Thought for Wednesday, August 1st

August 1, 2012

Pure is as Pure Does

It is very difficult to find anything that is genuinely pure these days.

Almost everything is diluted or tainted by something or to some degree.

Whether by design or by nature very little maintains an unsullied, unadulterated purity of composure or essence that has not somehow been altered changed or diminished from a perfectly pure state.

Humanity is no exception.  While there may be degree’s of purity within a persons life; the individual themselves is tainted by some sin, and except for the cleansing blood of Jesus humankind is not perfectly pure.

In Proverbs we read that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  And spiritual wisdom would motivate us towards striving to be as pure in the eyes of the Lord as we can be in mind, body and spirit.

“Fear the man who fears not God.”

-       Anonymous

Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.   

Titus 1:15-16

Purity is not a state of mind; it is rather a state of being: and as Christians we attain our purity through Jesus blood and through obedience to God. 

In and of ourselves we cannot attain or maintain purity; that is why we need God’s help and His Holy Spirit living in and through us.

Purity should be our desire and knowing we can only attain the state of purity with His assistance: we need to be even more dependent and reliant on Him.

Today’s Prayer

Father, you are purer than gold or silver and more beautiful than a perfect diamond; and it is my hearts desire to honor, serve and worship you in purity of heart, in purity of mind and in purity of spirit in all I say and do.  Please help me for I can not do it on my own.

“Give me your eyes

For just one second

Give me your eyes so I can see

Everything that I’ve been missing

Give me your love for humanity.

Give me your arms for the brokenhearted

Ones that are far beyond my reach

Give me your heart for the ones forgotten

Give me your eyes so I can see“

-  Lyrics from ‘Give Me Your Eyes’ by Brandon Heath and Jason Ingram

Thought for Tuesday, July 31st

July 31, 2012

Have Hope

‘Hope springs eternal’ or so I have heard this said for most of my life.  Yet I have often wondered how is it possible for anyone who does not have Jesus in their life to have hope.  If you don’t have Jesus, what is it you have hope in?

“Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.”

-       Martin Luther

   Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

 1 John 1:2-3

  Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

Acts 2:26

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:1-2

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Romans 8:24-25

In truth our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus; His blood; and His righteousness:  We can trust in Him and know that He will never let us down or never fail us: so let hope arise in you and let your hope always be in Him.

Today’s Prayer

Father, my hope is in you.  May nothing distract, deter or remove that hope that I have in all that you are, that you will be and that you always have been in my life.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman

Thought for Monday, July 30th

July 30, 2012

Let Faith Arise

One’s faith is a very easy subject to talk about: or at least it is often easier to talk about it than it is to live it out.  But faith is so much more than a verbalized concept, it must become and be an actualized reality that is executed in every thing we do, day in and day out.

It is so easy to say that we know without faith it is impossible to please God: so hence we profess we have faith.   We know faith is the evidence of things not seen in relationship to those things we hope for: so we attest to really believing all things will work for good, if we really love God.

Yet when there is no money with which to pay the bills; the car is sitting in the driveway and will not run: the kids are sick: our mother-in-law wants to move in with us: and the washer and dryer just broke down: this is the place and the times when true faith is essential if we are going to continue to walk by faith and not by sight, allowing the joy of the Lord to be our strength.  

“Philosophic argument, especially that drawn from the vastness of the universe, in comparison with the apparent insignificance of this globe, has sometimes shaken my reason for the faith that is in me; but my heart has always assured and reassured me that the gospel of Jesus Christ must be Divine Reality.  The Sermon on the Mount cannot be a mere human production.  This belief enters into the very depth of my conscience.  The whole history of man proves it. ”

-       Daniel Webster

   For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

 Romans 1:16-17

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:5-8

Faith is so much more than a five letter word that describes an attribute we profess to hold: faith must be an action word that embodies and is evidenced in the way we live: our attitude towards life, others and God and it needs to be the very essence of who we are and how we live.

Today’s Prayer

Father, let faith arise in me and let my enemies be scattered:  and let it be to me more than a concept I profess; may it be the very premise and essence of how I live.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman

Thought for Saturday, July 28th

July 28, 2012

Living Like An Adjective

The purpose of an adjective is to illuminate, describe, enhance or compliment something or someone.  As Christians our purpose and objective should be to compliment or illuminate God’s power and presence in our lives: as well as to enhance His purpose and desire for the world. 

“Never loose a chance of saying a kind word (being a compliment).  As Collingwood never saw a vacant place in his estate but he took an acorn out of his pocket and planted it, so deal with your compliments through life.  An acorn cost nothing, but it may spread into a prodigious timber.”

-       William Makepeace Thackeray

   If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

 Colossians 1:23-29

We are challenged by God’s word to present ourselves, our bodies, as a living sacrifice to be holy and acceptable to God which is deemed to be a reasonable service.   Does it not then, stand to reason, that the idea of living as an adjective is a completely rational and realistic objective that we should embrace and endeavor to achieve?

What better way to worship Him than to live in a way that compliments, illuminates and enhances who He is; what He has done in us: and what He is able to do for others.

Today’s Prayer

Father, you who created all things and for whom all things were created deserve to be complimented, illuminated and honored in all that we do: help me to be faithful and purposeful in living like an adjective for you.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman

Thought for Friday, July 27th

July 27, 2012

Be A Verb for God

Did you know that you are a noun?  From a grammatical perspective we are all nouns.  Nouns are by definition a person, a place or a thing.  And regardless of what anyone may tell you we are all persons:  in fact we are persons who Jesus gave His life for.

Spiritually speaking, however, we at least from a grammatical point of view, need to strive to be verbs.  Verbs are action word and as blood bought, redeemed children of God we need to be all about the action of loving and serving and giving and helping and praising and letting our light shine in the things we say and do for Him as a part of our daily lives.  

“Action is eloquence.”

-       William Shakespeare

  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

 James 1:17-25

It is not enough for us to simply declare our love for the Lord: though declarations are important: we need to be more actively demonstrative and thus we need to actualize our proclamations by engaging our actions in ways that attest to and bespeak what we claim to believe.  Words can express a lot but actions can often say more than words and often their impact will be more real, more meaningful and have more of a lasting influence and affect on other peoples lives.

We know you are a noun; but are you being a verb for God’s glory?.

Today’s Prayer

Father, you are worthy of greater things than I am capable of doing; yet often I don’t do the things I can; so help me to be more action oriented and more dutifully verb-like in my service for you.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman

Thought for Thursday, July 26th

July 26, 2012

Love Built A Bridge

Bridge building, at least from my perspective, appears to be a very intricate and difficult process.  Even with the advances in technology: the very idea of building something from one shore to another, over a body of water, just boggles my mind.  I really can’t imagine how this feat was accomplished before so many modern tools, methods and engineering advancements occurred.  Yet bridges have been being built for centuries.

And as complex, as it is for me to comprehend the building of a natural bridge, I imagine the building of an emotional and spiritual bridge is even more difficult.

Spiritually speaking in a somewhat figurative sense, there is a great divide or chasm that stretches between humanity and God.  This distance between the Creator and His creation is caused by or at least a result of sin.  For we know, it is sin that separates us from God. 

Yet, because of His immense and extravagant love for us: God has made a way for us to not just exist in the peripheral of His presence; but rather through the blood of Jesus, His son, we can enter boldly into the throne of His grace and we can transcend the very thing that separates us from Him by accepting His free gift of salvation and forgiveness for our sins.  

“Only Christ could build a bridge to God with only two pieces of wood.”

-       Anonymous

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

 1 John 4:7-13

God’s love for us caused Him to build a bridge (figuratively speaking) from His heart to our lives: the only requirement, on our part is that we have to be willing to walk across it.  First by accepting God’s gift of salvation to redeem us from our sins and bring us into a relationship with Him; and then thereafter by a willingness to humble ourselves: repent of our sins and a desire to be closer to Him in all we do.

Today’s Prayer

Father, unfathomable love like yours amazes and astounds me; yet still, I am so grateful for it.  May I, when my words, deeds or thoughts cause me to pull away or separate myself from you in any way: always be ready and willing to traverse the span of the bridge you have built and draw closer and nearer to you.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman

Thought for Wednesday, July 25th

July 25, 2012

You Must Love Lavishly

As a child of God there is no doubt that you are loved.  This is a fact that is not questionable.

But the question then becomes do we truly understand the full dimension of what that love means and do we allow that love to effect who we are and what we do to the fullest stretch of its potential?

Have you ever stopped to wonder why it seems so difficult for us to love our neighbors (brothers or sisters) as ourselves?

Could it be that we have never fully embraced the truth of who we are in Christ and how special we are to Him.

It is my conjecture that we have difficulty loving others to the extent that we should because we often fail to love ourselves in the manner God wants us too.

This of course is not a love based in arrogance or ego, but rather a love based in dependency and submissiveness to God.

If we could learn to see ourselves in Christ; and the potential that we have through His presence in our lives; our potential would be limitless and without reservation.

True love requires us to be honest with ourselves and with others; it requires that we be reflective and introspective; and it requires us to put others needs before our own, just the way that Jesus did.

“You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.”

-       Henry Drummond

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 John 15:13

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Matthew 22:36-40

If we could learn to love ourselves and others as lavishly as Jesus and God the Father love us; we would without doubt be able to change the world.

Today’s Prayer

Father, limitless love is mine to receive and yours to give: but it is also mine to give because I have so freely received it.  Thank you for your love.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman

Thought for Tuesday, July 24th

July 24, 2012

You are Lavishly Loved

There is no greater love than the love with which you are loved by God.

His love for you looked past your sins, your faults, you failures, past, present or future and enabled Him to send His only Son whom He cherishes and loves to die for you, so that you could have life in Him.

God being all powerful, all wise and all knowing and to whom nothing is impossible: could have surely found a different way to redeem humanity.  Yet He wanted us to know how lavishly He loved us because He gave not something that cost Him nothing but rather, the most cherished and special sacrifice He could give.

It doesn’t matter to God where we came from, what we look like, who we are or what we may or may not have accomplished:  it only matters to Him that we are a soul He created, a life He gave and a person He loves.

We who are dead because of sin, can have life and life more abundantly because we are loved with a love that has no limit, knows no measure and surpasses all possible boundaries: it can not be contained, conquered, defeated; nor can it be suppressed.  The only thing we can do to it or with it is accept it or reject it.

“Who, being loved, is poor?”

-       Oscar Wilde

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

1: John 3:1

Knowing you are loved so greatly [so lavishly] why would you want to reject such an amazing and wonderful gift and why would you want to choose to remain dead rather to be allowed by and because of His love to live.

Today’s Prayer

Father, your love is wider than the ocean, deeper than the sea and I am so amazed, delighted and thankful that you are willing to love a sinner just like me.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman

Thought for Monday, July 23rd

July 23, 2012

The Power of Love

The subject of love has been written about, sung about and talked about for thousands of years: yet the truth is, there are few who really understand the scope of its measure or the true intensity of its potential to impact.

This is evidenced by the state of our world and the condition of our society.

Would it not stand to reason that if we truly understood love at its deepest roots and we could grasp and comprehend the reality of how it could effect us and those around us : and if we would only employ its virtues and intents: that we would be more willing to love more and hate less?

And furthermore, if we could grasp the spiritual significance of the need to love to the extent that we should, would we not find it incumbent upon us to embrace the potential and exercise the possibilities of loving each other as we are loved by God.

Sadly, I fear, that by-in-large there is a vast misunderstanding and miscomprehension of what love really is, how it functions and what it is suppose to do.

Many view love as a self gratifying indulgence that should be received in greater measure than it is meted out. This seems to be even more preponderant when it comes to God’s love for us.  We are often very disproportionate in what we are willing to receive as opposed to what we are willing to give.

“The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved.”

-       Victor Hugo

If I had the gift of being able to speak in other languages without learning them, and could speak in every language there is in all of heaven and earth, but didn't love others, I would only be making noise.  If I had the gift of prophecy and knew all about what is going to happen in the future, knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would it do? Even if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, I would still be worth nothing at all without love.  If I gave everything I have to poor people, and if I were burned alive for preaching the Gospel but didn't love others, it would be of no value whatever. Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud,  never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.   If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him. All the special gifts and powers from God will someday come to an end, but love goes on forever. Someday prophecy, and speaking in unknown languages, and special knowledge--these gifts will disappear.  Now we know so little, even with our special gifts, and the preaching of those most gifted is still so poor.  But when we have been made perfect and complete, then the need for these inadequate special gifts will come to an end, and they will disappear. It's like this: when I was a child I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I became a man my thoughts grew far beyond those of my childhood, and now I have put away the childish things.  In the same way, we can see and understand only a little about God now, as if we were peering at his reflection in a poor mirror; but someday we are going to see him in his completeness, face to face. Now all that I know is hazy and blurred, but then I will see everything clearly, just as clearly as God sees into my heart right now.  There are three things that remain--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

If we could but comprehend the truth of what God’s plan for being loved and loving is and we could understand more fully His plan for how it should look and what it should be like: I believe our world would be a much different place.

Today’s Prayer

Father, your love is bigger, broader and bolder than I can fully comprehend: yet still I am aware of its existence and its reality.  Help me to love as I am loved and even though I may not fully comprehend it, help me to embrace love and loving both you and others with a greater boldness and a new intensity.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman

Thought for Saturday, July 21st

July 21, 2012

Fortified With Fruit

To be fortified by something requires that we be connected to; associated with; and affected and influenced by the source of our fortification.

I wanted to entitle today’s thought ‘Fruitified by God’ but since fruitified is not a word that was not an option.  Yet the truth remains that we need to be influenced, affected, connected to and associated with the power and presence of God and we need to have the evidence of that influence in our daily lives.

There is an old adage that states ‘you are what you eat’: spiritually speaking this is true too.  If you feast on the bread of life; if you drink from the living waters, if you consume the manna of God’s words; if you are filled with the Holy Spirit: then the evidence of the source of your fortification should be clearly discernible in the things you say and do.

“Some men succeed by what they know; some by what they do; and a few by what they are.”

-       Elbert Hubbard

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:13-23

To be fortified by God’s power and presence requires that we actively engage in the consumption of and associate with those things that are of Him and about Him.

So are you fortified with His fruits?

Today’s Prayer

Father, you are a limitless source of all that I need to be all that you desire me to be: may I make myself available to you and may I be willing to fortify myself with all the resources you provide so that I can yield good fruit for you in the way I live.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman

Thought for Friday, July 20th

July 20, 2012

Actively Waiting

Waiting can seem like such a waste of time.  There are some who don’t mind waiting patiently; but by-in-large most of us have a predisposition towards avoiding anything associated with having to wait whenever and wherever possible.

We see impatient drivers who hate to wait at lights; we see people who get disgruntled at having to wait in lines; we see annoyance in people who have to wait long periods of time at doctor’s offices, hospitals or pharmacies while waiting to see a doctor or get a prescription.  Children are notorious for their tendencies towards disliking having to wait for whatever it is they want to have or want to do. Of course many of us grown-ups aren’t much better.

However, to have a well rounded and complete spiritual life, we need to learn to be willing to wait and even wait patiently at times, for answered prayers or for God to accomplish certain things in our lives or the lives of others around us.

Given our predisposition towards an aversion to waiting - this is often a challenging effort for us to succeed at effectively.  However, we do not have to be nonproductive or unengaged while we are waiting on the God.

“Waiting on God does not mean you can’t be moving closer to Jesus.”

-       V. Riobo

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:  But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah  40:29-31

And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth

Micah 5:4

Often during our seasons of waiting for God to work, speak or move in our lives we can be drawing closer through prayer, praise, or reading the Word.  And if effectively engaged in one of these three activities during our season of waiting we will find the answer, word or action we are waiting for comes often times more quickly than we thought it would.

Today’s Prayer

Father, there is nothing or no one greater than you: none higher or more exalted: and no one more worthy and deserving of my patience and honor: yet often I tend to loose my focus when I need to be actively engaged in waiting on you.  Help me to be purposeful and productive in my waiting and may my efforts result in my drawing closer to you during the process.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman