He Speaks

August 1, 2021August 1, 2021Leave a comment

The LORD had said to Abram,

“Go from your county… to the land I will show you.”

Genesis 12:1

God is not a silent god; He is a God who speaks. In the Old Testament God spoke to His people through prophets, through visions, and sometimes He spoke directly to His servants. He spoke to Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Daniel, Isaiah and Jeremiah to name a few. Does God still speak to His people today?

One of the ways He speaks to us is through His written word, the Bible. We learn who God is and how He wants us to live as we read His word. His Spirit speaks to us. Often He speaks through that still small voice within us, lovingly prompting us to follow His direction and gently convicting us to turn from sin.

Now we must be careful not to think that every thought we have is from Him. We must test it against scripture. The more we get to know Him through scripture and prayer, the more we recognize His voice. Just as sheep recognize their shepherds voice, so we recognize our Good Shepherd’s voice as we grow to know Him and trust Him.

Father, open our ears to hear and our hearts to understand. Help us to follow your ways and honor you in everything we say and do.

Walking Together

July 2, 2021Leave a comment

Enoch walked faithfully with God. Genesis 5:23

When we walk with someone, we enjoy fellowship with them as we travel together. We have a choice to walk with God in a close relationship, or we can choose to wander in our own direction doing as we please. Enoch chose to walk with God. Additionally, the Bible tells us that, “Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.” Even in the Garden of Eden God we see a hint of God’s walking as we read, “The man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day.”

Paul wrote that just as we have received Christ Jesus as Lord, we are also to “walk in Him.” We can walk with God as we pray to Him throughout our day. It’s one thing to know God as an acquaintance we simply see on Sundays. It’s another thing to walk with Him in close fellowship. God invites us to walk with Him. Will you accept the invitation?

This is an excerpt from my devotional Pursuing God in the Quiet Places

The Power of Rest

May 1, 2021Leave a comment

On the seventh day he rested from all his work. Genesis 2:2

The Bible tells us God does not slumber or sleep. If He does not grow weary or slumber, what does it mean that He rested? It means that He ceased from His work. He deliberately stopped and set aside the work of creation. He chose to establish the seventh day as a holy day, a day of Sabbath rest. The word Sabbath means intermission or repose from labor. The Sabbath was a covenant sign of God’s lordship over creation. The Israelites were instructed to observe a Sabbath rest, thereby identifying themselves as God’s redeemed people.

God wanted His people to be set apart and be different than the rest of the world by ceasing from work one day a week. When we take a break from activity it gives us time to reflect on the goodness of God and trust Him for our provision. It also allows us to mentally and physically recoup from our work.

Thank you Father for you know what is best for us. Thank you Father for establishing a pattern of rest for us.

He is our Teacher

April 5, 2021Leave a comment

Mary turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic,

“Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

John 20:16

Mary used a Galilean term of respect toward Jesus which meant “Master.” She humbly respected Jesus as her master and teacher. What a beautiful place to be, looking to Jesus as his student, recognizing that He had the words of life. Who is your master teacher? Often we get distracted and try to forge our way on our own, forgetting our master and teacher lovingly instructs those who have ears to hear.

As a follower of Christ, we learn from Him. We learn from His word and we learn from His example as we study both in scripture. As His disciples or students we follow in His footsteps. My fellow student, are you hungry to learn from Him? Do you look to Him for instruction and guidance each day? He is not just a man we learn about in church; He is our teacher, our master, our instructor for life.

The Grand Artist

March 6, 2021Leave a comment

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Genesis 1:31

Have you ever watched an artist at work? Typically they will toil over their work for a while, then step back and observe it from several different angles, make some adjustments and proceed with their work until their masterpiece is finished. When God looked at all He created, He declared it was very good and rested from His work. The grand designer and artist of all things created a glorious masterpiece, which no artist on this earth can ever duplicate.

The word for “good” means favorable; pleasing, right, best. God appraised each of the six days of creation with the acknowledgement that it was “good,” but upon completion He declared it all “very good.” Creator and critic, He knew what He had created was the best. Let us live each day in appreciation of His creation. See the beauty in each person. Enjoy the pleasant surroundings in nature and stand in awe at the wonders of the universe. He made it all and it is pleasing and wonderful. It is very good!