Talks with God in My Kitchen

 

Isaiah 46:6 “Even in your old age, I am He, and even to grey hairs I will carry you!  I have made and I will bear; even I will carry and l I will deliver you. 

I love this text, for it is the most comprehensive care statement, out there and it starts at birth.  God not only knows He can fulfil all He stated, and we by experience will find He never lies or does not do as promised.  He also wants to do as He said, because as His creation, we are greatly loved, and now in our time of need we experience His divine love; still.

Isaiah 46: 5”  To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal and Me, that we should alike.”  The truth is God is not like any of us, for He is God above, Holy and Divine, of all Power and all love and knowledge as well as the Creator of all.  It is such a comfort that in my most needy and dependent time, at any age, especially old age; it is God Who will carry me through, and deliver me safely home.

None of us are denied the blessings of God when we actually believe in Him. And as we become aware of our wrong doings before God, He invites us to ask Him for forgiveness; then we are freely forgiven by God.  No matter what, let nothing in our past stop us, for Jesus died for every sinner, and does not sort us out by colour when it comes to being forgiven and assisted by our Saviour to love Him and His Father with all our heart, mind and soul.  1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

There is a blessing like no other, that comes when we have confessed our sins to Jesus and know that forgiveness has been given; precious promise to learn if possible when young; and then cherish to the end of each life; or return to, if anyone has forgotten or departed from seeking Jesus.  I find that true abiding happiness  comes when living close to God in communication, by reading His Holy Word and praying about all things as well as living His way whole heartedly.

James 1: 17 (NIV) “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.”

 

Ephesians (KJ) 6: 6,7 “Not with eye service as men pleases, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing the service as to the Lord, not to men.”  I think for some it can be easy to do good works for the Lord in public, and not bother when no one is watching or listening.

Jesus spoke of us doing good deeds for Him, not with a self-focused motive.  He was talking to the religious leaders of the day, and told those who loved attention and display, that good deeds are best done in secret, with only God to know about.  What really matters is for each person to obey and please our Lord.

In the end it is not important to work at ‘boosting myself up’ to friends, acquaintances and family, by words that imply ‘look at me, I am such a good person, for I do this or give, such and such’.  My ultimate reward comes from God, when I have my sins forgiven and have the righteous of Christ, covering me, and all I do for Jesus is because He is in me and He motivates me and strengthens me.  I am always a sinful person that has nothing of merit, under His covering of righteousness, and I have put self-opinion and focus aside.

What a privilege it is to be able to do the works of my Saviour – not as a means of earning good points, but because I love Jesus with all my heart, and it He I wish to represent, because He lives in my heart and all I have and am, is from God.  More and more I am being changed so that I cannot keep from representing Him, it just bubbles out of me.

Take me anew today Lord and guide my every thought and action.  I dedicate myself to You and give praise for Your eternal love.

 

Psalm 119: 105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Oh, how I long to be able to take more words of the Bible into my heart and my mind and remember them, for the appropriate time and circumstance.  The text needed will be recalled at will to go over some in the mind and dwell on them for reassurance, comfort, direction and correction etc.  When old it is often said, as I do, “It is such a pity I did not learn more bible promises and texts in my youth, then I could recall many more when I wish to do so.

I often have trouble concentrating as I read the word of God daily, with impaired understanding as the result.  With more regular and applied prayer for the intervention of the Holy Spirit and determination, I gradually improve, as we all desire and can do in the wisdom of Jesus.  Why make this effort? Because it is the will of Jesus and the words of scripture bring light for my life and how I walk through life.  They are indeed light for my soul.

Many of us continue to regret our wasted times when we have not used and given Your Holy Word the attention we should have.  I rejoice to know from Gods words, that I have His forgiveness for my neglected applied opportunities, and the reassurance, ‘come now’ and not only are, you (we) forgiven, but our mental abilities increase by reading God’s Word and committing portions to memory.

Matthew 6:22,23 “The lamp of the body is the eye.  If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness……..”

The eye brings picture images into our body that are very useful in living, learning, working and having recreation.  The images that we see also bring light into the soul and what we seek to look at, also reflect what the mind likes to dwell upon and feed on.  For the non-sighted God does not change His commission to dwell upon the pure and Christ centred images that enter our mind very efficiently, by other avenues.

The challenge is in this sensory world, is to keep beholding what is pure, and not of darkness and sin.  When I am serious in my intention to serve Jesus my Saviour and meet Him when He comes again and go with Him to dwell in heaven, I choose to follow Jesus and obey His words.  If I am filled with images of darkness from Satan, I would not be happy in heaven, a place where the purity and brilliant light of God the Father and His Son, Jesus would be unbearable, blinding, causing death.  The Bible tells us that this source of  light from them, will be sufficient and no other source of light will be needed in the heavenly city.

If when upon earth, I only seek to behold the good things with the heavenly light in them, instead of seeking anything full of darkness and wickedness from Satan, which bring wrong thoughts and actions;  my whole body is lit up with light from Jesus.  It is then I have light to reflect from Jesus to others, which is a commission from God for all of God’s family.

Jesus not only fills me with the resolve to truly follow His words  in Matthew 6: 22, 23, but gives me understanding about what is and is not a true source of light for my soul.  I have learned to stop looking at some entertainment, many books, games which are tainted with the darkness from Satan blunting my desire for God and His wholesome entertainment.

I have been so blessed from heaven as Jesus rains down His light and peace into my mind.

Psalm 62:8 “Trust in God at all times, you people, pour out your heart before Him, God is a refuge for us.”

Jesus invites us to come to Him for refuge and turns no one away that truly seeks Him.  John 6:37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means as cast out.”

It is a privilege that Father God and His Son want us communicating with them, out of a close friendship with both; formed out of reading and believing their words in the Bible.  I cannot have salvation unless I believe God’s Word and accept Him into my heart.  As Jesus is pure and does not sin, so must I not pursue wrong doing, but rather in His strength put aside self-focused attitudes and interests, and instead come to Jesus freely for every need, and to be changed by putting aside every character trait that is not as Jesus.  We cannot of ourselves change our sinful self, but Jesus and the Holy Spirit, when invited in to our heart, can and will.  As a Christian we have victory over sin in the life by asking Jesus to do so, and trusting Him, to fulfil His every word.   Jesus was humble!   By Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we can be changed and in humble trust in Jesus believe and receive His promises.  Glorious thought and reality!

Let us not become so busy that God does not have access to the mind and heart, and cannot therefore reveal His love and caring plan to us, or be to us a refuge.  Jesus will answer as upon our knees we pray for forgiveness of every wrong doing, as well as invite Him to show to us, clearly His beautiful life of sinlessness, selfless love and sacrifice.  In contrast as we love Jesus more and have a relationship with Him, the hideousness and insidious workings of sin in all lives, promoted by Satan’s crafty deceptive ways will become evident and abhorrent.

Jesus will surely answer when we pray, ‘please open my mind and heart to You.’  Psalm 18: 35 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great.”

Jesus had been speaking about the happiness which comes, when the values He demonstrated are within a person, with their actions demonstrating inner happiness, lifting the thoughts of others.  Matthew 5: 13 “You are the salt of the earth…….”

Happiness comes from knowing our need of Christ and obtaining the right attitude.

Happiness is the result of repenting and confessing to Jesus for any wrong doing.  Then we receive forgiveness and peace from God.

Happiness is the result of being eager to listen and obey God, as we acknowledge that He is the source of life and abilities, bringing a sense that we are indeed very blessed.

Happiness is felt from loving to do what is right, because it brings inner satisfaction, like nothing else can.

Happiness comes to us and the recipient, from being kind and considerate as well as forgiving, because Jesus is working in our heart.  People in return treat us with more mercy.

Happiness comes from pure thoughts and motives.  One day God will allow these people to see Him face to face!

Happiness comes with being a peace maker, which reveals we are a child of God.

Jesus and many of His disciples reveal:-

Happiness comes from doing right and staying true to God, even when being ridiculed or persecuted.

By following the teachings of Jesus in the Bible, we can only be the SALT of the earth, improving the lives of those we come in contact with, throughout our life.

Isaiah 41: 10 “Fear not, for I am with you: be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Oh how most of us need to get the above words of God down in our very soul, for God always delivers His promises, when we disbelievingly claim them.  “FEAR NOT FOR I AM WITH YOU.”  God hears everything we say.  He wants the best for us, and aches for us to give Him our heart and allegiance, which means, time, the mind, desires, money, concerns and troubles; summed up, my all, trusting that He is there looking out for each individual, because He has promised to do so, along with guiding, providing for our every need.  His promised love and care, includes helping each to accomplish what is best for them.  By letting it sink into the belief system, each person can truly believe He will. “Strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand,”

We need have no doubt about it; He is the Infinite, ALL POWERFUL GOD, Who is absolute righteous, mercy and love.

Please forgive us Lord, for times of unbelief and lack of faith, as we ask You to be our ALL and All, today and every day.

1 Peter 3:8 “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another, love as brothers, be tender hearted, be courteous.”

To be always compassionate and to love as brothers and sisters, can be a challenge to some of us, who are sinful, hard hearted and self-focused.   Though to be always compassionate and loving to others is my intention, it is not always what I deliver, what about you?

As I read the Holy Bible, God over and over promises to fill those who ask, with His love through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  I am so glad I have help available to be a nicer, loving person.  I ask the Lord to go with me each day, and to be imbued with His Spirit.  I ask often through the day because we are told to ask often, for we are in new need all through the day.  I also pray that I centre on beholding the perfect life of Jesus.  In so doing, we will have our mind taken off our challenges, and onto Christ and how He lived and treated other people on earth, when severely challenged on all sides, daily.   Jesus does open my eyes to what He wants me to do for others and the compassion I can give, so through Him my love will spill out.

I pray that Jesus will continue to grow my comprehension for His great love of we who live upon earth.  That is why He came to earth, to live out the principles of God, make disciples, and in the end forever pay the price for our sins, in sacrificial death.  Such love and sacrifice is divine!

Jesus has paid the price for all our sins, and is always inviting us to repent and confess our sins, so we can be forgiven and then realizing our weaknesses, make request for His strength, to live a life that  loves Him and all people as He does.  Proverbs 3:27 “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so.”

Praises to our wonderful God above, from whom all blessings flow.  Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 3:10, 17 “Moreover He (God) said to me: ‘Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears.  Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me.”

Ezekiel was faithful in listening to God and doing as He asked for the wicked and wayward Israelite’s.  He was given the commission of not only watching out for their safety, but warning the people of the consequences for disobedience and wrongdoing.

Even though we live in different times, as I hear His words, God has called us to be no less vigilant and faithful, in watching out for people and warning them of the eternal cost for disobedience and deaf ears to the messages and warnings in God’s Holy Word.  I believe He wants me to be faithful and Bible informed; as well as not slack off in what He asks us to do for others, which will bless us personally.

God wishes that we ‘keep our garments clean’ so to speak.  It is then we can be His witness and He can work through us for others.  It is always a temptation and distraction to follow our own pursuits and desires, thus allowing the focus to be on worldly thoughts and doings.  Jesus tells us it is only by focusing upon scripture and the life of Jesus, that we are safe from planned wrong doing and overriding selfishness.  Jesus invites each to come to Him in repentance and confession of our sins each day and throughout the day.   Along with the forgiveness God freely gives, comes His strength to face the day and stay close to Him.  So close that He comes and abides with us, as we abide in Him. It is then we become a channel of light seen clearly because it is reflects the light of Jesus.

No matter what happens around us and to us, God promises to be near with His support.  Isaiah 58: 11 “The Lord will guide us continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden.  And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” In these dark and troubled times, when people are not sure what to believe and do, there is an urgency to warn them as did Ezekiel,  God’s message is to repent and come back to Him, lest it is too late to do so, and the God predicted last day events are upon us.

Let us each listen to God and enjoy His love, and hope of eternal life with Him forever.

Matthew 18:19, 20”Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

It is encouraging knowing that Jesus is with all who are in agreement and worshiping Him, whether it is at church, prayer meeting, singing and praise, study etc., in or out of a building.  Many of us have been isolating at home, through the weeks, and are unable to go and meet physically at church, during the Covid19 Pandemic.

Our gatherings of two or three will be especially blessed, when we give praise to God for His goodness and instead of giving voice to our woes and the actions of others, lest it be to lift them up in prayer.  Give us instead a sense of our unworthiness and spiritual needs, along with an appreciation of God as our King, coming to Him in love and awe, with gratitude, as well as reverence.  It is by praying that we will be totally emptied of our self-focus and desires.  We now long to be near Jesus and become more like Him in our character and doings.  Jesus invites us to follow Him and become more enlightened, shedding His light about us.

That’s how the diverse and self–focused disciples became through the Pentecost experience.  Such an experience is not denied us, if we pray much and put aside our differences, as the disciples.  Then after 10 intense days of seeking God and His will; the Holy Spirit descended with power upon the disciples of Jesus, as promised.

Today Jesus wants us to be filled with the Holy Spirit, whether worshiping with hundreds or with two or three.  His words still guide us, Luke 11: 13”If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

I thank God for hearing and answering our prayers, according to His spoken will.  John 16:24 “Until now you have asked nothing in My name.  Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”