Hunger And Thirst Of God's Word

Now that Thanksgiving Day has come and we have eaten our share of bountiful food, let us turn our minds to the bountifulness of God's Word. As we know, God's Word often describes our longing for God as a deep hunger or thirst. Hunger and thirst are basic drives we all experience, and there is also a hunger and thirst within our spirit. This fallen world can never satisfy, but we keep going back to it, as if it can. We set our sights on the objects of a thousand different desires, none of which give us the lasting pleasure we long for.

The following passages remind us of what we really crave, and what will satisfy our deepest longings:

 

• "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for thee, O God, for the living God" (Psalm 42:1-2)

• "My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, in a dry and weary land where there is not water" (Psalm 63:1)

• "O taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 34:8)

• "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6)

• "Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture said, streams of living water will flow from him'" (John 7:37)

• "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost form the spring of the water of life" (Revelation 21:6)

• "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say 'Come!' Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life" (Revelation 22:17)

We long for God's Word, the truth which is an extension of Himself, that clarifies and explains, and shows us life as it really is, not as it is constantly misperceived. The world leaves us empty and unsatisfied, but there is an eternal sweetness to God's Word.

 

We are to develop a taste for God's Word, for it is as desirable and essential for our growth; as eating healthy food and exercising regularly are. If we develop a habit of daily meditating on God's Word, we will deeply appreciate it, realize our need for it, and miss it deeply whenever we are away from it too long.

If we are not craving God's Word, we have forgotten what we are missing—or perhaps we have never known. If that's the case, dive into it and stick to it like you would with eating healthy and exercising regularly.

 

Making The Most Of Your Time

Making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

 

Ephesians 5:16

 

 

 

Many people never finish what they begin—unfinished paintings, ministries that never come to fruition, dreams that always remain dreams, and there are relationships that never become all they could be—but it doesn't have to be that way.

 

And the answer can be found in the phrase "making the most of your time" (See Ephesians 5:16a). If we are ever to turn our dreams into realities and our hopes into facts, it will be only when we have made the most of our time.

 

Paul knew firsthand the importance of redeeming his time and we see this in Acts 20:24, "I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus." In other words, God has given us a time boundary, and within that time He has defined a course.

 

Paul is saying, "I want to finish the specific course and specific ministry in the specific time given to me." At the end of his life Paul could say, "I have finished the course" (See 2 Timothy 4:7)—he completed the race because he made the most of his time.

 

How about you, are you in fact making the most of the time that God has given you?

The Masterpiece Of Thunderstorms

 

When a storm approaches there is usually the resonating sound of distant thunder, as the storm burst upon us, and it begins to rain. Not just a light misty rain, more like a heavy rain that pours and pours and with each lightning strike, the rain gets harder.

The wind, the rushing of the rain, and the echoes of the thunder have a way of captivating our entire being. It is amazing how quickly a thunderstorm can rush upon us and then be gone without even a trace. It is as if in each storm, for the little moment of its whole existence, God takes time to paint a masterpiece.

Is it not the same with our lives—which are but for a moment in view of eternity—if we will only let Him paint in us the picture of His image, His unique life for us, and His love?

Think about it the next time you have the pleasure of experiencing a thunderstorm and ask God to renew a deeper longing within your heart, to let Him paint the masterpiece He has in store.

Walking In Wisdom

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise.

 

Ephesians 5:15

 

 

Paul has been describing since the beginning of Ephesians 4 that we are to "Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called" and then proceeds to describe this worthy walk with the following characteristics:

 

• A humble walk (See Ephesians 4:1-3)
• A united walk (See Ephesians 4:4-16)
• A unique walk (See Ephesians 4:17-32)
• A loving walk (See Ephesians 5:1-7)
• An illuminated walk (See Ephesians 5:8-14)
• A wise walk (See Ephesians 5:15-17)  

Keep walking in wisdom!

What Our Hearts Crave

 Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'

 

Jeremiah 9:23-24

 

 

 

Tozer once said:

"Is it not true that for most of us who call ourselves Christians there is no real experience? We have substituted theological ideas for an arresting encounter; we are full of religious notions, but our great weakness is that for our hearts there is no one there."

Are we in fact engaging in a conscious effort to cultivate our relationship with God?

 

Have we only concluded God is good today or have we tasted and seen that He is good (See Psalm 34:8)?

 

One encounter with God can change us in a way that nothing else can—it is what our hearts crave because it is what we were created for—and that is a personal communion with Him.

 

From The Heart To The Mouth

The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

 

Proverbs 16:1

 

 

It doesn't come overnight, but as we allow Him to mold us and shape us and change our hearts, then what comes out of our mouths will reflect the repentant, kind, wise heart that God has put in us.

See The Joy

As believers, we know God, and that is where our joy comes from—He gives us joy during the ins and outs of daily existence. And joy is one of the fruits of His Spirit in our lives.

 

Paul mentions joy often in his letter to the churches:

 

• "Always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy" (Philippians 1:4). 
• "May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy" (Colossians 1:11).

So be joyful today—there is everything to be thankful for.

Obedience Starts In The Now

He said, 'Take now your son…'

 

Genesis 22:2

 

 

God's command is, "Take now," not later. It is incredible how we debate!

 

We know something is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it immediately. If we are to climb to the height God reveals, it can never be done later—it must be done now. And the sacrifice must be worked through our will before we actually perform it.

 

"So Abraham rose early in the morning… and went to the place of which God had told him" (Genesis 22:3). Oh, the wonderful simplicity of Abraham! When God spoke, he did not "confer with flesh and blood" (Galatians 1:16). Beware when you want to "confer with flesh and blood" or even your own thoughts, insights, or understandings—anything that is not based on your personal relationship with God. These are all things that compete with and hinder obedience to God.

 

Abraham did not choose what the sacrifice would be. Always guard against self-chosen service for God. Self-sacrifice may be a disease that impairs your service. If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; or even if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him. If the providential will of God means a hard and difficult time for you, go through it. But never decide the place of your own martyrdom, as if to say, "I will only go to there, but no farther." God chose the test for Abraham, and Abraham neither delayed nor protested, but steadily obeyed.

 

If you are not living in touch with God, it is easy to blame Him or pass judgment on Him. You must go through the trial before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, because by going through the trial you learn to know God better. God is working in us to reach His highest goals until His purpose and our purpose become one.     

 

–Oswald Chambers

He Alone Is Able

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when God displaces worry at the center of your life.

 

Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG)

 

 

We as Christians have the option to trust God or to doubt Him; and Spurgeon exhorts us to do the former:

When the Christian trusts, he is happy; when he doubts, he is miserable. When the believer looks to his Master and relies upon him, he can sing; when he doubts his Master, he can only groan. What miserable wretches the most faithful Christians are when they once begin doubting and fearing! It is a trade I never like to meddle with, because it never pays the expenses, and never brings in any profit—the trade of doubting.

 

No matter how worrying the circumstances are around us, let us put our complete faith and trust in God to look after us, because He alone is able.

Trusting God With Your Financial Future

 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 

Hebrews 11:1

 

 

So, what's in your future? No, this has nothing to do with horoscopes, but many Christians make financial decisions based on fear of the future, instead of trusting that God will provide for them. Fear of the future can cause us to forfeit the blessings of God, because we base decisions on the latest headline or stock market report.

 

Too often, Christians give little thought to God's ability to take care of them.

 

This doesn't mean that we shouldn't plan ahead to ensure financial stability; however, when Christians find that attitudes of fear and worry are motivating financial decisions, they need to reevaluate their financial priorities, and recommit to trust in God.

 

The U.S. economic slowdown has the financial well-being of many Americans hanging in the balance. They worry about not having enough money to pay normal monthly bills, and the rash of recent mortgage defaults has devastated many. Causing many Americans to live so close to the edge financially that a prolonged economic downturn could put them in serious financial straits.

 

No Christian can truly serve God and live in fear of financial loss.

 

Fear of our financial future exhibits a lack of trust in God and in His provision. In other words, when we fear the future, we choose to serve the fear of financial loss, rather than to trust and serve God—Who has conquered all fear and holds the future in His hands. God's plan seems to be that we have some needs so that we can develop our faith in Him. It is vital for us to view potential future financial needs as opportunities to exercise and develop our faith.

 

It is a matter of who are you going to trust.

 

There are some important steps we must follow that will help us trust God completely with the present and the future:

 

• Find God's direction for your life– Most frustrations that Christians experience are the result of trying to model their lives after someone else's life. Instead, through prayer and study, find God's direction for you, which will allow you to properly plan and establish a budget with your finances.
• Make a conscious effort to trust God– Put thoughts, words, and commitments into action and trust God. Don't buy on credit. Plan ahead and wait for God to supply your needs.
• Develop a long-range perspective– Trust God's directives and His guidance (See Matthew 6:34).
• Pray diligently– Prayer is the key that unlocks God's blessings, power and direction (See 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). 

Although we are bombarded daily with events that can cause doubt concerning our financial future, we must never doubt that God is in complete control. Refuse to panic, and do not be governed by fear of the future. Keep your commitments and vows to God, pray without ceasing and trust your future to Him without reservation.

Facts

"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."

-John Adams

Changed By The Mystery Of God

Now that the changes of the seasons are upon us (well not really when living in FL) there is distinct difference in the depth of the deep blue sky, the warmth of the sun, and most of all the breeze or wind in the air. Change has taken place over night and it is one that is noticeable enough to be felt.

 

The wind is that which is most noticeable as it moves the things around us, giving a voice to nature. The weather day or night is enhanced by a wind, either gentle or fierce. The breeze has a way of making its presence known, all while remaining invisible.

 

Recently the weather was such that brought a rowdy wind that caused trees and plants alike to be easily bent under the wind's power, and creating that mysterious noise that wind often harmonizes under the right circumstances. Looking around, it seems strange that although we can see the trees sway and the leaves shake, we really do not see the "object" that was stirring such activity.

 

But obviously it was there!

 

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear it's sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit (John 3:8).

 

In the Greek, the same word is used for both wind and Spirit—seemingly invisible, but they are very real. Both the wind and the Holy Spirit effect people, but remain unseen. Skeptics have a hard time grasping who God is because He is invisible.

 

Sometimes we Christians even begin to assume God is absent from our lives because He appears to be hidden, but we need only to open our eyes and look around us. Watch as brothers and sisters in Christ sway under the Holy Spirits power.

 

Look as souls are redeemed and lives are changed!

 

The Spirit of God is moving among us, transforming us, and empowering us—it is the great mystery—of the changed life; just as the wind is as much as apart of the mystery of the changing seasons.