voice: stills you, lead you, reassures you, enlightens you, encourages you, comforts you, calms you, convicts you
Satan’s Voice: rushes you, pushes you, frightens you, confuses you, discourages you, worries you, obsesses you, condems you
PRAYER: Thank you, Father, that I am a member of Your body and a dwelling place of Your Spirit.
SCRIPTURES: John 10:27; 1 John 4:1; Psalm 143:8
Climb Every Mountain
By Valarie Fish. This is article fifteen in our series on drawing closer to God.
It seems people are always hungry for something: food, money, love, sex, free time, friends, etc. But how many times are we hungry for God’s Word and fellowship with Him?
You know, if you’d never tried chocolate (or some other food that you now enjoy), you’d never be hungry for it because you wouldn’t know it was so good. But once you tried it, you became hungry for it. One of my grandsons is like that about brisket or meatloaf. He didn’t want to try them the first time, but now he begs for them all the time.
The same is true about God’s Word.
If we don’t spend time in His Word, then we don’t know how good it is and how much we want it. We find Mary of Bethany understood that. Apparently, she had possibly helped serve Jesus on His previous visits to Martha’s house where Mary lived. During that time, she must have heard His teaching and wanted to hear more. That’s probably how she came to sit at the Savior’s feet when He came to visit her and her sister and their brother Lazarus in Bethany. (Luke 10:38-42) She couldn’t pull herself away long enough to help Martha serve the guests because she was so enthralled with His message. Even Jesus Himself said that Mary had chosen the “good part” (listening to Him) that day.
We need to learn to listen to what the Bible says so that we may be closer to God. As a result of listening to Him, then our actions also help draw us closer to Him. Mary put her faith and love into action in John 12:1-8. No one told Mary to anoint Jesus’ feet. In fact, some tried to prevent it and criticized her for doing it. However, the Lord said it was preparation for the end of His life. She didn’t know that, obviously, but she followed God’s leading. The closer we are to God, the more we are aware of what He wants us to do.
Are we hungry for God’s Word? Do we really want Him to be involved in every aspect of our lives?
I’m afraid some of us want Him there only part of the time because we aren’t doing what we should and we’re afraid He will reprimand us. Or maybe we’re afraid God might ask us to do something that we don’t want to do. None of this should matter because the only thing that will bring us true joy is being in God’s will. Reading and studying God’s Word daily is the only way to stay in His will. That’s time well spent with God.
Do you have a favorite passage or story in the Bible? Check it out and really study it. You may find something that you hadn’t noticed before. God may also send you a message with an answer to something you’ve been praying about or a direction of something He wants you to do. Try reading the scripture in more than one version and also using a commentary to help understand something new about the passage. Stay in the Word daily.
Scriptures: Luke 10:38-42 and John 12:1-8
Respond: If you don’t already have a Bible app that contains a concordance, several scripture versions (including original language versions), commentary, and other helps, find one such as Bible Hub or Logos. Both are free but may also have purchases available within the apps. If you aren’t tech savvy (and you don’t have to be much to use either of those), then at least invest in a thorough concordance or other helps. There are also many good commentaries, but it can get expensive to purchase books so you may want to check out the library. Your church may even have some as well.
The Kneeling Christian.
(Recommended Book by Susie Edgar)
“A traveler in China visited a heathen temple on a great feast day. Many were the worshipers of the hideous idol enclosed in a sacred shrine. The visitor noticed that most of the devotees brought with them small pieces of paper on which prayers had been written or printed. These were wrapped up in little balls of stiff mud and flung at the idol. He enquired the reason for this strange proceeding and was told that if the mud ball stuck fast to the idol, then the prayer would assuredly be answered; but if the mud fell off, the prayer was rejected by the god.
We may smile at this peculiar way of testing the acceptability of prayer. But is it not a fact that the majority of Christian men and women who pray to a Living God know very little about real prevailing prayer? Yet prayer is the key that unlocks the door of God’s treasure-house.
It is not too much to say that all real growth in the spiritual life—all victory over temptation, all confidence and peace in the presence of difficulties and dangers, all repose of spirit in times of great disappointment or loss, all habitual communion with God—depends upon the practice of secret prayer.
This book was written by request and with much hesitancy. It goes forth with much prayer. May He who said, “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint, teach us to pray.” (Author’s preface. Author, An Unknown Christian. Credited to Albert Ernest Richardson. The Kneeling Christian. Zondervan books.)
Incredible Promises
In our Lord’s last discourse, he said; “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you. “ John 16:23 KJV.
Do we really believe this?
We must if we believe our Bibles. Do we really desire to do God’s will? Do we really believe His promises? If so, will it not lead us to spend more time on our knees before God?
Do not vow to pray so much a day. Resolve to pray much. The writer states he is quite certain of this fact. God wants us to pray.
SCRIPTURE: “And he said unto them, when ye pray, say, ‘Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.’” Luke 11:2.
RESPOND: As you read this book, the writer most earnestly implores you not to read hurriedly what is contained in these chapters. Much—very much—depends upon the way in which every reader receives what is there recorded. For everything depends upon prayer. (Purchase the book in the link. We do not recieve compensation from sales, we are not affiliated with Zondervan of Amazon).
Billy Graham was asked If he had a system in which he used to study his Bible. He replied;
When we pray, we must not only pray but listen.
The Songs I Cannot Sing
The second verse of the old hymn “Sunshine in my Soul” by Eliza Edmunds Hewitt says this:
“There is music in my soul today, a carol to my King;
Scripture: “Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies (dedicating all of yourselves, set apart) as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.” Romans 12:1 AMP
Prayer: Father, thank you for giving me the opportunity to praise you with or without a voice. Let my surrender be my act of worship. Let me lift my voice to You and hear the songs I cannot sing. Use this blog to encourage someone to praise you with their whole heart and worship you in spirit and in truth. Amen
I’ve never liked noise.
Well, today I had to.
And it was the ultimate noisemaker: an MRI. I’ve had several during my life, but this one seemed louder than any other. It was also longer than most, and was made even longer by the machine throwing glitches into some of the pictures. However, thank God I survived!
It’s not too late to memorize even now. I’ve memorized several as an adult. You may choose your version of the Bible to learn. I’ve tried various versions, but always have to memorize the King James because that’s what I heard for so many years that I get mixed up if I try memorizing anything else.
There’s an app.
I have it on iPhone, but I’m sure you can probably get it on any phone. Just check the App Store. It’s called Bible Memory and has a photo of an open Bible. You may choose various versions of the Bible (although I think all except the KJV costs extra).
Well, just as I did today, I could not take anything into the MRI with me. But those verses were a comfort and helped keep my mind off the noise!
That’s not the only reason, though.
There are many instances where it comes in handy to know many verses. I often think of scripture as I’m driving down the road talking to God. He will remind me of something in the Bible that I need to know for the particular situation that concerns.
Scripture: Psalm 119:11
Prayer: “Lord, thank You for giving us Your word to guide us through life. Thank You especially for bringing it to my mind at just the perfect time to help me through my day. Help me to learn more scripture so that I will have it readily available when I need Your perspective of some situation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
At the end of Genesis, we see that Jacob’s family had grown to seventy people. Now over four hundred years later, they are called the children of Israel. God had made them fruitful, increased them abundantly, made them exceedingly mighty, and now filled the land of Egypt with them. Yeah for Israel!
But it was not so ‘yeah’ as far as Egypt was concerned. Instead, there was a problem. Many generations had passed since Joseph had died and the new Pharoah knew nothing of him and cared nothing for these people. Instead, he had grown fearful of the increase in their numbers and was concerned they might join other nations in a war against Egypt. The problem now for the new Pharaoh was to figure out a plan to not only reduce their numbers but to basically destroy their existence.
PHAROAH’S PLANS
His first try was given to us in Exodus 1:11-14. “ 11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens…12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage… all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.” The term rigor means harshness, severity, or cruelty and comes from a root word meaning to break apart or crush. But during this harsh persecution, the Israelites flourished and grew in numbers. Now Pharaoh had to go to Plan B! His Plan B became Shiphrah and Puah’s problem #1! The king called these two women in and told them when they assisted the Hebrew women at their time of delivery, they were to kill all the boy babies but could let the baby girls live.
THEIR POSITION
They were now put in a position where they had to make a decision. This could have proved a huge problem for these two ladies but evidently not. The head of the country was certainly to be feared and he had given them orders to take the lives of all baby boys. But they had a greater fear…”17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.” When Pharaoh asked about this, they told him the Hebrew women were strong in their delivery. Some say they lied. We don’t know that! It could have been the Israelite women were more physically strong and of greater fortitude than the Egyptians. Whatever the case, they followed God and God responded!
GOD’S PROVISION
God never leaves obedience unrewarded. ” 20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.” In this case, he made the midwives’ houses. This term ‘houses’ may have meant children of their own because midwives often took these jobs because they were childless. It could also have been actual, physical homes. Either way, they obeyed under difficult circumstances and He blessed them in response.
But also, the Lord used these women to help bring Moses into the world: the very same Moses that would be the great deliverer of the Israelites from the land of Egypt. They knew God! They feared God! They obeyed God! Their actions helped the lineage of our Messiah be protected!
SCRIPTURE:
Acts 4:19 “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.”
Acts 5:29 “ Then Peter and the apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than man.”
Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
Daniel 11:32b “…but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”
RESPOND: Two common ladies doing a common job but in a mighty warrior kind of way. How?
- They feared God and the scriptures say the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
- Because of this they knew they ought to obey God rather than man.
- People that know God shall be strong and do exploits.
What problem, what hard decision are you facing? Keep your thoughts and efforts on knowing God and obeying what He shows you. There is no telling how you will be blessed and be a blessing to others.
Use the meaning of these ladies’ names to describe what obedience can mean to ourselves and others.
Shiphrah: fair; to make beautiful; to adorn
Puah: splendor; to glitter; brilliant
In the trials and heartaches we face today, never doubt God is still Sovereign and God is still in control. Never doubt He sees and He will repay your faithfulness.
It Is Well with My Soul
When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well it is well with my soul
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blest assurance control, that Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed his own blood for my soul
My sin, Oh the bliss of this glorious thought, My sin not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise, praise the Lord, oh my soul
And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, “Even so” it is well with my soul.
All the Lonely People
-by Valarie Fish. This is article seven in our series on drawing closer to God.
(This was written in 2007 after a mission trip to Asia, recently updated)
We barely made the last shuttle bus of the evening from the airport to our hotel. After 20 hours of flying, I was ready for a bed where I could stretch out and get some sleep. My body wasn’t made to stay awake for more than 30 hours straight.
As I write, my best friend and I are in Hong Kong for a retreat. We are going to meet with women who are working as missionaries in various Asian countries. It’s hard to believe the planning and excitement of our trip now culminates in this overwhelming exhaustion.
The shuttle bus driver swerved through the crowded narrow streets with expertise. Sitting up so high we watched the scenery through large, tourist-friendly windows. Not much to see at 1:00 in the morning until we got into the city proper.
From the safety of my tinted windows, I watched people. Couples walked hand in hand: one young woman proudly holding her bouquet of roses. I realized that crossing the International Date Line we have missed Valentines Day. An older man on a bicycle threaded his way through with sacks of goods on the handlebars. He looked tired. One street corner had five or six teenage boys with their hair spiked and their pants riding low, smoking cigarettes. I looked at them and saw babies trying to be grown-up. In front of us a public city bus stopped to let a young woman off. She walked resolutely from the motor vehicle and as she passed my window she started to cry.
Here I am half-way around the world, and I see the same emotions that I would find in my own neighborhood. In this case the wearers are clothed with different colored skin and cultural features, but they are still the same. Infatuation, fatigue, emotional pain, and adolescent bravado – all are universal.
I wonder if anyone will tell them that Jesus loves them? That’s because the answer to all the pains of life is also universal – to know the love of the One who created you for a purpose. Our Father gave us all unique life experiences and placed us in our families and homes for a reason. In Acts 17:24-27 Paul talks about how God made the world and gives life and determines the seasons and the birthplace of every precious soul on earth. Verse 27 states the reason for this. “So that they should seek the Lord… and find Him though He is not far away from every one of us.”
I don’t know why He chose for me to be born in the US and another woman to be born in Hong Kong and another in Russia or Kenya. I do know He saved me and led me to know Him so that I may introduce Him to others I will meet. God designed these universal emotions to emphasize the gaping hole in a heart that tries to live without Him. Maybe I will get a chance to see the lady from the bus, or perhaps God has ordained that task for someone else who can offer comfort for her pain. Maybe you have been privileged to lighten the load for someone else. I pray some kind word or smile from one of His children will open the way for someone to know the love of Christ.
Just as we all feel closer to children when they are obedient, so does God feel closer to us when we are. In turn, we will feel closer to Him as well. Don’t we all prefer to snuggle in His arms rather than feel that furrowed brow frowning on us as we attempt to make up for our disobedience?
“Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14)
When both my boys were toddlers they would often not pay attention to me when I would give an instruction. Especially an instruction they didn’t want to follow right at that moment. Sometimes they would respond, but I knew they weren’t really listening. The parenting books all agree when talking with children you should get down to their level. “Look right here, at my face,” I would say and then make eye contact. Often I would make them repeat what I said so that I knew they understood.
Early on toddlers also learn “face time” means you are listening to them. If I were distracted they would get up in my face sometimes to the point of holding their little hands on each side of my cheeks and looking me right in the eye “mommy, you have to listen!”
Each day, if you take a few moments to commune with your Father you can be certain He hears you. The above passage says He inclined His ear, which means He leans in and gives you His undivided attention! If you have ever experienced this then you understand why the Psalmist wrote the next phrase – “Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.” When you really know God is listening you will learn to take every concern and every care and crawl up into His lap to talk to Him.
Sometimes God takes this approach with you and me. He has given all the instructions. He wants you to read them and then practice listening! Repeat back the instruction so He knows you understand. This is what makes studying the written Word of God so important. You have to read it to hear it. You have to understand it to be able to follow. You have to follow through to prove you heard the instruction in the first place.
stands for “Communicate with God through prayer.” Prayer is the main thing that has carried
me through life. Just as one wants to talk to her best friend, husband, child, or whomever, she
should want to talk to God in the same way. I know when something exciting happens, I
immediately want to share it. By the same token, when problems arise, I need to discuss
matters with someone. Although I love to talk to my loved ones, God is the best One to talk to
in either case. God already knows exactly what has happened, but there is a comfort in
thanking Him for the good things and asking for His help to discern what to do in any situation.
Psalm 145:18 states, “The Lord is near unto all those who call upon Him, to all who call
upon Him in truth.” The more I talk to God, the closer I feel to Him, just as I would to anyone
with whom I communicate.
times to remember not to monopolize God’s time by only asking for help or by not
acknowledging that He will take care of everything in His own will. Since I love acrostics, I came
up with this one for PRAYER. Maybe it will help you as you draw closer to God through prayer.
Scriptures to Read:
Praise: Psalm 107:31-32
Repent: 1 John 1:9
Ask: Matthew 21:22
Yield: Matthew 26:39-45
Expect: 1 John 5:14-15
Rest: Matthew 11:28
Prayer: “Lord, that You for being there no matter what time or day or night that I come to You.
You listen faithfully to everything I say or think. Since I don’t have to talk aloud, I can pray even
in the midst of a crowded room. Please help me to remember to come to You first whether it’s
to rejoice or to cry. Show me, Lord, what You would have me do and how to be more faithful in
bringing You all of my hopes, dreams, and desires as well as my troubles. Thank You, again, for
being God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Respond: to God in prayer every chance you get today. Learn to communicate with Him on a regular basis.
Our purpose in life is to pursue a closer, more intimate relationship with Christ under the leadership and power of the Holy Spirit through the development of spiritual disciplines set forth in the acronym, C.L.O.S.E.R.
It was a long engagement: one year and two months to be exact. Tommy was in Bald Knob farming and I was finishing my senior year of college by student teaching in Ft Smith. It was hard to stay connected but we certainly made the effort.
There were no cell phones and to call long distance cost extra. So instead, we wrote letters. The letters were not just occasionally, they were daily! We ‘talked’ on paper and shared our daily activities. I would often beat the mailman to the mail box and received the precious writing straight into my hand. Immediately, I opened each letter knowing it was from the one who loved me deeply and wanted me to spend the rest of my life with him. It was how we stayed CLOSER while apart.
This year the Inspirational Resource Committee wants to post weekly blogs to our website all for the purpose of helping you draw CLOSER to our God. Our responsibility as a group is to recommend godly resources that help you grow, mature, and continue to pursue a more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. What better resource for this than the Bible! It is God’s precious letter to us. It is from the one who loves us deeply and wants us to spend the rest of our lives with Him! It is the source and foundation of many disciplines we need to pursue.
This year we will be using the acronym C.L.O.S.E.R.* to guide our writings and more importantly to encourage you in incorporating these spiritual endeavors into your daily lives.
C = Communicate with God through prayer
L = Learn to study and understand God’s Word
O = Obey
S = Store God’s word in your heart through memorization and meditation
E = Evangelize
R = Renew daily
Your writers will be our committee members: Valerie Fish, Susie Edgar, Jackie Ricks, and myself, Judy Wallace.
Join us weekly. Pray for us daily. Incorporate these disciplines regularly. It is what He has called us to do!
Scriptures to Read: James 4:8; Isaiah 26:3; Psalm 119:10; Matthew 5:6
Prayer: “Father, You are our Rock, our Shield, our Redeemer, Savior, and Friend. You are Lord of all, our Creator, our Shepherd, and Your presence is always with us. Even Your names bring peace into our lives. Plus, there is the wonder that You loved us enough to send Your Son to die for us as unworthy as we are. How is it that You invite us into Your Presence? That You long to fellowship with us? That You want us close to Your heart and partakers of Your Spirit’s power? How is it that we would dare refuse Your invitation to draw closer; to take time to study Your word, hide it in our hearts and minds, and seek Your face as a daily True North to follow? We cannot follow Your words unless we know them so help us on this journey to draw CLOSER each day to You and Your path for our lives. Help us love You more so that we may obey You fully. In Christ’s precious name, Amen.”
Respond to God with your own prayer from what you have read today.
The Kneeling Christian.
(Recommended Book by Susie Edgar)
“A traveler in China visited a heathen temple on a great feast day. Many were the worshipers of the hideous idol enclosed in a sacred shrine. The visitor noticed that most of the devotees brought with them small pieces of paper on which prayers had been written or printed. These were wrapped up in little balls of stiff mud and flung at the idol. He enquired the reason for this strange proceeding and was told that if the mud ball stuck fast to the idol, then the prayer would assuredly be answered; but if the mud fell off, the prayer was rejected by the god.
We may smile at this peculiar way of testing the acceptability of prayer. But is it not a fact that the majority of Christian men and women who pray to a Living God know very little about real prevailing prayer? Yet prayer is the key that unlocks the door of God’s treasure-house.
It is not too much to say that all real growth in the spiritual life—all victory over temptation, all confidence and peace in the presence of difficulties and dangers, all repose of spirit in times of great disappointment or loss, all habitual communion with God—depends upon the practice of secret prayer.
This book was written by request and with much hesitancy. It goes forth with much prayer. May He who said, “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint, teach us to pray.” (Author’s preface. Author, An Unknown Christian. Credited to Albert Ernest Richardson. The Kneeling Christian. Zondervan books.)
Incredible Promises
In our Lord’s last discourse, he said; “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you. “ John 16:23 KJV.
Do we really believe this?
We must if we believe our Bibles. Do we really desire to do God’s will? Do we really believe His promises? If so, will it not lead us to spend more time on our knees before God?
Do not vow to pray so much a day. Resolve to pray much. The writer states he is quite certain of this fact. God wants us to pray.
SCRIPTURE: “And he said unto them, when ye pray, say, ‘Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.’” Luke 11:2.
RESPOND: As you read this book, the writer most earnestly implores you not to read hurriedly what is contained in these chapters. Much—very much—depends upon the way in which every reader receives what is there recorded. For everything depends upon prayer. (Purchase the book in the link. We do not recieve compensation from sales, we are not affiliated with Zondervan of Amazon).
Billy Graham was asked If he had a system in which he used to study his Bible. He replied;
When we pray, we must not only pray but listen.
The Songs I Cannot Sing
The second verse of the old hymn “Sunshine in my Soul” by Eliza Edmunds Hewitt says this:
“There is music in my soul today, a carol to my King;
Scripture: “Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies (dedicating all of yourselves, set apart) as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.” Romans 12:1 AMP
Prayer: Father, thank you for giving me the opportunity to praise you with or without a voice. Let my surrender be my act of worship. Let me lift my voice to You and hear the songs I cannot sing. Use this blog to encourage someone to praise you with their whole heart and worship you in spirit and in truth. Amen
I’ve never liked noise.
Well, today I had to.
And it was the ultimate noisemaker: an MRI. I’ve had several during my life, but this one seemed louder than any other. It was also longer than most, and was made even longer by the machine throwing glitches into some of the pictures. However, thank God I survived!
It’s not too late to memorize even now. I’ve memorized several as an adult. You may choose your version of the Bible to learn. I’ve tried various versions, but always have to memorize the King James because that’s what I heard for so many years that I get mixed up if I try memorizing anything else.
There’s an app.
I have it on iPhone, but I’m sure you can probably get it on any phone. Just check the App Store. It’s called Bible Memory and has a photo of an open Bible. You may choose various versions of the Bible (although I think all except the KJV costs extra).
Well, just as I did today, I could not take anything into the MRI with me. But those verses were a comfort and helped keep my mind off the noise!
That’s not the only reason, though.
There are many instances where it comes in handy to know many verses. I often think of scripture as I’m driving down the road talking to God. He will remind me of something in the Bible that I need to know for the particular situation that concerns.
Scripture: Psalm 119:11
Prayer: “Lord, thank You for giving us Your word to guide us through life. Thank You especially for bringing it to my mind at just the perfect time to help me through my day. Help me to learn more scripture so that I will have it readily available when I need Your perspective of some situation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
At the end of Genesis, we see that Jacob’s family had grown to seventy people. Now over four hundred years later, they are called the children of Israel. God had made them fruitful, increased them abundantly, made them exceedingly mighty, and now filled the land of Egypt with them. Yeah for Israel!
But it was not so ‘yeah’ as far as Egypt was concerned. Instead, there was a problem. Many generations had passed since Joseph had died and the new Pharoah knew nothing of him and cared nothing for these people. Instead, he had grown fearful of the increase in their numbers and was concerned they might join other nations in a war against Egypt. The problem now for the new Pharaoh was to figure out a plan to not only reduce their numbers but to basically destroy their existence.
PHAROAH’S PLANS
His first try was given to us in Exodus 1:11-14. “ 11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens…12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage… all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.” The term rigor means harshness, severity, or cruelty and comes from a root word meaning to break apart or crush. But during this harsh persecution, the Israelites flourished and grew in numbers. Now Pharaoh had to go to Plan B! His Plan B became Shiphrah and Puah’s problem #1! The king called these two women in and told them when they assisted the Hebrew women at their time of delivery, they were to kill all the boy babies but could let the baby girls live.
THEIR POSITION
They were now put in a position where they had to make a decision. This could have proved a huge problem for these two ladies but evidently not. The head of the country was certainly to be feared and he had given them orders to take the lives of all baby boys. But they had a greater fear…”17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.” When Pharaoh asked about this, they told him the Hebrew women were strong in their delivery. Some say they lied. We don’t know that! It could have been the Israelite women were more physically strong and of greater fortitude than the Egyptians. Whatever the case, they followed God and God responded!
GOD’S PROVISION
God never leaves obedience unrewarded. ” 20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.” In this case, he made the midwives’ houses. This term ‘houses’ may have meant children of their own because midwives often took these jobs because they were childless. It could also have been actual, physical homes. Either way, they obeyed under difficult circumstances and He blessed them in response.
But also, the Lord used these women to help bring Moses into the world: the very same Moses that would be the great deliverer of the Israelites from the land of Egypt. They knew God! They feared God! They obeyed God! Their actions helped the lineage of our Messiah be protected!
SCRIPTURE:
Acts 4:19 “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.”
Acts 5:29 “ Then Peter and the apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than man.”
Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
Daniel 11:32b “…but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”
RESPOND: Two common ladies doing a common job but in a mighty warrior kind of way. How?
- They feared God and the scriptures say the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
- Because of this they knew they ought to obey God rather than man.
- People that know God shall be strong and do exploits.
What problem, what hard decision are you facing? Keep your thoughts and efforts on knowing God and obeying what He shows you. There is no telling how you will be blessed and be a blessing to others.
Use the meaning of these ladies’ names to describe what obedience can mean to ourselves and others.
Shiphrah: fair; to make beautiful; to adorn
Puah: splendor; to glitter; brilliant
In the trials and heartaches we face today, never doubt God is still Sovereign and God is still in control. Never doubt He sees and He will repay your faithfulness.
It Is Well with My Soul
When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well it is well with my soul
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blest assurance control, that Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed his own blood for my soul
My sin, Oh the bliss of this glorious thought, My sin not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise, praise the Lord, oh my soul
And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, “Even so” it is well with my soul.
All the Lonely People
-by Valarie Fish. This is article seven in our series on drawing closer to God.
(This was written in 2007 after a mission trip to Asia, recently updated)
We barely made the last shuttle bus of the evening from the airport to our hotel. After 20 hours of flying, I was ready for a bed where I could stretch out and get some sleep. My body wasn’t made to stay awake for more than 30 hours straight.
As I write, my best friend and I are in Hong Kong for a retreat. We are going to meet with women who are working as missionaries in various Asian countries. It’s hard to believe the planning and excitement of our trip now culminates in this overwhelming exhaustion.
The shuttle bus driver swerved through the crowded narrow streets with expertise. Sitting up so high we watched the scenery through large, tourist-friendly windows. Not much to see at 1:00 in the morning until we got into the city proper.
From the safety of my tinted windows, I watched people. Couples walked hand in hand: one young woman proudly holding her bouquet of roses. I realized that crossing the International Date Line we have missed Valentines Day. An older man on a bicycle threaded his way through with sacks of goods on the handlebars. He looked tired. One street corner had five or six teenage boys with their hair spiked and their pants riding low, smoking cigarettes. I looked at them and saw babies trying to be grown-up. In front of us a public city bus stopped to let a young woman off. She walked resolutely from the motor vehicle and as she passed my window she started to cry.
Here I am half-way around the world, and I see the same emotions that I would find in my own neighborhood. In this case the wearers are clothed with different colored skin and cultural features, but they are still the same. Infatuation, fatigue, emotional pain, and adolescent bravado – all are universal.
I wonder if anyone will tell them that Jesus loves them? That’s because the answer to all the pains of life is also universal – to know the love of the One who created you for a purpose. Our Father gave us all unique life experiences and placed us in our families and homes for a reason. In Acts 17:24-27 Paul talks about how God made the world and gives life and determines the seasons and the birthplace of every precious soul on earth. Verse 27 states the reason for this. “So that they should seek the Lord… and find Him though He is not far away from every one of us.”
I don’t know why He chose for me to be born in the US and another woman to be born in Hong Kong and another in Russia or Kenya. I do know He saved me and led me to know Him so that I may introduce Him to others I will meet. God designed these universal emotions to emphasize the gaping hole in a heart that tries to live without Him. Maybe I will get a chance to see the lady from the bus, or perhaps God has ordained that task for someone else who can offer comfort for her pain. Maybe you have been privileged to lighten the load for someone else. I pray some kind word or smile from one of His children will open the way for someone to know the love of Christ.
Just as we all feel closer to children when they are obedient, so does God feel closer to us when we are. In turn, we will feel closer to Him as well. Don’t we all prefer to snuggle in His arms rather than feel that furrowed brow frowning on us as we attempt to make up for our disobedience?
“Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14)
When both my boys were toddlers they would often not pay attention to me when I would give an instruction. Especially an instruction they didn’t want to follow right at that moment. Sometimes they would respond, but I knew they weren’t really listening. The parenting books all agree when talking with children you should get down to their level. “Look right here, at my face,” I would say and then make eye contact. Often I would make them repeat what I said so that I knew they understood.
Early on toddlers also learn “face time” means you are listening to them. If I were distracted they would get up in my face sometimes to the point of holding their little hands on each side of my cheeks and looking me right in the eye “mommy, you have to listen!”
Each day, if you take a few moments to commune with your Father you can be certain He hears you. The above passage says He inclined His ear, which means He leans in and gives you His undivided attention! If you have ever experienced this then you understand why the Psalmist wrote the next phrase – “Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.” When you really know God is listening you will learn to take every concern and every care and crawl up into His lap to talk to Him.
Sometimes God takes this approach with you and me. He has given all the instructions. He wants you to read them and then practice listening! Repeat back the instruction so He knows you understand. This is what makes studying the written Word of God so important. You have to read it to hear it. You have to understand it to be able to follow. You have to follow through to prove you heard the instruction in the first place.
stands for “Communicate with God through prayer.” Prayer is the main thing that has carried
me through life. Just as one wants to talk to her best friend, husband, child, or whomever, she
should want to talk to God in the same way. I know when something exciting happens, I
immediately want to share it. By the same token, when problems arise, I need to discuss
matters with someone. Although I love to talk to my loved ones, God is the best One to talk to
in either case. God already knows exactly what has happened, but there is a comfort in
thanking Him for the good things and asking for His help to discern what to do in any situation.
Psalm 145:18 states, “The Lord is near unto all those who call upon Him, to all who call
upon Him in truth.” The more I talk to God, the closer I feel to Him, just as I would to anyone
with whom I communicate.
times to remember not to monopolize God’s time by only asking for help or by not
acknowledging that He will take care of everything in His own will. Since I love acrostics, I came
up with this one for PRAYER. Maybe it will help you as you draw closer to God through prayer.
Scriptures to Read:
Praise: Psalm 107:31-32
Repent: 1 John 1:9
Ask: Matthew 21:22
Yield: Matthew 26:39-45
Expect: 1 John 5:14-15
Rest: Matthew 11:28
Prayer: “Lord, that You for being there no matter what time or day or night that I come to You.
You listen faithfully to everything I say or think. Since I don’t have to talk aloud, I can pray even
in the midst of a crowded room. Please help me to remember to come to You first whether it’s
to rejoice or to cry. Show me, Lord, what You would have me do and how to be more faithful in
bringing You all of my hopes, dreams, and desires as well as my troubles. Thank You, again, for
being God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Respond: to God in prayer every chance you get today. Learn to communicate with Him on a regular basis.
Our purpose in life is to pursue a closer, more intimate relationship with Christ under the leadership and power of the Holy Spirit through the development of spiritual disciplines set forth in the acronym, C.L.O.S.E.R.
It was a long engagement: one year and two months to be exact. Tommy was in Bald Knob farming and I was finishing my senior year of college by student teaching in Ft Smith. It was hard to stay connected but we certainly made the effort.
There were no cell phones and to call long distance cost extra. So instead, we wrote letters. The letters were not just occasionally, they were daily! We ‘talked’ on paper and shared our daily activities. I would often beat the mailman to the mail box and received the precious writing straight into my hand. Immediately, I opened each letter knowing it was from the one who loved me deeply and wanted me to spend the rest of my life with him. It was how we stayed CLOSER while apart.
This year the Inspirational Resource Committee wants to post weekly blogs to our website all for the purpose of helping you draw CLOSER to our God. Our responsibility as a group is to recommend godly resources that help you grow, mature, and continue to pursue a more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. What better resource for this than the Bible! It is God’s precious letter to us. It is from the one who loves us deeply and wants us to spend the rest of our lives with Him! It is the source and foundation of many disciplines we need to pursue.
This year we will be using the acronym C.L.O.S.E.R.* to guide our writings and more importantly to encourage you in incorporating these spiritual endeavors into your daily lives.
C = Communicate with God through prayer
L = Learn to study and understand God’s Word
O = Obey
S = Store God’s word in your heart through memorization and meditation
E = Evangelize
R = Renew daily
Your writers will be our committee members: Valerie Fish, Susie Edgar, Jackie Ricks, and myself, Judy Wallace.
Join us weekly. Pray for us daily. Incorporate these disciplines regularly. It is what He has called us to do!
Scriptures to Read: James 4:8; Isaiah 26:3; Psalm 119:10; Matthew 5:6
Prayer: “Father, You are our Rock, our Shield, our Redeemer, Savior, and Friend. You are Lord of all, our Creator, our Shepherd, and Your presence is always with us. Even Your names bring peace into our lives. Plus, there is the wonder that You loved us enough to send Your Son to die for us as unworthy as we are. How is it that You invite us into Your Presence? That You long to fellowship with us? That You want us close to Your heart and partakers of Your Spirit’s power? How is it that we would dare refuse Your invitation to draw closer; to take time to study Your word, hide it in our hearts and minds, and seek Your face as a daily True North to follow? We cannot follow Your words unless we know them so help us on this journey to draw CLOSER each day to You and Your path for our lives. Help us love You more so that we may obey You fully. In Christ’s precious name, Amen.”
Respond to God with your own prayer from what you have read today.