Spiritual
Developing a God Heart
1 Chronicles 29:15 – “For we are sojourners before You, and foreign residents, like all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope.”
As I read, prayed, considered the Word, and meditated upon God’s promises, I saw David’s heart. I saw another reason he is known as a man after God’s own heart. 1 Chronicles 29:15, a snippet of His prayer to God after giving charge to Solomon and Israel. He acknowledged his finiteness and dependence upon God.
“For we are like the proverb of vapor and of the potter…” Vapor appears briefly and then vanishes. The potter breaks and remakes his vessels. David understood that we are temporary and totally dependent upon God. “…and we are sojourners before You…”
We are citizens of another world and here temporarily to fulfill the assignments for our lives by His Grace and Power. He saw his smallness and insignificance compared to God: “…a small people in the world.”
Though not without missteps, David’s life was one of obedience, quick repentance, and trust. He loved God with everything in him and served God with all that was entrusted to him. He looked forward to the resurrection, and even in his time of preeminence and power, God was his confidence and hope.
- He was bold but humble.
- Daring but dependent.
- Fearless in the face of impossible odds, he KNEW his need of God and God’s faithfulness.
Like Paul, he was ready to be offered up because of his hope of eternity!
Life is not about us, but we make it about us. We fret, struggle, and labor to attain possessions, positions, and prominence and fulfill our desires.
The command to “Seek God First” morphs into what is sought, which is our desires. We may claim and even believe God is first, but our actions, thoughts, words, pursuits, and reactions to obstacles testify that we do not have the heart of David.
If we seek GOD First, He adds ALL that is needed. ALL, not some! The pathway to success and peace is HIM and His presence. I don’t know about tomorrow, but I know who holds my hand.
I encourage everyone to decide to make God Number One in all things and at all times and watch Him strut His stuff, show up, and show out on your behalf.
Today is Victory Day for you. See it. Believe it. Receive it. Have a fantastic day in Jesus!
Living in God’s Presence
2 Chronicles 5:13-14 – “In unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the Lord saying, “He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting,” then the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.”
As I read, prayed, pondered, and considered the Word, a reminder came to the forefront of my consciousness.
God’s Presence! In 2 Chronicles 5:13-14, we have the details of what happened at the dedication of the temple. (Keep this in your mind; our bodies are the temple of the Lord.) They began to worship and praise God with singing and thanksgiving. They sang and chanted, “For He is good; for His mercy endures forever…” At that moment, the glory cloud filled the house. The Shekinah Glory was so powerful and prevalent that the priest could not stand to minister. The house of the Lord (type of us) was filled with the brightness of His Glory!
2 Chronicles 7:1 informs us that after Solomon had finished praying, FIRE (type of the Holy Spirit) came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice.
God manifests Himself when we truly worship Him with hearts of praise and thanksgiving and engage in prayer. If we want a continual consciousness of and visitation by God, we have a key to receive.
Ephesians 5:18-20 – Sing to yourselves. Speak to your inner person with Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (songs of worship and in the Spirit). Sing and make melody with your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks ALWAYS for all men in the Name of Jesus.
The song “I’ve Got Confidence” comes to mind. In good times and bad, remember God’s faithfulness and worship Him. We need God 24/7/365, not just in crisis. Having God’s presence All the Time is the only way to truly live. He is not a “break in case of emergency” tool. He is God, the LIVING GOD, and His eyes are on the righteous looking for opportunity to bless.
Do you want God’s Presence 24/7/365? Then make praise, worship, thanksgiving, and prayer continual activities of your day. Victory is ours; let’s receive it!
Give Us Tingling Ears, Lord!
2 Kings 21:12 – “…whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle.”
As I read, prayed, and pondered what I was reading, my mind captured a reality, a word of comfort and challenge.
In 2 Kings 21, Israel was not following God. The prophet spoke sternly to them in v.12. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 is a fascinating word in the Aramaic translation. They named the child (Jabez) with means “Our Eyes.”
They prophesied that God would bless him and enlarge his territory (sphere of influence is included). God would have His hand on him in protection and power and would grant whatever he asked. Wow!
In Acts 12, Peter was in jail, awaiting execution. Acts 12:5 – “…continual prayer was offered for him to God by the church.” Corporate prayer has power even if it is not filled with expectation.
That night, God delivered Peter, and when Rhoda told them he was outside, they did not believe her. They prayed continually but not with expectation, yet God moved. So, never stop praying.
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were in prison and, at midnight, had a worship service glorifying God, AND the prisoners heard them! That’s the key: It was heard. There is power in prayer, praise, worship, and testimony that is Audible!
God’s power is released in prayer, praise, and testimony. His work causes people to take note even to the point their ears tingle.
- He wants us to be those called HIS EYES.
- He wants us to be HIS VOICE.
- He wants us to be those in and through whom He can enlarge the borders to set captives free.
- Life is not about our comfort or advancement. It is about the Kingdom.
I see you as one God says; that person is “My Eyes.” They are the ones in whom the power of God is manifest and upon whom the hand of God rests.
Let that reality become your vision and confession. Walk in the victory of the Cross. Have a fantastic day today!
Too Much to Gain to Lose…
2 Corinthians 2:9 – “This is why the Scriptures say: Things never discovered or heard of before, things beyond our ability to imagine — these are the many things God has in store for all his lovers.”
Today is a gift from God, and behind the veil, there are many untapped blessings to be gleaned from the events of the day!
Somebody said, “I’m a glass-half-full person.” Another said, “I’m a glass-half-empty person.” I said, “Whether the glass is half empty or half full, there is room for more, so why not open your hearts to the Lord and let Him fill your glass?” I pray that we will become artesian wells from which His Spirit, love, mercy, peace, and power flow! Let us be demonstrations of Him to the world and each other!
In prayer, I was reminded of the Song “Too Much to Gain to Lose.” The Holy Spirit drove something into my heart in the second verse as I sang the old song in worship.
I’ve crossed the hot, burning desert.
And I’ve struggled the right road to choose.
But somewhere up ahead, I see cool clear water.
And defeat is one word I don’t use.
That last line is what gripped my heart, and I heard in my spirit God telling me – Do Not Use the Word Defeat! You are more than a conqueror through Jesus. All things are possible with God, and you are in Him, and He is in you; therefore, all things are possible to you – Just Believe!
I feel ashamed of the times I have either thought or expressed defeat in something I was facing. I feel ashamed of the times I have envisioned failure rather than success. I repent and set my heart to eliminate that word from my spiritual vocabulary and focus on the Promises of God. I want to focus on His Person and Power and begin to see myself as Who He Made Me to Be, and I Declare that is who I am!
I pray that the Lord will inspire us to reject defeat and focus on His ability to Do All Things All of the Time! I pray that He will deposit in our hearts His Word so powerfully that defeat is not even considered, no matter what we face.
Remember that God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent. If He has declared it, and He has, It Will Be! It will be “IF” we will believe, receive, and obey!
We do not earn things from God, but He does honor faith and obedience! He desires to give us the Kingdom and meet ALL our needs from His abundance! Jesus came to save, heal, and deliver!
Receive from Him what you need today. Have a fantastic day!
Total Dependence
2 Kings 19:14-16 – “Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.”
As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word, the word “Dependence” filled my heart.
The king, Hezekiah, was facing potential annihilation by a powerful enemy. The Lord turned back the enemy, but an emissary sent letters of threat to him. The letters were so disturbing that Hezekiah was filled with fear. He took the letters (a symbol of the problem) to the altar and spread them before God.
Hezekiah took his burdens to the Lord. His prayer was, “Lord, we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” That’s the key to everything: Take it to God. Acknowledge our lack of knowledge, wisdom, and power. Focus on God.
Our Focus must be God. If we look at the problem, we empower it and open the door to fear and futility in relying on our ability or human strength. We tend to take it to the Lord and confess our inability, but instead of having our eyes on Him, we take it with us. Then we say, “I took it to the Lord, but nothing happened.” That’s right: We took it to Him and then took it from Him.
What we place before God must stay in His hands. Only as we look through or past the problem to Him and ‘Depend” on Him fully do we walk in the full provision and power of the Finished Work of Jesus.
Remember the words of the apostle Paul, “But my God shall supply ALL your needs according to HIS glory.” If He needs your help, He will tell you. Trust Him and walk in “Dependence” trusting Him. He does not lie and will not fail.
Rejoice! Then, Rejoice, and then Rejoice! Victory is your heritage, a testament to your faith and reliance on God. Have a fantastic day; it is your day to enjoy new victories!
Roy's Covenant Corner 