Talks with God in My Kitchen

Psalm 1: 6 “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

Dear God,

Depending on how am walking with You at the time, it can be intimidating or comforting to realize, there is nothing about me that You do not know; even the highly secret things.  Please Lord cleanse away all uncleanness from my heart, and show me the areas that I need to make right with You.  For I believe Psalm 1: 1 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.”

Thank You in answer to my prayers I more often respond to the early morning call to get up early and spend more special time with You.  Please strengthen me physically and spiritually, so that I have a desire to get up at Your time, and not my time to commune.  Unless of course You know sleep is my first need on that day.

I thank You for the sustaining power and direction You gave me yesterday and, and many times in the past, in answer to my need and request.  I so appreciate such love and providence that makes my way blessed and Holy Spirit directed, in answer to my heart preparation, and sincere prayer.  Just at this time I have extra need of Your wisdom, guidance and trust, and am glad that so many lovely friends pray for me, daily in their prayers.  As I think of them, they are so special in my heart, and valued as gifts from You.  They are truly people of Your Holy Word; connected with You, and shedding Your love around as Your blessing to others.

In the mornings as I have been spending earlier and increased time with You, studying the Scriptures, I also am learning of You more intimately; and feel fulfilled as each day I pray for a deeper infilling of Your Holy Spirit.   I delight in His presence, as I drink of the words of Jesus, and receive the true the water of life.

Psalm 1: 3 “He shall be like a tree in its season, whose leaf also shall not whither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”  This is Your promise to us, our ‘roots’ will be down in the cool, calm waters from Jesus, despite the heat of the day.

Amen

 

Jesus again had been speaking in parables to prepare His listeners for ‘the kingdom of God.’ Luke 12: 37“Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching…….” Verse 38 “And if He should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.”

Dear Lord,

I again today determine to be one of those servants whom are found watching, by my Master, Jesus Christ.  I believe that You long for me as well, to be one of those awake, prepared and watching for their Master to return.

As an owner of a property is rewarded for having implemented measures to deter as best as possible, a thief from forcing entry ; so will those who live and work as if Jesus was returning that very day or night.  Luke 12: 40 “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour you do not expect.” 

Thank you for Your constant guidance, love and mercy and the gift of the Holy Spirit, that I pray daily to be filled with.  I long to be as You want me to be, empty of self and filled with Your Spirit, doing Your work, in Your way.  Still I find myself departing from Your way, and using unkind or critical words, or listening to gossip.  Jesus sets us a beautiful example of righteousness, love and living when upon earth; that in my strength alone I cannot match.  But now I have found in Scripture I just have to daily invite Him into my heart, and I will be changed day by day, so I can more often reflect His love and selfless service.

Please make my life to a blessing to those I meet.  Keep me centred upon You and Your love.  May the Holy Spirit throughout every day, find entrance to my soul to be able to carry out the restoration and growth that I need, to be a prepared servant watching for my Lord and Saviour.

God above, praise Your Holy name, for Your works, for Your Being.  We and every creature praise You as our God and Creator.

Praise, Praise, Praise!

Amen

Dear God,

Paul Your faithful worker and evangelist wrote upon the subject of our title a number of times. To the Philippians 4: 4 “Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say rejoice!”  Verse 6, 7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

As with so many of the leaders of the early church after Jesus went back to heaven, Paul also suffered real privation, hardship and persecution.  He could have been morbid and sorrowful, in such situations, but because he loved God, and trusted in Him, Paul knew his future was safe in God’s hands whilst in life and when death came to him.  He believed the message of Jesus, Who taught that his body would also be safe in the care of God in death, as he awaited the call of his life giving Saviour, at His second coming.  This faithful, valiant warrior in the cause of God could have this assurance, because he knew he had made his salvation sure in the merits of Christ, all through every day, and not because he had personally reached a higher plane due to his hard efforts.

God I am sorry for the times when I get side tracked by my own doings and thoughts, and then do not live up to the life and assurance Jesus wants me to have in Him.  In reality Jesus is our Saviour and the restorer of things fractured or not as they should be.  This is why Paul says ‘rejoice in the Lord always’, for He is always our solution.  All we have to do is ask and have the faith to believe and we are restored in Him.  Paul had found by experience there was no need to be anxious, for God delights not only in hearing our prayers, but in answering them.  We are told also, we have no need to hang back, but to make our requests known to God with thanksgiving from a sincere humble heart.  1 John 5: 15 “And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we asked of Him.” 

Please this day answer my sincere prayer to be filled with thanksgiving and rejoicing, knowing there is no need for a retained anxious thought.

Amen

Dear God,

I wish to humble myself before You, Mighty God, Who in heaven receives the praise and adoration of thousands of pure sinless angels.  Therefore it is amazing that You love and care about every person that was ever created, despite their sinful thoughts and wickedness, selfishness and hate expressed toward others.  It is so sad, that we so often do not believe and accept Your absolutely pure, all powerful and all-knowing divinity, and too often do not stop to think, that nothing is hidden from You.

An example of You loving forbearance in reaction to unspoken unbelief and then spoken untruth, comes in Genesis 18: 1 – 15 Abraham was resting at his tent door, in the heat of the day, when upon lifting his eyes, he saw three men standing near him.  He went quickly to them and bowed to the ground, Verse 3 “and said, ’My Lord, if I have now found favour in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.’”

God had previously promised Abraham, that he would father a son through Sarah, and so would begin a great nation.  Now Abraham was ninety-nine and Sarah well beyond the age when woman bear children, and the heavenly visitor says, Verse 10 ”’I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.’  (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)  Sarah did not believe, the Lord, Verse 12 “Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, ‘after I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’”

This so typical of the way, we in our limited experience and abilities, in unbelief limit God to as it is in our world. Of course the heavenly visitor knew what Sarah, had secretly thought in her tent, and asked why Sarah had laughed.  Without harshness toward Sarah, the Lord in Verse 14 “Is anything too hard for the Lord?  At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah will have a Son.”  Reacting as a guilty sinner, Verse 15 “Sarah denied it, saying, ‘I did not laugh,’…..And He said, ‘No, but you did laugh’.”  The Lord had given Sarah a chance to confess her lie.  However she was not deprived of the promised child, through an undoubted miracle; she gave birth to their own son.

Bring us to true repentance for all wrong doing.  Thank You for such deep and boundless love, as displayed to Sarah and Abraham.

Amen

Dear God,

I am reflecting upon the integrity and goodness of You, the Father and Jesus, Your son.  It is so easy for we people of earth, to be swayed and view more favourably someone who is well dressed and spoken, who fits our mould of respectable and pleasant, than someone looking scruffy or doing deeds that is not socially acceptable.  We are only able to view the outside actions, words and expressions, as an indication of what is going on in the inside of a person.  Even though I may have a high opinion in my ability to judge how a person is thinking, I have been taught that we are more often than not wrong.  I am reminded in Your sacred Scriptures, we are to judge the motives of no man as it can lead to the sin of misjudging that person.

A number of times, the priests and disciples, were disconcerted when Jesus revealed he had known what they were thinking.  Once again Jesus was bought a man to be healed, He said to the paralytic ‘Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.’  Matthew 9: 2 – 4 the beautiful act of healing and a sinner being forgiven; which could only be done by the power of God, were lost on the scribes.  Instead in horror, said ‘This man blasphemes!’ Verse 4 Jesus, knowing their thoughts said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts?’

Jesus was not influenced by the estimation the community put upon certain people, and the jobs they were currently doing; for He knew the heart and thoughts of each.  Jesus, Matthew 9: 9”…saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office.  And He said to him, ‘follow Me.’ so he arose and followed Him.”   In loving acceptance Jesus did not repulse the ‘many other tax collectors and sinners’ that ‘came and sat down with Him and His disciples.’  Jesus is our Saviour, and sinners like me need to everyday humble ourselves in repentance and confess every sin. Verse 13 “………. For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. 

May it not be so, that I or any one reading this, will like the priests and scribes not know that they were in great spiritual need and stood naked of righteousness before God.  You God know my heart, motives and intentions, please reveal to me my spiritual needs so I can make them all right with You, and be covered by the righteousness of Jesus; for none of us have any of our own.

Amen

Dear God,

Jesus on earth had faith that grew in communion with You His Father and by being filled with the Holy Spirit; and by this faith He successfully passed through the trials ahead.  Jesus knows that we will go through trials and hardship upon earth. We read in scripture that it is no different for us, unless we have a strong faith in God and His Holy word, received with much diligent study, our faith in God can falter under persecution and harassment.

We often do not appreciate that we at times are not fully filled with the Holy Spirit, and have insufficient living faith founded upon God and His word, that will endure in all situations.  A young man that was self-assured in His relationship with Jesus came Matthew 8:19 “a certain scribe came and said to Him, ‘Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”  The life of Jesus was one of self-sacrifice, and no purpose was served by Him having house and property.  This is certainly not the lifestyle that most could happily continue in. Verse 20 “And Jesus said to him, ‘foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” This gentle answer revealed that this young man did not fully know his heart.

For my faith to grow, and reveal it is founded strongly upon my belief in God and His unchanging Word, the business of Jesus will be placed ahead of my own.  So often we say I will serve Jesus after, I have done this for myself, Verse 22 “Jesus said to him, ‘Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

The disciples revealed their lack of spiritual preparation that would have allowed each to rest in Jesus by faith.  Verse 24“And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves.  But He was asleep.”  The disciples in great fear and distress woke Jesus, believing He would save them.”  Verse 26 “He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ ”Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm.”

Jesus You still have control of all things, and power over the winds and seas.  I desire to grow in faith, and abide in Your still valid promise, ‘I will give you peace, not as the world gives it.’

Amen

Dear God,

God by Your own word, Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I do not change…..” and neither does Your Son, for in, Hebrews 13: 8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  Again God, by Your own words, we are told we will always be in your ‘sights’ and care, which ultimately means: about nothing, do we need to fear.  Joshua 1: 5 “……..as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.  I will not leave you nor forsake you.”  Moses gave counsel that reflected how God over the long years had  cared for the children of Israel, and spoke these words to them, Deuteronomy 31: 6 “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you.  He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

We know that Jesus during His earthly ministry was moved with compassion for those with sicknesses and other afflictions.  This is evidenced by His frequent interventions. Matthew 8: 17 “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.’”

Not only did You care for the sick and afflicted in the Old Testament record, but In the New Testament Record, through the ministry of Jesus, and later, through the Holy Spirit moving upon the disciples of Jesus. Now we do not have Jesus living on the earth in human form, but I am so grateful, that the Holy Spirit came down to earth, as Jesus promised, and brings Jesus into our hearts in a close saving relationship.

Because Jesus and You His Father never change, we are assured that You still care about our every affliction and sickness and often intervene in answer to fervent prevailing prayer.  Today, we still have the assurance of James 1: 17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

I praise Your Holy names, and ask that I be filled with Your Holy Spirit, and thereby be filled with Joy, as You walk with me, during all times and aspects of my life.

Amen

Dear God,

In the name of Jesus, I ask that I be filled with Your Holy Spirit, as I study Your word, and reflect on the lessons You reveal.  The multitude of people who had been flocking after Jesus, were astonished at His teaching on an intellectual level.  It would seem that many at that time did not give their heart to Jesus.  Jesus knew that an interest planted is not wasted, for after His death, many of them were converted and followed Him.

In the gospel record, comes an episode that alerts us as to what true worshipful believing faith looks like and the response of Jesus to his request.  In that time, came a leper, who first worshiped Jesus, then in a humble, faith statement said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean” Matthew 8: 2.  Without hesitation, Verse 3 “Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing be cleansed.’  Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” 

The priests looked down on those afflicted with leprosy, as they saw as a judgement from God.  Not so Jesus, He welcomed all who came seeking of every status and need. As a lesson for the priests, the leper, was instructed Verse 4 “…..go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

The priests and elders hated people of the Roman rule.  No so Jesus, when a centurion came pleading, Verse 6, 7 “’saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented,’ and Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.’”  So often in spiritual presentations, the speakers encourage us to claim texts and demand answers, especially for healing.  I am not seeing this in these examples, I am seeing faith within humility and the acknowledgement that You are all powerful and can heal, but not at our demand, but in Your Divine all-knowing will and love response.  The centurion did not feel worthy to have Jesus come to his house, Verse 8 “…..But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” Jesus marveled at the faith of the Roman centurion.  Verse 13 “Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way: and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’  And his servant was healed that same hour.”

Because I am worthy in Your eyes, please take my life and heart, and grow in me a love and faith, that humbly turns to You all through the day in loving worship and praise, then needful supplication.

Amen

 

Dear God,

I have been contemplating the surrendered life of Jesus whilst on earth, to You, His Father.  Throughout the gospel account, Your profound divine love toward Him, is evident.  Jesus demonstrated His love daily, as he sought You early each day in long and earnest prayer, in the presence of the Holy Spirit.  It was real heart love mutually felt and received, that enabled the loving life and sacrifice of Jesus, in dire and dark circumstances.

It is the love of Jesus, that calls me today, and when it finds a responsive chord in the heart, the love I have for my Saviour grows and closer and closer to Him I come.  It is then I see that true surrender to the will of Jesus is possible, and the reward is to be free from my personally destructive thoughts and ways.  Ephesian 5:2 “Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” 

From the Biblical account it is believed that Mary the sister of Lazarus, had been caught in sinful practices and Jesus lovingly healed her and she was devoted in her love for Jesus in return. Mark 14: 3 “And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard.  Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.”  John 12:3 indicates this was Mary, the sister of Lazarus.  To me this shows the deep love and surrendered love Mary had for the One, who had literally saved her and in return her love for Him was over flowing.

Some of the disciples of Jesus were so taken up with the view that it was a waste of costly oil being poured out upon Jesus, when it could have been sold and realised good money for the poor. Jesus rebuked them, for He knew her heart, and the loving sacrifice warmed His heart.  Mark 14:8”She has done what she could.  She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.”  Her gift must have been prompted by the Holy Spirit, and was fit for the King of Heaven!

I do not want to miss the point of any of the Bible teachings that You God have for me, today.   I also wish to humbly sit at the feet of Jesus in surrender, and give the gift of my whole heart, at the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Amen

Dear God,

As the result of Adam, allowing Satan to seduce him into sin; which was forever in its consequences thereafter, for all the progeny to come;  every one of us since then is born naturally sinning, with the expectation of hardship and in the end eternal death, not a life in beauty and eternal life as You had planned for the human race at creation.

Soon Christmas is celebrated, and many people miss the beautiful story of surrender, sacrifice and absolute love, by You God the Father and Jesus.  You could not leave us to suffer and eternal death, so in love and sacrifice toward the entire human race, You gave Your only Son to this world, so that He could become the Lamb of sacrifice, on our behalf.

As I behold the divine sacrifice I behold, that nothing was withheld, You the Father of God could not give more, and Jesus came to earth having offered Himself willingly on behalf of all of earth.  He could not give more than His whole self in representing His Father in His life and ministry, then in allowing Himself to put to death, taking upon Himself all the sins of earth.

So many times I hold back, maybe even thinking I am giving my Saviour all in surrender, and then I perceive my selfishness and self-interest is still intruding and motivating some actions.  You gladly bring me to acknowledgement, and repentance with confession, and we together have me start over.  2 Corinthians 5: 15 “He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”  When we truly love, we give ourselves to the one we love, and as Jesus surrendered all for me, I in love wish to give all of my allegiance to Him.

When I give Jesus my heart and ask Him to be my Pilot and allow Him to fill me with His love, love becomes my motivating force for change within my sinful heart, and out workings.  Romans 6: 12 “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.”

Jesus today I again invite You to have my heart, and free me from my attachment to self and sin, so that all the nasty, envious self-focused thoughts, words and behaviours can be replaced by Your loving ones.  Romans 6: 16 “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness.”

Amen