Speak Boldly

Jun14

And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
Acts 4:31 NASB

Speaking the word of God with boldness.
Sharing the gospel without fear. How does this happen?
By prayer and the filling of the Holy Spirit. Time in the word of God and in prayer strengthens our knowledge of God’s word and our spiritual relationship with our Lord. We trust the Spirit to speak through us.
Who can you be praying for and sharing the gospel with?

🌹For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
Matthew 10:20 NASB
for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Luke 12:12 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Trust God When Life Gets Hard

Jun13

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
Genesis 50:20 NASB

Life can deal some harsh blows. But God. Do you trust Him with your life? Do you set your sights on Him knowing He will see you through any and every situation? Do you believe that in all situations in life God has a plan? Teaching, growing, sanctifying. Can God take what seems bad or is, and turn it to your good and His glory?
God is amazing! He has a plan. Trust Him. Talk to Him. He cares. He is listening. Seek Him through His word and prayer.

🌹And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Do You Love Me?

Jun12

He (Jesus) *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.
John 21:17 NASB

Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” and Peter responded 3 times with a yes. Jesus reponded to those three yeses with instructions to obey Him by serving. Serve by feeding others the Word of God. Serve by drawing the lost to Christ.

Our salvation is a gift. Thankfulness for that gift is serving God who entrusts us to love His sheep. Let’s excel in our love for God proving, to others and ourselves, by serving and obeying Him.
Loving Him more than family, friends, job, church, etc. Even ourselves.

🌹So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God.
Joshua 23:11 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Humbleness

Jun9

And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke 18:9‭-‬14 NASB

Humbleness does not come easy. At least not for me. Being a “goodie two shoes” most of my life has bolstered my view of myself making me self-righteous. Yes, self-righteous. Anytime we think of ourselves above or better than another, we are self-righteous. Our real plumb line, the standard by which God’s children should live, and from which divine judgement is gauged, is Jesus. His righteousness is pure, perfect, and available to the humble. The only righteousness I have is Jesus in me. We can be perfect in our own eyes, as the Pharisee was, or we can be humble, as the tax collector was and live a justified life exalting the only righteousness in us, Jesus, in humbleness. Humbleness is hard work. Practice putting God first in ALL.

🌹And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.
Luke 16:15 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Humbleness = self less + Christ more
Self trusted righteousness = self more + righteous less

Miracles Through Prayer

Jun8

Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a devout man who prayed to God continually.
Acts 10:1-2
Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
Acts 10:9 NASB

Cornelius, a Gentile, prayed continually.
Peter, a Jew, prayed.

God moved and the gospel was opened to every living person until Christ’s return.
Two men miles apart connected by prayer. The faithfulness of God to move, for His will and purpose, in His people who pray.

🌹What miracles and movement of God are we missing out on because we do not pray regularly, earnestly, continually?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

P.S. Please read the entire account of Cornelius and Peter in Acts 10. It is a wonderful testimony of the power and movement of God through prayer.

Prayer Changes Things

Jun7

Then Moses entreated the Lord his God, . . . . . So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.
Exodus 32:11‭-14 NASB

God hears the prayers of His righteous ones. He answers them according to His will. He is near the one who calls upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of the those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of their troubles.
1 John 5:14/Psalm 145:18-19/Psalm 34:17 NASB

Then why are we not earnestly praying?

We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.
John 9:31 NASB
And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.
1 John 5:15 NASB

🌹And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Matthew 21:22 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Humble and Contrite

Jun6

For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word. Isaiah 66:2 NASB

God, everything that ever was, is, or ever will be exists by Your hand. How could I or any being put ourselves above You, much less before You? Yet we walk as if we know it all. As if we do not need You. As if our ways are your ways, justified by You because we are ‘Christians’. God convict our hearts by Your Word. I pray that Your Word would make us tremble at any and every disobedience as we read, study, and meditate on Your Word. Humble the arrogant heart, Lord. Look to the one, as You promised, who comes to You with a remorseful, repentant heart desiring atonement from sin.

🌹My flesh trembles for fear of You, And I am afraid of Your judgments.
Psalms 119:120 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Resolve of Heart

Jun5

Among the divisions of Reuben there were great resolves of heart.
Judges 5:15d NASB
Among the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
Judges 5:16b NASB

Have you determined in your heart to seek God earnestly and follow in His way? The divisions of Reuben did and there was peace for forty years.

Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord; But let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.” And the land was undisturbed for forty years.
Judges 5:31 NASB

So. . .

Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually. Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth,
Psalms 105:4‭-‬5 NASB

With the rising of the sun each new day, pray for God to help resolve your heart to seek earnestly His strength, His way, His face continually. May we, the body of Christ, seek to rise as the sun in its might; so we may live in peace.

🌹Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.
Hosea 10:12 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Show Me Your Glory!

Jun2

Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!”
Exodus 33:18 NASB

One of my all time favorite verses. Show me Your glory, Lord God! Moses saw a glimpse of God’s glory. I’m looking forward to the day when I will see the full glory of my Lord face to face.

But can we see God’s glory, a glimpse, today? In this day and age? I believe we can.

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ ” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 7:38-39 NASB

The rivers of living water is the Holy Spirit working in the believer, the child of God. The work of the Holy Spirit through the believer allows the believer to see the glory of God.
God shows His glory through answered prayer, or the Sonshine in the midst of the storm, or the light of salvation in the eye of a new believer or the healing of  physical or emotional hurt. . . The list goes on. How long has it been since you saw the glory of God? When was the last time, if ever, did you pray to God asking, “Show me your glory”?

🌹“I pray You, show me Your glory!” Amen.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

I Pray to Know Your Ways

Jun1

Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.”
Exodus 33:13 NASB

O Lord, teach me and make me know Your ways. Lead me in a level path. Then I will walk in Your truth and unite my heart to fear Your name. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You. I want to know You and Your ways, my God, for Your glory and my praise of You. In Your glorious, forever Name I pray, amen.
Psalms 25:4/Psalms 27:11/Psalms 86:11/Psalms 51:13 NASB

🌹Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall observe it to the end.
Psalms 119:33 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon