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James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse you’re your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded”

It is so good that God promises to never leave us to our own devices.  He is close at hand, even when we do not stay close.  This is so, even though He could never condone sin.  He can only love us no matter our condition and practices, knowing all the while what I could be ‘in Him’.  Spiritual and relationship treasures await us when we ask Jesus into our heart and remain for ever faithful to Him.  There are hundreds of stories and testimonies from those who have placed Jesus first in their lives in love and obedience and then find that God keeps His word and we can indeed stand on all the promises in the Bible.

We cannot forget the last half of the above text, that tells us to get rid of unrighteousness.  It is not possible to hang onto sinful practices, and still believe we are a true Christian.  When anyone has a purposefully double minded heart, God still cares about us, but the relationship with God on our side suffers.  We can only have one person in control of each life; God or Satan.  So many times people trip themselves up, by trying to have a ‘foot in both camps’, all the while meaning to do the right thing and stay close to God.  Satan the arch tempter may have us indulging in an attractive or ‘darling sin’ based on self-orientation or self-interest. No matter how good our works, we are basically sinful, and it is only the self-sacrificing lovely Jesus who can save us from ourselves and sin.  James 4:7 “Therefore submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Ephesians 6: 10, 11 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

Thank You Jesus for Your love and faithfulness, unto eternal salvation.

When the light is only beginning this morning, I hear the kookaburra birds making their laughing calls, and am comforted by their happy sounds.  It is God Who created and made them so; by placing the song in their voice boxes.  As I reflect, my mind is lifted up, for it is God Who made me, and gave me the ability to speak, and enjoys to hear happy speech and songs from my mouth.  We as His creation are encouraged and appreciate the happy sounds from other people, more than negativity.

I know I am loved and cared for God, in good and challenging times, and it is a blessing to me at least when I give Him praise and thanks.  I recall that it was only yesterday when God by His power and grace answered my prayers and I was enabled and given the strength I needed.

I ask God, to please place joy and praise in my mind and heart, though I feel lonesome in self-isolation, during the Pandemic.  However I want always to reflect Jesus, and praise His name, because I believe and delight in His words in Scripture.  When relevant Bible text are claimed, they come alive with their promise and hope.  Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe you receive them, and you will have them.”

I do believe..  I pray that I will grow in grace and love and come to know God the Father and Jesus His Son, in a close  lifesaving way.  I believe I will be equipped to do the will of God in reverence, love and obedience.  I will then be changed to accept the will of God for me personally, in all things.  I also believe God will never let me go.  Because I ask in the will of God, He will hear this prayer.

1 Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”  I also pray that by the Spirit of God, I will be given more faith and understanding of these texts, and of the whole Bible.

With praise and thanks to Him, I dedicate my heart and mind to God again today.

Jesus had been teaching many people upon a hillside. They were to be in the world as salt enhancing the community. So doing they should light up the world, with the good news of Jesus and salvation through Him.  As a cautionary note, came the teaching on how to uphold truth.  Matthew 5:17, 18 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but fulfil.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”   

It is such a comfort to know that none of God’s teachings have been changed by Him from the beginning of time.  No more will they change than heaven and earth will disappear before God has given each person the chance to repent and turn their lives around to God.  He has always precisely told us through His prophets, when events were coming, and at other times His express will on how He wants us to behave.

I have followed up a connecting link, and find the words of the Lord God in the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 4:2 “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord God which I command you.”  Deuteronomy 12:32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it: you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” Surely it is different now, for God was talking to the wayward Children of Israel, who kept disregarding His words and worshipping man made gods.  Even though many people believe all is different now.  I cannot find any place in scripture were God the Father or Jesus said they had changed the Ten Commandments, which reflect God’s character, and guide us how to live in a manner pleasing to God.

I do find texts in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible, which are referenced with Deuteronomy 4 and 12.  So again I am comforted that God the Father and Jesus His son have not changed the law for us of the New Testament times.  As God’s children of spiritual Israel, preparing our lives to be His true children waiting to be taken to God’s Promised Land, I am glad that the teaching of Jesus remains plain and unchanged.  Revelation 22:18, 19 “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

Come soon Lord Jesus!

Hebrews 4:13 “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account,”

Of course God knows and sees all I and you do.  More than that He knows what we are thinking no matter who we are or where we live.  He knows what we could become.  For us this can only be when we allow Him into the life and do as He asks, living a life of love in Him, for Him and for all mankind.  His creation!

In my experience and how I see it, for me to truly grow in my love for God the Father, Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit, I must be true.  My search must be whole hearted; holding nothing back, instead of how I often am, more concerned about what mere mortals think, than responding to God my Saviour and Creator.  How strange that I often follow my own inclinations, fears and restrictions, instead of obeying God and believing and claiming His Bible promises for every situation.

When I come to the end of the day and desire to make it right with God, before going to bed, it is then that I am reminded, that God does indeed see everything I do, and knows my every thought and action.  The beauty of it is, He still loves me though I am so blighted by sin, and knows the person I could be if I would truly put my whole life in His power.

Scripture tells us that if we would only ask for God’s Presence in all we do, He would guide our thoughts and resulting actions by His strength.  When we do, it is a blessed win, win time with our Saviour.

God for me and all that read these words, wake us from our stupor, so that we want to abide in You, and drink deeply from Your Holy Word.  John 7:37 “……….’If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” 

Amen

Luke 9: 26 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and my words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”

Most people in the Bible record were certainly not backward or ashamed to speak about Father God or His son Jesus Christian. Such a one was the apostle Paul.  After he believed in Jesus Christ, he was bold and articulate in preaching the way of salvation through Jesus Christ.  Roman 1:16 ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes….”

So many times I (and I think others) behave as if we were ashamed of Jesus and His written words, which is the good news of salvation through Him.  There is no better news than this, at all ages and stages of life.

Due to the love and mercy of God and His Son, Who both are the source of all love and selflessness, Jesus offered His own life as the once for ever sacrifice for sin.  The event of His crucifixion has occurred, and His spilt blood cleanses away the record of our confessed sins. Jesus will come to redeem those who claim Him as their Saviour and live in obedience to His words, and with their sins forgiven have their names written in God’s Book of Life.

Each person who chooses Jesus and His way can be saved from sin unto eternal life.  Such unfathomable and boundless love I cannot fully understand; I just grasp it with gratitude.  With this gratitude and in the power of the Holy Spirit, not only do I have good news to tell and but the desire and then the ability to do so.  I do not have to be self-conscious or reserved and keep this good news to myself, for Jesus makes it possible for me to share His good news of freedom from sin and the hope of eternal life in the sinless heaven, in new perfect bodies.

Please walk with me and guide me Jesus, and fill me with Your promised wisdom and strength.

Philippians 4: 13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Lovingly I thank You.

 

Dear God,

Thank You for my life and another day of life in which I can learn to love and serve You more.  Thank You that this prayer is heard and You will answer according to the many scriptural promises to do so.  Jeremiah 33: 3 “Call to me, and I will answer you; and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” I seem mentally jaded, as well as my usual joy as Your child, is somewhat restrained.  Psalm 146: 8 “The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord raises those who are bound down; the Lord loves the righteous.”  It is by experience I have learned that in response to sincere, believing prayer, Your promises can only be answered as written, because Your word never returns to You void. I give thanks, for I know You will strengthen me and raise me up to give joyful praise and service to others in Your wisdom and blessing.  Romans 15: 13 “Now may the God of hope, fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”.  So many times I have claimed this text, and have been received all the text asks from You.  This is such a blessing

To be able to have Your love and joy poured into a mere mortal, by You our Mighty, Merciful God seems amazing, but true nevertheless.  I delight to be Your child, with the righteousness of Jesus bestowed upon me.  I give thanks for the joint gift given to this world, when Jesus offered and You allowed Him to come to earth, in the form of man, and to live a sinless, harmless, giving life. He was harshly tortured and put to death as the sacrifice for the sins of every person who has ever drawn breath, on this earth; for we all have and will sin.  This is inevitable after Satan enticed Eve, then Adam to doubt Your word, and then reject Your instruction and give Satan allegiance.  As Satan wanted we all then are programmed to sin.

Jesus arose from death and now is in heaven and ever offers His spilt blood to blot out each confessed sin.  We just have to accept Him into our lives, to be filled with the hope of salvation from sin, eternal death and this sinful dreary earth.  Right now I again invite You Jesus to come and live in my heart as You have invited me to do.  I am so grateful for the changes that You make toward my becoming more and more Your reflection instead of my sin tainted self.  Philippians 2: 5”Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”

Amen

 

February, 2020 – Jesus Christ the Son of God, died for you and me.  Let’s not waste His sacrifice!

Dear Righteous Father God,

You and Your Son were and are as one about the affairs and salvation of the peoples of earth.  It was Jesus, the one and only Son of God, 1 Peter 2: 24 “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”  Jesus, as the Son of God could have called on legions of very strong angels to save Himself from the angry mob, thus preventing His death.  He could have ascended to His Father, as He did after His resurrection.

However He had already committed to His Father in heaven and agonizingly again in the Garden of Gethsemane to proceed, so He allowed Himself to be forcibly led to the unlawful trial and later to the cross.  All people who have ever lived on earth have and are affected by sins, which are so heinous to our Righteous God, that our sin price needed to be paid, and cleansed from our record in heaven, so we could be redeemed from earth to heaven, and Satan and his fallen angels, receive their just reward for contaminating earth with sin and if unchecked leading sinners to their eternal death.

The sacrifice for sin had to be totally untainted, and divine.  Jesus our Saviour, from the glories and purity of heaven, made this totally undeserved sacrifice, because He loves us all totally, no matter what state of sinful living we find ourselves.  Undeserved as it is for all of us, by accepting Jesus and His sacrifice and walking in obedience to Him, His Righteous is available to be imputed to we the undeserving ones of earth.  I am seen by God, the Father, as being righteous; for my sinful self is covered, by the spotlessness of Jesus.  Though seemingly unbelievable, I do believe and accept Jesus and all He offers me and bestows upon me because of my belief in Him and acceptance of His words and gift.

Thank You Jesus for Your ultimate sacrifice, and I never want it to be in vain for me.

I praise Your Holy name,

Amen

January 2020, Talks with God in my Kitchen –

Trust God, that He does have our best interests in mind; no matter the situation

Dear God,

It is another year, and a month is gone.  Thank You for the blessings of the past year, and the expectations and then the experiences in the new months.

Job learned much through his time of affliction, and I am glad You lead me gently along, and gradually I am learning to trust and claim You as my All loving and Powerful God, during adversity, sickness and all situations.  However it would seem to me, that as yet, my faith is not equal to that of Job.  I ask that by Your power I could always say, Job 23: 12 “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”

As we are in the beginning portion of 2020, I ask dear Lord, to be strengthened in my faith and commitment to You, no matter the circumstances or event.  I sincerely desire to put You first in every aspect of my life; keeping nothing back.

I am so glad that when I pray according to Your will, I am assured of Your answer To believe this is opening up my heart and mind, as all through the day I pray in many different ways, with need, request, thanks, knowing You can only answer You own words in the affirmative, and I will only receive Your blessings, by believing Your words and claiming the answer for myself.  I find this a glorious truth that has been fulfilling me in my deep inner soul, more and more each day.

Also I have been asking for and receiving Your peace and rest within my mind and heart, just as the prophet wrote, Isaiah 26: 3, 4 “Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.  Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.”

I came this morning putting my trust in You anew.  To walk in the light of Your presence is my desire and then remain in the circle of Your love, as You await You.   I am lifted up by Your sweet presence in the early morning, as I feel You close, when I commune with You, in a special way.

Oh, how beautiful heaven will be to Your faithful redeemed children from all parts of the earth, for we will be with You in the glory and beauty of heaven; of which Jesus and His throne will be unsurpassed.

Amen

Dear God,

Jesus was questioned by a young religiously inclined lawyer, as to which of the commandments was the greatest.  The answer of Jesus was insightful and to the point.  Matthew 22: 37, 38 “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.’”  The priests and religious people had been trying to trap Jesus into saying something; they believed transgressed their man-made strict interruption of God’s Words.  They had no come back at Jesus, for He had just neatly encapsulated the first 4 Commandments, and then the last 6, when He said, Verses 39, 40 “And the second it like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’”

As I think about what Jesus said, I believe that to love You supremely will mean that I desire to give You my whole heart, as well as all I am and have.  Your words teach me, that this occurs, when we pray each day for this to occur.   We are sinful and cannot hope to within our own abilities, give You all of ourselves, or acceptable service, apart from You.  I am so glad, that You promise to hear and answer our sincere heartfelt prayers.  Jeremiah 29: 12, 13 “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search with all your heart.  None of us a impressed by the request of the half-hearted, languid person, and neither are You as our God.  Whole hearted desire and supplication driving our prayers and then actions, reveal whose side we are on and working for, and so get Your full answer.

Unselfish love and actions toward others will only come because I have listened to Your voice and allowed You to empower and direct me, in every area of my life and communications with others.  In this world of conflict and strife, there are many that need my interest and loving care.  Lord please strengthens my love for You and for all people. Otherwise my Christian living is as dust in my mouth, and nothing to You or other people: all of whom are precious in Your sight.

Lord forgive my lack, and give me a willing heart and mind to whole heartedly, follow Your promptings.

Amen

2 Corinthians 2: 8 – 10 “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”

Dear God,

I understand that Jesus, who created all things, is all powerful, totally pure, good and merciful, loving me along with every other soul, born under the heavens.  The hard to understand truth is, it does not matter whatever our sins are, and we are counted precious in the heavenly courts.  You, God our Father show us Your love, by sending Jesus Your Son to rescue and atone for each and every sinful person.  Jesus redeemed every person from their sins, because He took upon Himself all our sins, and atoned for them, by allowing Himself to be put to death, as our sin price.

Oh it is a wonderful thought, I am saved out of my darkness and sin, by the merciful love of God, the Father, Who has given us His Son.  It was Jesus Himself, clothed in a human body, who allowed Him to be crucified as the complete sacrifice, doing away with the substitute animal that was killed, and with its blood had pointed to the Saviour.  Once Jesus had made His supreme sacrifice, there was no need of any animal sacrifice.  We can come to Him, anytime and I can be reconciled to Him, just as if I had never sinned; and be made complete in Him.  Although Jesus is the head of all principality and power, He has and is doing this for me

Lord I see that I have not worshiped You enough or as You deserve; nor adored You enough, as You deserve.  Please forgive me and enlighten me as in confession I make things right with You and truthfully with joy give You what wells out of my heart of love for You.

Amen.