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Reverence to the Almighty God

Reverence to the Almighty God Sabbath Devotional June 16, 2023

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!'” —Isaiah 6:1-6

What is reverence?

“True reverence for God is inspired by a sense of His infinite greatness and a realization of His presence. With this sense of the Unseen, every heart should be deeply impressed. The hour and place of prayer are sacred because God is there. And as reverence is manifested in attitude and demeanor, the feeling that inspires it will be deepened.”—”Prophets and Kings,” pages 48, 49.

‘You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.’ —Leviticus 20:26

We can only have a spirit of reverence if we perceive and honor God as a Loving Father who is Holy, Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent. God deserves our reverence, praise, worship, and gratitude because He is God!

In His earthly life, Jesus exemplified the steps we need to take to reverence God in our personal worship. Jesus knew that His disciples were distracted because they had their own agendas. And He took the necessary steps to always give God His full attention. Communing with God requires reverence, therefore, Jesus always separated himself from others in His personal worship with God, His Father.

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” —Matthew 6:6

Jesus advises us to go to our secret place to pray. Our relationship with God is one-to-one. Separate yourself from your husband, wife, family, and friends when having personal worship. Follow Jesus’ example by focusing your full attention on God. When we pray, study the Bible, and give praises through singing or listening to inspirational music, we are inviting the presence of the Holy Spirit into our worship experience.

“Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.” —Leviticus 20:7

Do you consider yourself to be part of a royal priesthood that was chosen and called to live holy? Truthfully, we do not understand the concepts of being consecrated or having godly righteousness.

Most of us do not understand the depth and importance of reverencing God for various reasons: 1. The world is sinful and values nothing as sacred. 2. We do not understand that God is Holy because our worldview is to treat everything as common. 3. We do not view our time as valuable and do not set aside even 30 minutes away from screen time and other people to have a personal worship experience with God. 4. The Bible—our Spiritual Guide which explains God’s Character and the Righteous characteristics we must possess, we refuse to study and obey.

Only one in nine Christians study the Bible. Because our focus is on the common [worldly] things of life, our priorities are skewed. We have lost the desire to be set apart and to be different from the world. Our time is dedicated to ourselves. Without making intentional time to study every day, we don’t know who God is and His expectation of us.

Time for God: “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. this is the first and greatest commandment. ‘ ” —Matthew 22:37-38, We have the responsibility to put God first. Take the time to eliminate the secular activities that prevent having a meaningful worship experience with God every day.

“But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” — Habakkuk 2:20

Creating the atmosphere to invite God’s presence is vital: We need silence! Do not bring in cellular devices during your worship with God. They are a distraction that prevents one from placing their full attention on God. Our cell phones are used for common activities and should not be present during our time of worship. It’s a matter of reverence.

Listening to Inspirational instrumental music is an option if you have another device besides your cell phone. Choose your music before having worship to ensure that ads are not popping up in the middle of your time with God. Many people love silence. Whatever is necessary for you to receive the blessing of God, Just do It! The habit of reverential worship enables us to develop a posture of humility and creates an atmosphere that prepares us to worship God.

If your home has too many distractions then choose another place to worship. Our intent is to focus on God and to give Him our full attention. One of my most powerful worship experiences was in a secluded area at the beach. Sit in your vehicle, go to the park, or do whatever it takes to have solitude and quiet. Keeping our focus on God and enjoying His presence renews our minds and bodies and keeps us hopeful in every situation.

Wherever we choose to worship, the expectation is that the presence of the Holy Spirit will be there. Remember, God is not intrusive! We must invite the Spirit of God into our lives. Pray for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Our desire is to receive a spiritual blessing along with mental, emotional, and physical healing, divine strength, wisdom, and godly understanding.

Purchase a Bible: As a devout Christian, it is essential to own a physical copy of the Bible for studying purposes. Despite the convenience of digital formats, there is a unique experience in holding a tangible Bible and reading its God-inspired words. The biblical stories of humanity’s successes and shortcomings, as well as its precious promises, are irreplaceable sources of blessings.

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD.” —Isaiah 55:8

Not Just a Book: Studying the Scriptures always requires the presence of the Holy Spirit. Wisdom and understanding of God’s Truth cannot be ascertained by using our finite—limited thought processes. Without exception, living in the last days is a challenge to every believer. We cannot live righteously by relying on our thoughts or life experience. More than ever, we need to memorize the Scriptures to give us the knowledge to overcome spiritual warfare!

How can we effectively study the Bible? Decide on a specific time to have worship. Place yourself on “Do Not Disturb.” Choose a chapter and read aloud the verses with pauses. Think deeply about the words. My go-to chapter is Isaiah 40. The chapter is focused on God telling Isaiah to relay His words of comfort to the discouraged people [because of the consequences of their habitual disobedience].

Apply the Scriptures to your life: As I reflect on Isaiah 40, I contemplate the sins committed by the Nation of Israel, and the forgiveness that our Merciful God extends to us when we confess and repent. Despite our wilful disobedience, God always forgives us. In particular, verses 28 to 31 convey a profound promise of God’s Love, Grace, and Mercy towards all of humanity.

Make your Bible Study personal. Reflect deeply on the love and graciousness of God. Reverence for God reveals that our hearts are filled with love, adoration, and gratitude for the Giver of all good gifts including unlimited forgiveness. Our lives are in His Righteous Right Hand. Love Him! He is Holy, Holy, Holy!

Scripture: “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” —1 John 4:9-10

“…and our reverence of God is important because of Who God is and what He exemplifies.” http://www.Biblestudytools.com

God is holy (Revelation 15:4). God is great (mighty) (Deuteronomy 10:17).
God is good and He only does wondrous things (1 Samuel 12:24, Psalm 72:18).
God is faithful (Isaiah 25:1). God is forgiving (Psalm 130:4).
God is our Judge (Psalm 50:6, Revelation 14:7, Malachi 3:16).

Prayer: God, we ask for forgiveness for treating You like You are common. We love You and we praise Your Holy Name! We pray for strength and wisdom to reverence You through our posture and our lifestyle. Lord, we seek to renew our covenant vow to serve You. As we take the time to have a daily reverent worship experience with You, we pray for a spiritual blessing. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we pray in the Matchless Name of Jesus. Amen.

“If You Love Me”

“If You Love Me” Devotional Reading June 15, 2023

The Supremacy of Christ—”The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him, all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.” —Colossians 1:15-16

Are you aware that Christianity is the only religion that accepts Jesus’ Supremacy, that He is the Son of God, and that He is the Second Deity of the Triune Godhead?

In Hebrews chapter 1, the Scripture reads, “But to the Son He says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions” (Hebrews 1:8-9).

Notably, followers of non-Christian religions worldwide share a common trait of wholeheartedly obeying the deities they worship. However, Christians seem to rank low in this regard, with many failing to fully adhere to the commands of the Most-High God they believe in. This is a saddening reality as most Christians have been compromising for so long that they fail to recognize the consequence of their disobedience, not receiving the reward of eternal life.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” —John 14:15

We obey Christ by having a heart-to-heart relationship with Him. There is only one reason that we do not obey, we do not love Jesus with all of our hearts, souls, and minds! We know this because we do not keep His commandments. Our lifestyles reveal our priorities! A recent survey gives us heartbreaking statistics, only one in nine Christians study the Bible.

We rely on pastors, podcasts, online sermons, and social media videos to give us fragments of the Scriptures instead of diligently studying the Bible for ourselves.

Reflection: Are you entrusting your salvation and reward of eternal life to other people instead of having a relationship with Christ and studying the Bible to gain the knowledge necessary to receive daily spiritual transformation?

Satan has deceived us into thinking that we do not have to obey—did God really say that? We are not thinking clearly. If God did not spare His Son, Jesus from a harsh death on Calvary, we are wrong in thinking a Christian’s life is one of choosing how we obey God? Surrender, faith, trust, obedience, praying, and studying the Bible are nonnegotiable righteous characteristics that every Christian must possess.

“And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’ ” —Matthew 26:39

The foundation of Christianity is Christ. In His earthly life, Jesus was required to learn obedience. Jesus obeyed His Joseph and Mary, the Roman laws, and God, His Heavenly Father. The Commander of Angel Armies never had to obey in heaven, His mind has always been in Holy and Righteous alignment with the mind of God, His Father. Yet, Christ, the Son of Man demonstrated the humility and obedience that is required to please God.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.…” —Isaiah 55:8-9

Jesus also studied the Scriptures. No one is exempt from God’s requirement of having first-hand knowledge of the Truth of God’s Written Word. The Holy Scriptures provide us with the spiritual guidance to live righteously. We cannot guess or develop human-made standards to live holy and acceptable lives. The Scriptures clearly outline Jesus’ Righteous expectations of His followers.

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.” —John 14:26

Without praying for wisdom and discernment from the Holy Spirit we will not have an accurate spiritual understanding of the Truth of the Holy Scriptures.

“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.” —2 Peter 2:1-2

Peter warns us of false prophets. Not everyone preaching from the Bible is intentionally trying to deceive others. Yet, they self-interpret based on their knowledge and lead others astray.

Before you accept the content of a sermon, video, or post, compare it to the Bible. We do not have to learn the Truth second-handedly. Revelation of God’s Truth is just a prayer away. Seek knowledge for yourself under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

With all the spiritual help we have available to us, there is one thing that God can never do, He cannot make us love Him or Jesus! Without a heart filled with love for Christ [who is our Mediator] along with daily surrender and dedication, we will not choose Jesus or desire to walk on the narrow Path of Righteousness.

Reflection: Is my life in harmony with God’s Commandments? Compare your religious beliefs with the Bible. You may be shocked to find that many aspects of what you have been taught are not Bible-based!

Our lives must be Christ-Centered and Bible-based. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your spiritual status. Truthfully, you know if Jesus came today whether or not heaven would be your destiny.

Beware of Destructive Doctrines! God is not willing that any should perish. Obey God, not your pastor, family, and friends. If you pray for wisdom, the Holy Spirit will speak to you through the Scriptures and your conscience. When we receive Divine revelation, we feel it deep within our souls that God is speaking to us. Pray for the revelation of all habits, beliefs, and character traits that are preventing you from having eternal life.

Scripture: “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble…” 2 Peter 1:10, the first part

Prayer: God, we realize the reason we do not pray and study the Scriptures is that we do not love You with all of our hearts, souls, and minds. We repent for not studying the Scriptures and having daily communication with You through prayer. Please reveal the distractions, doctrines, and false beliefs that prevent us from loving You as we should. We ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and anoint us with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. We ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus. Amen.

Can We Really Control and Change Our Thoughts?

Can We Really Change and Control Our Thoughts? Devotional Reading June 14, 2023

Have you ever looked at your situation and come to a premature conclusion about possible outcomes? Many individuals struggle with this internal battle, yet, it is not humanly possible for us to predict the future. Attempting to guess the outcomes of a situation results in mental and emotional distress which affects our relationship with God.

Fearful and pessimistic thoughts easily cancel our belief and faith in God. The dilemma that we place ourselves in from negative thoughts rapidly develops into a mindset of hopelessness. Thinking the worse is usually a consequence of learned behaviors and habits from others. We know people who always think of the worse possible scenario.

Our cognition and perception of life change when our thoughts focus on negativity. We begin to lose sight of the goodness in life and we begin to seek only negative sensory input.

Sensory input has the greatest impact on our minds. Through the programs we watch and the news we listen to, we have been persuaded to view life from an “it is what it is” perspective. If we choose to always embrace the “what went wrong” outcomes then we are automatically drawn to the programs and people which reinforce these counterproductive thoughts and behaviors.

Despite the prevalence of criminal behavior and corruption in our societies, there are still individuals who choose to think positive thoughts by upholding godly morals and values. They steadfastly refuse to cross the line into the unrighteousness of counterproductive thinking. How is it possible to keep one’s thoughts from becoming pessimistic?

Before considering the mindset of our family and friends, it is imperative to start by examining oneself. We possess the ability to choose happiness and peace, both of which are gifts from God, who holds Sovereign power over His world. God’s Divine Character is love.

As devout Christians, we must emulate Christ’s love that He demonstrated toward others. Negative thoughts lead to unfavorable conversations, which indicate a lack of confidence in God’s abilities and promises.

“The earth belongs to God! Everything in all the world is his!” —Psalm 24:1, NIV

Even in harsh trials and living in these last days [as described in 2 Timothy chapter 3], we are required to have loving hearts and the characteristics of joy, peace, and hope. How can we change our perspectives and thoughts when we are constantly bombarded by the worldviews of cynicism and pessimism? What if our emotions are already ruling our lives?

The inability to control one’s thoughts and perceptions based on the situation has presented a challenge since the creation of humanity. Historically, even the strongest of believers have let presenting circumstances produce wayward thoughts. Elijah the prophet is a perfect example of not thinking rationally and letting his emotions of fear overpower his sound mind.

Although God proved His mighty power at the Mount Carmel showdown [1 Kings chapter 18] Elijah ran to the wilderness when Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him. God is aware that when we face life’s challenges our emotions will immediately escalate. Our thoughts easily become out of control because we fixate on the situation instead of our All-Powerful God.

“So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ And he said, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.’ ” —1 Kings 19:13-14

As we think deeply about God’s compassionate reply to Elijah, we discover that our Heavenly Father has a deep love and concern for not only our spiritual needs, but also our mental, emotional, and physical well-being as humans.

Stopping Wayward, Negative Thoughts

Immediately acknowledge the thought. Why am I thinking this way?
Pray. Ask God to forgive your negative thoughts. Invite the Holy Spirit into your life.
Our character on earth must be transformed into a character that has the Fruit of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22-23].
Study the Bible. Replace your thoughts with God’s promises.
Make the conscious effort to think, “God is in control of the outcome.”

Scripture Reading: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:4-7

Prayer: God, we pray for the deliverance and victory over negative thoughts, doubt, anxiety, and worry. We acknowledge Your love for us and Your Sovereign power. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Accepting God’s Perfect Guidance

Accepting God’s Perfect Guidance Devotional Reading June 12, 2023

The street surveyor asked, “Do you believe that heaven exists?” The man’s answer: “I have created my heaven on earth. My life, family, house, and car are heaven.”

Most Christians who hear this answer would think, “You can tell that he is an unbeliever.” Whether the man believes in heaven where God, Jesus, and the angels reside does not indicate he is an unbeliever in God. If you disagree then reflect on your life. The prophet Jeremiah tells us, “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).

Reflection: Are you directing your steps in life? Do you allow God to make the decisions in your life?

“Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5).

Despite God’s instructions to surrender our lives to Him, there are a mass number of Christians who exclude God from their lives every day. When we fail to surrender our will to God in obedience [which is our highest form of worship] then we have the same character traits as unbelievers [in God]—disbelief, distrust, and disobedience.

Something isn’t right! The Creator God of all humanity who knows from the beginning to the end, we do not trust Him with our lives? With the same distrust that Adam and Eve manifested in the Garden of Eden, we inherited minds that naturally rebel in disobedience against God.

As we make plans and bring them to fruition without God’s blessings, we create a human-made paradise on Earth. Whether our happiness is from purchasing tangible items or engaging in unconsecrated relationships and marriages, our elation from the seemingly perfect results of our decisions eventually causes unforeseen consequences including total separation from God. It is imperative to remember that relying solely on ourselves is not the right approach to serving God.

No one can receive the spiritual transformation that is required for heavenly life without the human effort of surrender and obedience. God requires a clean heart to receive the Divine Intervention of the Holy Spirit who enables us to stay on the Path of Righteousness. Fulfilling our heart’s desires always places us in opposition to God.

By rejecting God’s ultimate authority and living according to our dictates, we show a lack of respect for His Sovereign authority. Christian believers, our lives are not our own! Refusing to surrender to God impacts our destiny! Either we obey and pray for God’s wisdom and guidance or we create an earthly paradise based on our desires.

Despite the internal battle, we must exhibit self-control, surrender, and seek God’s wisdom and perfect guidance to attain the ultimate reward of immortality in the New Heaven and New Earth.

Scripture: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule [stubborn], Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.” —Psalm 32:8-9

God’s plans are based on His love and wisdom. He will always give us the best guidance with perfect victorious outcomes! Amen.

Prayer: God, we have excluded You from our lives by relying on our thoughts, strategies, and plans. And for this sin against You, we ask for forgiveness. Thank You for loving us so much that You desire the best for us. We pray for Your Divine guidance in our lives. In Jesus’ Worthy Name, we pray. Amen.

Sabbath Blessings of Peace

Prayer that Opens Heaven’s Windows of Blessings

Prayer that Opens Heaven’s Windows of Blessings June 9, 2023

When we think of the Windows of Heaven, we usually think of receiving tangible items. But God desires that we have another mindset that supersedes the things we can see and touch. Joy, peace, faith, strength, courage, wisdom, and discernment should be at the top of our desires that we ask God to give to us.

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” —James 4:3

If we do not ask according to God’s will then we will not receive the things that we desire from God. Most of us feel that God has ignored our prayers when He does not answer according to our wish list. We pray for the tangible things that we are certain will make us content and happy. Yet God knows that earthly things can never provide us with His spiritual strength to nourish our souls or produce the spiritual growth and development to change our character.

How do we align ourselves with God’s will?

Every believer needs the Holy Spirit to live as an Overcomer. The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians chapter 6 that we face spiritual battles every day. We cannot fight a spiritual war without Divine Intervention. Obedience keeps us on the Path of Righteousness. Staying in God’s presence requires the human effort of daily prayer, studying the Scriptures, living by faith, and asking God to reveal His will for our lives.

Satan’s cunning and deceitful temptations are developed to make us fulfill the desires of our hearts. He knows that without the Holy Spirit, it is beyond our human ability to resist and overcome temptation. We require Divine wisdom to even recognize that we are being deceived. Our archenemy knows that we have an internal battle of surrendering our will to God. And His ultimate goal is to make us fall into sin by telling us to chase our desires!

“The LORD rewards those who are faithful and righteous…” —1 Samuel 26:23

Reflection: What are you asking God for? How will your requests honor and glorify God?

No, Not Now, or Silence are Answers: Again Satan desires that we believe his false concept that God does not answer every prayer.

God’s Position: ” ‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the LORD. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.’ ” Isaiah 55:8

God’s response of no, not now, or silence usually causes us to react with negative thoughts and feelings. Because worldviews impact every Christian, we become impatient, angry, and bitter when we do not receive what we ask for. So, we take matters into our hands, never thinking that moving forward without God’s blessings always produces negative outcomes.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” —Matthew 6:24

We must decide whether we will serve God or please ourselves. Simply moving forward with the assumption that God is in agreement constitutes presumptive behavior, which is a sin. Please know that such actions have long-term, mind-altering effects. Disobedience not only results in losing our right standing with God but our faith and trust in God also diminish. Over time, we may stop praying and rely more on our abilities to make things happen.

Our increase in self-reliance always leads to a decreased dependence on God. We lose the desire to wait on the Lord [read Psalm 27:14]. We become annoyed by the command to patiently wait on God. We want what we want becomes our goal and is engraved into our minds and character. Remember that every sinful decision has consequences that we never anticipated! Wilful sinning always changes our spiritual status and we become an enemy of God.

Testimony: No one told me that when I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior that we cannot pray, ask for the things we want, and then take steps to answer our prayers. From my actions of fulfilling my desires, I began to feel differently—the results of moving forward impacted my relationship with Christ. Since I could pursue and fulfill my desires, my prayers changed. The self-reliance gave me confidence and I stopped asking for God to provide. But the unexpected happened. Deep inside, I felt distant from God. My worship became routine and ritualistic. So, I prayed one day and asked God what was I doing wrong?

“A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” —Proverbs 16:9

Later that day, a sermon on Obedience to God showed up on my YouTube feed. I learned that God’s priority is for us to receive the reward of eternal life. Not only is obedience not optional, but God always requires us to put Him first by praying and waiting for His answers. Our prayers are not answered according to our desires if they result in financial gain, redirect our focus away from God, or will result in future negative consequences.

Through a sermon, my perspective on God has changed. As a child of God, it is my responsibility to surrender, honor, and show reverence toward His Sovereignty. It is imperative to have unshakable faith and trust in God. Obedience to God is our highest form of worship. Obedience to God is required to serve and please Him.

Even in His silence, the Bible enables us to understand God’s Righteous Character. When we feel that our prayers are unanswered, we should redirect our thoughts to God’s promises. Do we really believe that our Heavenly Father desires the best for us? Every decision He makes is ultimately for our benefit and His glory. The pursuit of our heart’s desires reveals that we love ourselves and God is not first in our lives.

If we desire for God to open the Windows of Heaven as He promised then we must put God first and love Him with all of our hearts, souls, and minds. Every Christian has spiritual assignments to fulfill. Are we witnessing to others? Are we using our talents and spiritual gifts to glorify God? Are we praying because we love God or because we want Him to bless us with earthly things?

Read 1 Samuel chapters 1 and 2. Hannah was blessed because she was willing to give a sacrificial offering to God—she dedicated her son, Samuel to God’s service. God expects us to dedicate ourselves by putting Him first!

Three take-a-way Scriptures emphasize God’s desire to open the Windows of Heaven and Bless us.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” —Matthew 6:33
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” —James 1:17
“…At the right time, I, the LORD, will make it happen.” —Isaiah 60:22, last part

Prayer: God, we repent for our wilful disobedience against You by pursuing the things we desire even if it is not Your will. God, You know the plans that You have for us and we will patiently wait for our blessings and the fruition of Your promises. Thank You for loving us. And thank You for Your abundant grace and mercies. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray. Amen.

“The Harvest” Sermon by Pastor John Lomacang

Developing a Listening Heart

Developing a Listening Heart Devotional Reading June 7, 2023

There was a time that 100% of my prayers involved asking God for the desires of my heart. I always started my prayers with gratitude for a new day and thanked God for protection from physical danger and spiritual warfare, but focused more on asking for the things that I thought would improve the quality of my life. Now as I reflect on how I used to pray, I don’t look down on myself for those times because I realize my spoken words reflected spiritual immaturity.

I recently heard an inspiring story shared by Dr. Charles Stanley during one of his last sermons. He shared an experience during his time at Seminary College, where he faced many challenges. He had planned to go to California with his wife for a mission trip from June to August and was eagerly waiting for summer break.

One Saturday morning, after their luggage was packed, he awakened after a restless night and realized something was wrong. He told his wife that he felt the need to pray and went to his study, which was a converted spare bedroom. He spent the whole day fasting and praying from 9 am to 6 pm.

Afterward, Dr. Stanley informed his spouse that he received a divine message from God to cancel their planned mission trip and instead visit his parents’ cabin in the North Carolina mountains. They heeded God’s guidance and changed their itinerary from California to North Carolina. A gentleman came to their door a week later, asking Dr. Stanley to preach at the nearby church on Sunday. Dr. Stanley consented and gave multiple sermons throughout their summer sojourn in North Carolina.

The members were elated to have the Stanley’s and immediately expressed that he would make a great pastor. The church committee was also impressed and offered him the position of pastor, which he accepted. However, he made it clear that he could not start until he finished the last year of Seminary, which began in September of that year. The church committee agreed to this and appointed a temporary pastor in the meantime.

Because of his desire to obey God, he had a pastoral position waiting as soon as he graduated. While a student in the Seminary, he learned that one must separate themselves and diligently pray and fast when seeking God’s guidance and blessings.

How did God speak to Dr. Stanley? And how did he know that it was God speaking to him?

We pray—the Holy Spirit intercedes by taking our prayers to—Jesus, Our Heavenly Intercessor.

God gives us biblical instructions for praying: “Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” —Jeremiah 33:3

The mystery of the Holy Spirit is to be everywhere to everyone who prays at any time of the day or night: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever…” —John 14:16

Have you ever been in a dilemma and prayed for help? You were given the answer of spiritual wisdom by the Holy Spirit who spoke to you through your thoughts or the Scriptures.

The Holy Spirit Helps Us in Our Weaknesses and Intercedes for Us
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people by the will of God” —Romans 8:26-27

The Holy Spirit is Our Source of Revelation, Wisdom, and Power
“These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except for their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.” —1 Corinthians 2:10-12

One of the roles of the Holy Spirit: “The Holy Spirit reveals God’s thoughts, teaches, and guides believers into all truth.” christianity.com

How do we know that it is God speaking to us? “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.” —Jeremiah 29:12

Jesus is Our Heavenly Intercessor: “Romans 8:34 says that Jesus ‘is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.’ In 1 John 2:1 we read that Jesus is our ‘advocate with the Father,’ and from Hebrews 7:25 we learn that Jesus ‘always lives to intercede’ for us.” todaysdevotional.com

God tells us in the Holy Scriptures that every prayer is heard and presented to Jesus, our Heavenly Intercessor by the Holy Spirit. We can pray anywhere at any time for Divine Help! Watch out for stumbling-blocks to answered prayers!

Red Flag: Praying and then falsely discerning your thoughts as God’s answer. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” —Proverbs 3:5-6

Another Red Flag: Sometimes we may seek Divine guidance through prayer, but if our requests are not immediately granted, impatience can set in. It’s important to resist the urge to take matters into our own hands and rush ahead of God. Even though it may not seem like disobedience, such actions can have negative consequences that significantly affect our lives.

Is it God answering my prayer? First, we will clarify that Satan has limitations that are imposed on him by God. He does not have the freedom to crush the righteous! [Study Job Chapter 1].

Prayer immediately places us in the presence of the Most High God. Evil cannot exist in the presence of God’s holiness! We also have guardian angels who fight off the spiritual warfare of evil angels who can never exist in the presence of the person who prays.

Take the Time to Put God First: Most importantly, your times of daily worship should be unhurried and at least twice a day in solitude [this is aside from family worship]. Pray and ask God to speak to you. Meditate and read a chapter of the Bible. Incorporating soft Christian instrumental music or a worship song creates an atmosphere that invites the presence of the Holy Spirit who will initiate your heart to discern and respond to the presence of God.

Cultivating a heart that listens requires the daily habit of intentional and meaningful worship. This level of worship shuts out all distractions and allows two-way communication between us and God. From our commitment, we receive spiritual guidance and restoration. And our love for Christ intensifies!

Although there are times when God remains quiet, it is essential to understand that He cherishes the moments we spend praying, praising, and worshipping Him. If we persevere with obedience during the quiet times then we will receive the much-awaited blessings that God has for us.

Endurance produces faithful and steadfast believers who live and think as Christ did in His earthly life, to always pray for God’s will to be revealed.

Time with God is never wasted. By learning to listen and hear God’s voice, whether through our thoughts or the Scriptures, our worship elevates to a higher level, and our lives are transformed. Moreover, this practice prepares us for the life that awaits us in the New Heaven and New Earth—worshiping the Creator God.

Prayer: God, we need to hear from You. Our lives are not going as planned. Forgive us for not spending the time with You that You rightfully deserve. We give You all the honor, glory, and praise and thank You for Your love, grace, and mercies. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.