You know; Everyday I wake up, I get up and get busy about what I want to do. Sometimes it's about waht I have to do or need to do but have you ever thought about this?:
God, What Do YOU want to do today?
It is so easy to plan, too easy to schedule and almost without thought easier still to say what we "need to do" but I wonder sometimes..., I wonder if we asked God what he wants to do; if it is the same as what we want?
Oh sure, I can tell you a hundred reasons why my schedule or my plans are "ok by him" or "His Will" and you know while he permits me to "get away" with planning it all.....maybe.....just maybe....God might say something else today.
Maybe today He might sound less like the voice in my head or the concience in my heart I programmed and more the personal living God I know if I take the time and in reality make the time to simplu ask that one question:
What Do You Want?
Now you know. I never said I WOULD DO IT, I just said maybe we should ask. Nothing wrong with finding out what GOD wants to do today. You still can plan, you still can do, you still can go right about your own business and duty as I am sure by God's own good graces in you will allow.
1Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. 2After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. 3Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth. — Hosea 6:1-3
Have you ever thought about how awesome God’s resume would look? Traits: All-powerful, all-knowing, infinitely loving and merciful, everlastingly faithful. Accomplishments: Created the universe, oversees the ongoing sustenance of the world. Hobbies include parting huge bodies of water (favorite: Red Sea).
Obviously, God needs no resume; and, even if He did, we would have to go well beyond words on a cold piece of paper to pursue knowledge of Him. Sadly, many people know facts about God, but few possess a “heart understanding” of those facts’ significance. Fewer still have any personal experience with the blessings of God.
God wants you to know Him. The prophet Hosea tells us how when he writes, “Let us press on to know the Lord” (Hosea 6:3). Just like today, many in that era some 2,700 years ago allowed blessings to distract them from, rather than help them, in developing a deeper relationship with God. But amid that spiritual wilderness, Hosea conveys some key points:
1. It’s possible. If you hear a voice telling you otherwise, know that it’s not God, but Satan, who is attacking the knowledge of God in your life (2 Corinthians 10:5). Consider Hosea 6:6: “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”
2. It’s available. Hosea writes, “His going forth is as sure as the dawn” (6:3). Now, how worried are you that the sun won’t come up tomorrow morning? Be assured that every moment God is going forth into the world He created, and showing Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are yielded to Him.
3. It’s abundant. Right now you might be thinking, but James, my problems are a lot bigger than the knowledge of God could solve. You sure about that? Why don’t you invite God, in all of His sufficiency and power and loving kindness, into the center of your circumstances, and let me know in a month how you’re doing?
Here’s a wonderful truth: A man will begin to prepare his heart to seek the Lord when he’s convinced God will respond in grace. Hosea 6:1 says, “For he has torn us, that he may heal us.”
Wherever you are, pursue the knowledge of God. The rewards are well worth it: God will restore, He will revive, He will raise up.
Prayer: Father, I do want to know You, but sometimes You seem so far off. I know that’s because of my lack of faith. Prepare my heart, and by Your Spirit, convince me that You will respond in grace. Thank You for pursuing me, even when I’m not pursuing You. Help me to know You, not just about You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Journal:
Am I convinced that if I pursue God, He will respond in grace?
Do I know a lot of facts about God, or do I know Him? Have I had a personal experience with the Lord?
It's in the Bible, John 14:1-3, TLB. "Let not your heart be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in Me. There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with Me where I am. If this weren't so, I would tell you plainly. And you know where I am going and how to get there."
Christ's return will be literal and real. It's in the Bible, Acts 1:10-11, TLB. "It was not long afterwards that He rose into the sky and disappeared into a cloud, leaving them staring after Him. As they were straining their eyes for another glimpse, suddenly two white-robed men were standing there among them, and said, 'Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has gone away to heaven, and some day, just as He went, He will return!'"
How will Jesus come again? It's in the Bible, Luke 21:27, NIV. "At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."
How many will see Him when He comes? It's in the Bible, Revelation 1:7, NIV. "Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him."
What will we see and hear when He comes? It's in the Bible, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, NIV. "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."
How visible is His coming to be? It's in the Bible, Matthew 24:27, NIV. "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man."
Christ's coming will be unexpected and dramatic. It's in the BIble, 2 Peter 3:10, NKJV. " But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up."
What warning has Christ given so we won't be fooled about the second coming? It's in the Bible, Matthew 24:23-26, NIV. "At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There He is!' do not believe it. For false Christ's and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. So if anyone tells you, 'There He is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here He is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it."
Does anyone know the exact time of Christ's coming? It's in the Bible, Matthew 24:36, NIV. "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
Knowing how human it is to procrastinate, what does Christ tell us to do? It's in the Bible, Matthew 24:42, NKJV. "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming."
What warning has Christ given that we might not be taken by surprise by this great event? It's in the Bible, Luke 21:34-36, NKJV. " But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
Why is Jesus second coming taking so long? It's in the Bible, II Peter 3:8-9, NIV. "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
While we wait for Jesus, how should we live? It's in the Bible, Titus 2:11-14, NKJV. " For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."
What will the world be like when Jesus comes? It's in the Bible, Matthew 24:37-39, NIV. "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."
Will Christ's coming be a time of reward? It's in the Bible, Matthew 16:27 and Revelation 22:12, NIV. "For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done." "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done."
Why is Jesus coming back? It's in the Bible, Hebrews 9:28, TLB. "So also Christ died only once as an offering for the sins of many people; and He will come again, but not to deal again with our sins. This time He will come bringing salvation to all those who are eagerly and patiently waiting for Him."
At Jesus' second coming, we will fully experience the reality of our salvation. It's in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 1:7-8, TLB. "Now you have every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing His will are yours during this time of waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. And He guarantees right up to the end that you will be counted free from all sin and guilt on that day when He returns."
What is the last promise Jesus gives us in the Bible? It's in the Bible, Revelation 22:20, NKJV. "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus
How To Establish Your Personal Relationship With Jesus Christ?
The Bible gives us clear instructions on what to do:
1) Accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour -
First, you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. You turn your entire life over to Him, and you agree to follow Him as He leads you. You need to speak these things directly to Jesus with your lips, not just think them in your mind. At this point, you are a Christian, and you are "saved." (See John 3:16, Romans 10:9)
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 (KJV)
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9 (KJV)
2) Accept the Water Baptism -
Is Water baptism necessary for salvation? - Let the Bible do the talking -
There are passages in the Holy Scriptures which imply that a person must be baptized in order to reach Heaven:
Mark 16:15-16: "And Jesus said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
This verse implies that person who believes and is baptized will attain Heaven. A person who does not believe in the Gospel will be sent to Hell. The verse is ambiguous about the fate of a person who believes but is not subsequently baptized.
John 3:5: "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
This verse clearly states that one must be "born of water" in order to attain Heaven after death.
Water Baptism means- To dip, to immerse, to submerge -Signifying union with Christ-Initiation into the Christian community -Ritual commanded by Christ to be practiced in the church -Identifying with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ -A rite signifying one’s cleansing from sin through Christ’s sacrifice -Outward sign of inward regeneration by the Holy Spirit -The immersion or dipping of a believer in water symbolizing the complete renewal and change in the believer’s life and testifying to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the way of salvation!
3) Receive the Holy Spirit -
Then, you ask Jesus to fill you completely with His Holy Spirit, saturating your entire being with Himself. He will do this, and when He does, you are "born again." Being "born again" means that you have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, which has now taken over your life. Your old life is over; your new life is here. You will know it when this happens. (See John 20:22; John 3:7; 1 Peter 1:23)
"And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:" John 20:22 (KJV)
"Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3:7 (KJV)
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." 1 Peter 1:23 (KJV)
4) Repent and forgive -
Once the Holy Spirit is within you, He will let you see your previous sins clearly, so you can repent of them. You will be ashamed of them, and glad to get rid of them.
As you repent of them and turn away from them, He will forgive you of each one. At the same time, He will ask you to forgive everyone who has ever harmed or offended you in any way. These two things always go together: He forgives you as you forgive others. (See Luke 13:5, Matthew 6:14-15)
"I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Luke 13:5 (KJV)
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses,neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6:14-15 (KJV)
Now you have established your relationship with Jesus Christ! You will be a Born-Again Christian! If you are ready Do the next step to accept Jesus as your Personal Savior.
How to Accept Jesus Christ As your Personal Savior?
If you are ready to accept Jesus now, here are the words you can use: Of course, you must agree with these words and say them sincerely, from your heart. Be consciously aware that you are seeking Him, trying and intending to speak directly to Him. Don't say these words to Him unless you mean them.
"Lord Jesus, I give myself to You, for You to be my only Lord and Saviour. I renounce and repudiate all other loyalties, and I desire no other Lord but You. Please come into me and take control of my life. Mold me to Your will and to Your use. I ask that you drive out all other spirits which conflictwith You in any way. I want to belong only to You, to be subject only to You. I make this prayer to You, in Your name, the name of Jesus. Amen."
If you truly mean these words sincerely, you will not need to repeat them very many times before you will have a dramatic reaction! The Lord Jesus WILL accept you,and He will enter into you and take control of your life. This event is called " receiving the Holy Spirit," and you will know it when it happens.
After this happens to you . . .
NOW YOU ARE A BORN-AGAIN
CHRISTIAN! CONGRATULATIONS!! :)
What Difference will you Notice?
First, your dominant emotion will immediately become love for all people. You will be at peace with God and the Universe. Nothing will bother you. You have Jesus: He has you. Everything else is secondary.
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 (KJV)
Other people will notice differences, too. The Apostle Paul prepared a list of characteristics of the old life in the flesh vs. the new life in Jesus:
"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities,strife,jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,factions,envying,drunkenness,carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:19-23 (NASB)
"And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves (or to others) by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes." - I Timothy 2:9 (NLV)
So now, what's next?
Spend time reading the Bible, Sustain Your relationship with Jesus through Praying, Keep doing good deeds, Love one another, Share the Daily Devotionals Page to others - http://www.dailydevotionals.co.nr/and most Importantly SPREAD The gospel of Jesus Christ to the whole World! - Jesus Is Coming Soon! Jesus Blessings to You! :)
And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people. And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood. All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee. And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
2 Samuel 24:21-24
In this passage, I think we are given understanding and insight into what made David so great. Why was he alone called a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14)? It certainly wasn’t because he was sinless, for he had a series of failures that I dare say match or exceed any of ours. In fact, if he were on trial before the Christian community, I suggest the Christian community would have had a tendency to write him off long ago. Saul, on the other hand, would be applauded and approved. Saul, too, made mistakes. But not as seemingly blatant as David’s. Therefore, I suggest that in the eyes of human understanding, Saul would be exalted, and David would be dismissed as one who wasted his potential.
But that wasn’t God’s verdict. Why? Because God looks at the heart, and David had a heart for God.
“Take the property,” Araunah said. “Make your sacrifice so the plague might be stopped. It’s free. It’s yours.”
“I will not give the Lord that which costs me nothing,” David said.
Hear the heart of David. “I won’t skimp,” he said. “I won’t cheat God. Yes, I failed Him in the past. But my heart is devoted to Him.”
If you want to know the heart of David, read the Psalms. Saul never wrote a single psalm because Saul didn’t have a heart for the Lord. Saul was outwardly impressive, but he used the things of God to exalt himself. David, on the other hand, used himself to exalt the things of God. When David penned the Psalms, he didn’t know they would be preserved and studied for centuries. He was simply writing love letters. He just loved God.
What would you have done had Araunah come to you and said, “Take the property. Here’s the wood for the sacrifice. Here’s the oxen. Just take it”?
Would you have said, “Great! I can save a few shekels”? Or do you have a heart like David’s, a heart that says, “I will give everything I have, everything I am to the One who gave His all for me”?
Many of us are skimpy and small. We give the Lord the leftovers of our time, of our energy. You might not be committing any moral sin. But God sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). He’s looking for men and women who say, “I’m devoted to worshipping the Lord. I’m devoted to extolling and praising Him. I’m devoted to paying the full price.”
Although severely chastened again - even at the end of his life - David is still to be exalted by the Lord and acknowledged throughout history as one of the very greatest of all men who ever lived. Why? Because he had a heart after God.
You've probably seen the news stories about the Christian broadcaster who has been predicting that the rapture will occur on May 21. Well, this kind of date-setting is nothing new. A minister named William Miller predicted that the Lord would return in 1842. It didn't happen. A popular book in the 1980s cited "88 Reasons" why Jesus would return in 1988. He didn't. So I won't be too surprised if May 22 comes around and Jesus hasn't appeared!
The point is, people are continually setting dates for His return. But Jesus said, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is" (Mark 13:32-33). I've heard people say, "Well...that's not what Jesus really meant." No, I think He meant what He said—He said it three or four times!
After His resurrection, the disciples asked Jesus if He would set up His Kingdom right then. Jesus said, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put in his own authority" (Acts 1:7), and then He refocused them on the work of being witnesses of Him.
The point about setting the date for the return of Jesus is this: You'll never know, so don't worry about it and get busy now! In a parable in Luke 19, Jesus said, "Occupy until I come." The New King James Version says, "Do business until I come." And what is the business the Lord would have us doing?
1. Walk in obedience to Him (see 1 John 3:3). 2. Worship Him with your whole heart (see John 4:23). 3. Witness to others of His love for them (Matthew 10:27). 4. Work for Him, so that you'll receive your reward from Him (see 2 Corinthians 5:10).
The prognosticators are always wrong. And what happens then? Often, they simply recalculate the date! Will that happen this time, if Jesus doesn't rapture the church on May 21? Maybe. In the end, when William Miller died, his followers had this engraved on his tombstone: "At the appointed time, the end shall be." That's a good reminder for us all.
It's good to think, "The Lord might come today." But your focus, as you await His return, should always be on "occupying" until He comes. Walk with Him. Worship Him. Witness about Him. Work for Him.
"Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing" (Matthew 24:46).
