Jesus – Page 44 – Drawing Closer to Christ

The Desires Of Your Heart

Psalm 37:4 ESV, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

This scripture always brings to my mind the word “worship“, which is reverencing God and loving Him for who He is. When we live a life of worship towards the Lord, we delight in Him. When we delight in Him, we find joy in spending time with Him, and we find pleasure in living in obedience to His commands.

1 John 5:3 NLT, “Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.”

When we find delight in the Lord, He finds delight in granting us our hearts desires. The more time we spend with Him, the more understanding we will gain about who He is. As we become more like Jesus, we will have the same desires that He has for our lives, and for the lives of those who are around us. Fulfilling His purpose will be our main agenda. The motive behind our actions will always be love, loving God and loving others.

There may be times you feel that your faithfulness to God has not been properly rewarded. You may at times feel weary as you seek the Lord. If so, don’t hesitate to call out to Him in prayer. Cast your cares upon Him and allow Him to give you rest. One thing I’m learning about the Lord, is that His Word will not return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11). He will bring to past the words He has spoken. His promises are true, and His timing is perfect. The work He performs in our hearts and lives is thorough. He desires for us to be perfect (mature) and complete lacking nothing.

James 1:4 NJKV, “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

Keep persevering in patience as the Holy Spirit does a work in you. Keep being faithful as you serve God and walk in love toward others. He is working all things in your life together for good (Romans 8:28).

Forever Faithful

Psalm 36:5 NIV, “Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”

God’s love and faithfulness never end. Through every uncertainty, He still remains faithful and true. During times of difficulty, look up to Jesus. His loyalty reaches further than we can even understand. Rely on His strength. Find comfort in His presence. Be reassured of His everlasting love, and find joy in His complete sovereignty. There is no situation that is greater than His faithfulness. There is nothing that can separate you from His love (Romans 8:38).

Even in the darkness His light shines, so never stop hoping in Him. Let His Word guide you always. His Word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path (Psalm 129:105). If you feel lost, remember that He is there with you. Ask Him and He will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come (Jeremiah 33:3). Do not be afraid, only trust Him. Do not let fear hinder your progress or steal your peace. Overcome fear by walking in faith. Keep trusting in Him, He will direct your paths and make them straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Thank you Lord Jesus for being Forever Faithful!

Extend The Love Of Jesus

Ephesians 4:2, “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.”

Humble. Gentle. Patient. Forgiving. These are words that don’t exactly go along with today’s culture. Responding to people with humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness may even be viewed by some as a sign of weakness. But it’s actually quite the opposite. These attributes are part of who God is, and when we extend them to others, we are extending His love to them.

Extending genuine love to people is very powerful, because it will help them to see the hope that is found in Jesus. Through Jesus, we have been forgiven of so much. He has pardoned our sins and given us the privilege to be heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). When we are angry and upset, forgiving someone may not be what we want to do, but as children of God, it’s what we are called to do. When He calls us to a task, He will equip us with the grace we need to accomplish it.

We as children of God are set apart by a special calling to be humble, gentle, patient, and forgiving. It’s all part of the new nature we have in Christ. What a joy it is to rise above circumstances and walk in the ways of the Lord. The Holy Spirit living in us will empower us to represent the Lord Jesus in all we do. We are truly blessed.

Foolishness Leads To Ruin

Proverbs 19:3 NLT, “People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.”

When I read this verse, I immediately thought of my own life and the many times I have made sinful choices that caused me heartache and pain. But instead of taking responsibility for my sinful choices, I questioned God’s love for me or felt that He was being unfair. I can even recall times when I knew the Holy Spirit was cautioning me to avoid certain things or certain people, but I still chose to follow my own worldly desires and ended up regretting it.

Although sin can seem pleasing for a period of time, it eventually leads to ruin and death (James 1:15). There is no set timing on how long it can take for that ruin to come. It can happen quickly, or it can seem as if someone is persisting for an extended period of time with no repercussions to their actions, and then it all catches up with them. I can’t tell you how many times I have given God thanks for watching over me and delivering me from my foolishness. I’m thankful for the opportunity I had to repent and receive salvation through Jesus Christ. Even today, I’m thankful He forgives me when I sin and fall short.

If we believe what God says, we have to learn to trust His instructions. What he instructs us to do, is for our own good. When He tells us to refrain from certain actions, it’s because He in all of His wisdom knows and understands all things. He knows the dangers of sin, that is why He sacrificed His son Jesus. As Christians, I pray that our hearts will remain sensitive to God’s Spirit and obedient to His Word. We are living in perilous times, but I like what David said in Psalm 31:15 NIV, “My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.”

Our times are in God’s hands, we need not live in fear. However we do need to seek God, and choose His ways above our own to avoid unnecessary foolishness. There is a lot we may not understand, but God said we don’t have to understand everything (Proverbs 3:5-6). We need to abide in Jesus and trust Him to take care of us as we rest in His loving arms. His ways and thoughts are higher than our own (Isaiah 55:9), so He knows what is best for us.

I Will Give You Rest

Matthew 11:28 NLT, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

I woke up this morning with “rest” on my mind. I feel very thankful that as Christians we can find rest in Jesus. Life has its share of ups and downs, but through prayer we can always entrust our lives and the lives of our loved ones to Jesus. We are free to cast every concern we have upon Him (1 Peter 5:7).

I read a post by Crystal at Devotions of Grace called, “Who Needs Rest?”. It was very encouraging, reminding us that God will take care of us, and that it’s a good thing to rest in Him.

Today is a special day, 23 years ago my daughter was born. Although she’s away working in Spain, I’m thankful that as her mother I am able to pray for her and know that God will always take care of her. As parents we don’t have to worry about our children, we can rest in Jesus. Our job is to raise them, but once they grow up and go their own way, we should continue to pray for them and trust God to work in their lives.

I hope and pray that you will find rest in Jesus and give all you cares to Him. He is attentive to our prayers. No request is too big or too small. He will exchange your worries for His peace and joy, just trust Him.

In All Things Give Thanks ~ Day 5 ~ Happy Thanksgiving

Genesis 18:13-14, “13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Thankful Thought: Thank you Lord that nothing is too hard for you, with you all things are possible. I thank you that you are not limited by my physical or intellectual capabilities. Your timing for me is perfect, and your purpose for me will prevail.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Heavenly Father,

I praise you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). My body is a temple of your Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), thank you for abiding within me. You use the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and weak things to shame the strong, I praise you my Lord (1 Corinthians 1:27). Thank you that you can do more than I can ask or imagine according to your power that is at work within me (Ephesians 3:20). With you all things are possible, when I believe. (Mark 9:23). Thank you Lord.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Thank you for praying with me over the last five days. May praise and thanksgiving to our Lord continually be on your lips. May His joy and love overflow in your life as you serve Him with all of your heart!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! 🍁 🌻

In All Things Give Thanks ~ Day 4

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Thankful Thought: I am thankful that even in my darkest hour, God is still God. When I am hurting, His comfort sustains me. Thank you Lord for giving me strength.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Heavenly Father,

Thank you that through your grace we are able to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12). Thank you for opening our eyes to see, that the secret to true contentment in any situation we face, is knowing that we can do all things through Jesus Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:12-13). Regardless of our circumstances, you are faithful to us and we thank you (Lamentations 3:22-23). In our weakness your strength is made perfect. When we are weak, thank you for being strong (2 Corinthians 12:9). We praise you for your love that endures through all things (1 Corinthians 13:7).

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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