How can we hear God’s voice speaking to us?
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3, NIV)
I love meeting people who are not highly educated, but have found a wisdom higher than the world’s wisdom. You know in meeting them that somehow they have found a sort of hideout with God where He reveals to them His secrets. Somehow, they have understood that God’s ways and His thoughts are higher and so much better, able to overshadow any wisdom of the world. The wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.
Daniel acknowledged God as the revealer of deep and secret things. He sought mercies from the God of heaven and King Nebuchadnezzar ‘s dream was revealed to Daniel in a vision. I love how he acknowledged that the secret was not revealed to him because he had more wisdom than anyone living!
What’s amazing is that when Daniel revealed this secret, it persuaded King Nebuchadnezzar, and caused him to fall prostate declaring that Daniel’s God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets. He then promoted Daniel, gave him gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.
I can only imagine how those that didn’t worship the God of Daniel must have thought about him being their overseer. The magicians, sorcerers and astrologers couldn’t tell the King a thing. They had nothing to offer, but Daniel could. It wasn’t because Daniel had more knowledge, or more education that he was promoted. It was because he acknowledged God as merciful and went to Him for the answers.
I believe this is a perfect picture of what God is doing throughout the earth. He is raising up those that have spent time in the secret place with Himself; those that have humbled themselves before Him, knowing that it is only by God and through placing their hearts before Him that they have anything of value to offer. It is in spending time with Him in His chambers, in His presence that He will share with us things that have not yet been revealed; ideas, cures of diseases and ways to even transform nations.
It is encouraging to me to know that “not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:26-28, NIV).
Know that as you spend time with Him, He will share with you His secrets and reveal to you deep things.
Heavenly Father, I thank you for Your mercies and Your grace upon my life. Thank you that it is You that I can come to for the answers and You alone that will bring me true fulfillment and satisfaction. I want to know You more and spend more time with You in Your Presence. Come and dwell deeper within me. I love You Lord.
Questions: Are you spending time with the Lord and drawing closer to Him?
About the Author Brigitte Straub
Is God too slow for you at times? Have you rushed ahead of Him on occasion only to discover trouble?
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“Guide me on the road to eternal life” (Psalm 139:24b, The Message).
“My do it!” were the words he repeated over and over.
Recently I was hiking on a very challenging trail along the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. My almost three year old grandson was with me. At least one section of the trail could possibly be described as dangerous, but overall it was a combination of easy and difficult stretches. I carried him on some of the sections of our 8 kilometer hike but for some reason along this particularly dangerous section, he was determined to walk on his own.
I was very vigilant in my coaching. At times I would pick him up and lift him over difficult sections. Each time his response was, “My do it.” At one point some other hikers passed us. For some reason he was convinced that he should try to keep up with them and started going faster. I glanced behind me for a split second and when I turned back to look at him, my heart missed a beat!
My small apprentice had slipped, and was hanging over the ocean, holding onto a tree root while his feet were swinging in the air. A 5-meter drop to the water and rocks below awaited him, if he let go of that root. I grabbed his arms and lifted him to the trail. He had no idea of the danger that he had just faced. He simply said, “Thanks, Papa.” Off he went. I, on the other hand, have relived that moment many times since.
As humbling as it might seem, we are all like two year olds in our strength, knowledge and wisdom when compared to God. Just as it is dangerous for a two year old to be on his own, even for a split second because they just do not understand the dangers, so it is with us. Just as we don’t allow two year olds to hike a challenging trail on their own, we also were never intended to go through life without someone to watch over us. We are invited, but not forced, to journey with God.
There are areas of my life where I like to say, “My do it!” When I try to do it on my own, I miss out on God’s strength and wisdom. Here is a prayer from the writer of Psalms 139 that helps to motivate me to move from self reliance to God dependence.
“Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life” -Psalm 139:23-24 (The Message).
Questions: Are you tempted to rush ahead of God and live life your way? How are you motivated to move from self reliance to God dependence?
About the Author Mike Woodard
Are you experiencing peace in your life right now? Do you want to talk to someone?
Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, NKJV).
In choosing to follow Jesus, we have two important decisions to make. The first one is, when we come to the understanding that Jesus died on the cross for us, and that when we receive His sacrifice on our behalf, we receive forgiveness and the promise of eternal life. Wonderful!
The second decision is when we come to see that we have been bought with a price, purchased by His blood. We are not our own, it is Christ who is to live in and through us. We must come to the point of knowing that we need to surrender our lives to Him, and allow Him to be Lord over all the details. When we are willing to make this second decision, He fills us with the power of His Holy Spirit, and we truly do become His hands and His feet to the world around us.
As those filled with the Spirit we begin to know a deep and abiding joy in spending time with Jesus through our prayer and Bible reading. We sense His presence and begin to know and experience His voice in the various ways that He speaks to us and leads us.
The fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control begin to be evident to us and others. Our prayers go from “Lord, this is what I am going to do for you, please bless it” to “Lord, just tell me what you want me to do and I will do it!”
Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Galatians 5:24 & Romans 8:6, NKJV).
Questions: How are some ways that God speaks to you and leads you? How can the fruit of the Spirit become evident in one’s life?
About the Author Emmie Stanley
Are you bound to sin and selfish desires? Do you want to escape from that?
Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.
“For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3. NIV).
With these words, Paul urged the Philippians to recognize who they were, to remember to whom they belonged and to live accordingly. It stands as a definition of who we are in Christ.
First of all, Paul calls us “the circumcision”.
In the book of Colossians, Paul not only clarifies that he is not talking about a physical procedure, but also explains what he means.
“In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Colossians 2:11, 12, NIV).
To be part of “the circumcision” means that we have put off the sinful nature. The sinful nature has been part of every human being’s make up since Adam first sinned in the garden. Therefore it’s not something we can just decide to drop and it’s gone. Rather, as Paul teaches us in these verses, Christ Himself cuts away (circumcises) our sinful nature through our faith in the power of God.
Do you know what that means?
It means we have been freed from the sinful nature. No longer are we bound to sin or forced to follow selfish desires. In a spiritual surgery, Jesus replaced our old nature with His Spirit. We are the circumcision. We refuse to have anything to do with the sinful nature. We are free.
God, I want to live in that reality, no longer dabbling in sin, but completely renouncing it through the power of Jesus.
Questions: How does knowing that Christ has cut away your sinful nature help you say no to temptation? How does this definition, of who you are in Christ, change your mindset?
About the Author Suzanne Benner
Are you hurting? Do you need a listening ear? We would like to hear from you.
Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.
He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned”‘ (Mark 16:15-16).
Our Lord commanded that we give attention to the world – to the hurting, the fearful, and the hopeless. Instead, many churches spend a high percentage of their time and resources on their own congregation’s needs. We who make up God’s body must align our thoughts with His and return to the church’s primary mission: proclaiming the truth about the grave danger facing mankind and about Jesus, the only One who can rescue them.
The church has been given the charge to demonstrate before an unbelieving world why the heavenly Father sent His Son to earth: to reveal through Christ’s life who God is, and to accomplish by means of His death the reconciliation of sinful man to God. Everything else we talk about – baptism, discipleship, giving, and righteous living – are extensions of the Gospel but not the heart of it.
No other “word” is needed because the good news about the Savior is sufficient. It relates to every maturity level, need, and season of life. It contains simple truths that the youngest or most uneducated can understand, and it is superior to all other philosophies and religions. Every promise God made is fulfilled through the person of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:20) Finally, the Gospel’s words are absolutely sure. Its eternal truths need no correction, never change, and lead to salvation through faith in Jesus.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you – as a “living stone” of the church – to examine what message your life and words proclaim. Only the Gospel of Christ saves.
Questions: Is there a hurting person in your life that needs your attention? What is the most important thing you can do for someone?
About the Author Charles Stanley
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“Jesus…got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel… ‘I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you’ ” (John 13:4, 5 and 15 NIV).
Carol and Pat were good friends who loved being part of the women’s Bible study. Since leadership was shared in the group, they readily agreed to lead the next week’s discussion on servanthood, but no one was prepared for their realistic presentation.
Carol sat quietly in front of the group for several minutes, but Pat was nowhere in sight. The audience restlessly began looking around to see when the study would begin and who would do the teaching that Tuesday morning.
Finally Pat came in a side door with a towel draped over one arm and holding a china bowl and pitcher. She approached Carol and simply said, “I love you, Carol, and I want to wash your feet this morning as a sign of my love.” Carol’s face registered surprise at first but then, with a smile, she agreed.
As she bent to unbuckle Carol’s sandals, Pat turned her head slightly to one side and with a grimace said, “Oh, you must have walked here this morning. Your feet are really dirty. But that’s okay, I’ll wash them. I also see you haven’t had a pedicure in a long time.” With only the tips of her fingers touching Carol’s shoes, she tentatively began to remove them. We who sat nearby could see her eyes rolling as if to say, “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
When the water poured over Carol’s feet, she abruptly pulled back, saying, “OW! That’s cold water! Didn’t you heat it up first? I thought you were doing this to make me feel loved. Now I think you’re just showing off your so-called servanthood!”
With each woman glaring at the other, they wordlessly walked off the platform, leaving us to reflect not only on what we had observed, but on our own attitudes toward both giving and receiving service. Needless to say, discussion that morning was animated as we struggled with aligning our service with Christ’s.
I don’t do service very well, Father. I too often give grudgingly and receive hesitantly. Thank you for being patient with me, but I also want to learn to serve more like Jesus.
Questions: Think of a time recently when you served and another time when you were served. What were the characteristics of the service?
About the Author Marilyn J. Ehle
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“…for His name’s sake your sins were forgiven” (1 John 2:12).
We were flying to a conference. I was in the middle seat – certainly not my choice – but my husband and I have an agreement that if a woman is sitting by the window, I sit in the middle, if a man is in the seat by the window, Marvin sits in the middle.
Barely was I settled, when I discerned that the young woman sitting next to me was very sad and deep in thought. Making conversation, I asked her where she was from, where she was going and what she did.
She was a student and had been attending university in Poland – the homeland of her father. Then she told me sadly that her father had died. She had chosen to attend college in Poland against her father’s wishes and they hadn’t forgiven each other before he died.
She seemed so sad and I recognized a deeper issue. I asked her if she had forgiven herself for not complying with her father’s wishes. She answered that she couldn’t forgive herself and felt so guilty. Slowly, I began to tell her about God’s love and forgiveness. Because of Christ’s death on the cross, her sins were forgiven and guilt was removed. I encouraged her to believe that because God had forgiven her, she could forgive herself no matter how awful she thought she had been. As I spoke, I prayed and my husband prayed.
I told her about something I had done as a teenager for which I had felt guilty about for many years. How I had come to the place where I was faced with the choice of forgiving myself because Christ had already forgiven me or I could continue feeling guilty the rest of my life. I had chosen to forgive myself.
The light in her eyes went on. She began to understand she was totally forgiven and could forgive herself. She could be free and happy. “God meant for you to sit with me today, she told me at the end of the flight.
How about you? Is there something in your life for which you feel guilty? You don’t need to. Simply accept God’s love and forgiveness.
Father, thank You that Jesus Christ took our sin and guilt upon Himself at the cross. Thank You for setting us free. Thank You for Your love. Amen.
Questions: Can you think of a situation in your life that you need to forgive yourself for? How can one deal with one’s guilt feelings from the past?
About the author Katherine Kehler
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12 PM January 21, 2006
Two miners are trapped hundreds of feet underground in Melville, West Virginia, for the second day. Fire and smoke in the coal mine has kept rescuers from reaching Don Brag and Ellery “Elvis” Hatfield. No one knows if they are dead or alive.
A television news anchorwoman stands in the Melville street airing frequent updates. Visible behind her is the Badger Lumber Company sign; one word is written there: PRAY.
Praying is what their wives and six children desperately hope we are doing as the community of Melville keeps vigil with them in the church. Prayer is for all seasons of life, but especially in desperate times, wise men and women pray.
3 PM Breaking News
Don Brag and Elvis Hatfield have been found dead. Tragedy, in spite of believing prayer.
Does God answer prayer? Yes. Is it always the answer we want? No. Must we keep on praying even when we do not understand His ways? Yes. When prayers are not answered, God is always present with grace and help to strengthen our hearts and spirits.
What is prayer?
Prayer is talking with God. It is praise and worship and giving thanks. To pray is to meditate on his wonderworks and his character. Prayer is interceding for others, warring against the enemy for the souls of men.
Nothing matches the high privilege of prayer. There is no awe or wonder as great as an audience with the King of Kings. No power is greater than prayer power. Wealth, personal power and influence all run a poor second to the thrill of daily prayer. Life offers no greater joy. As Beth Moore states, in her book, The Patriarchs, “There ain’t no high like the Most High”.
Are we qualified to pray?
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 Faith rests in God, trusting in his love to hear and answer prayer. Faith qualifies us as God’s children and gives us a right to our Father’s provisions. “Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23).
Why pray to God?
We are commanded to pray. “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness “ (1 Timothy 2:1,2).
All power resides in Jesus as the Son of God. He calls us to pray in His name. As we ask, believing, he defeats evil, heals the sick, frees the captive, restores hope, releases counsel. Prayer rises to God and returns with answers or peace. Nothing in the spiritual realm happens without prayer.
God desires intimacy and fellowship with us. “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 Wonderful Counselor longs to talk with us! He is waiting to pour miracles and gifts through us. Will we pray?
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14,15). What a promise! Let’s pray.
Questions: How has God answered your prayers?
About the Author Petey Prater
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The new missionary heard a strange sound in the distance. For some reason he felt afraid. “What is that noise coming toward us?” he asked. His native guides paused to listen. Then their faces showed great fear.
Another native came running up and cried, “Army ants! They’re coming! Hurry, turn off at the fork up ahead!”
A little later they stood on a hill and looked down. They saw a huge army of the stinging ants moving through the forest and eating. Nothing seemed able to stand before them. The missionary even saw a small animal disappear, the fast dinner of many ants!
Not far ahead was the river. “Surely the river will stop them, won’t it?” the missionary asked.
His guide shook his head. “No, nothing stops them–just watch!”
As the ants reached the river, they came together into groups. Forming themselves into balls, they rolled into the river. Then they rode with the current to the other side. There they parted from one another and continued their march.
Standing Together
“There’s something to be learned from this,” the missionary said. And so there was! What would happen if those who love Jesus would stand together like that? Well, people would really take notice–even as the natives do when the army ants surge by. It would impress them to see those who stand for what they believe sticking together.
It would also help the work of our Lord Jesus to go forward. People said of the first Christians that they “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). They marveled at their unity and love for one another. Many came to know Jesus Christ as their Savior because of the Christians’ unity, kindness, and good lives.
Working Together
When the army ants come to a river, they form themselves into balls to help one another cross safely to the other side. Now, they do it because God put that in them to do it. And if we love and follow the Lord Jesus, He puts it into our hearts to work together for Him. He also causes us to want to help others. That is one way we can know that we are truly His followers.
Army ants are also called ‘driver ants,” for they are always moving on. When their march comes to a halt, they come together. They settle down for a short while to become parents.
So the Lord wants us to move on to become better Christians. We can do that by coming together regularly at our church to hear and learn God’s Word. As we learn more, we can help others to become God’s children, too. At God’s house we also learn to help others with their burdens.
One sign that we know God is the love we show toward God and others. If we have this love, then we want to put it into action. We want to help others who need help. We will stick together with other Christians and work with them for God’s glory.
Questions: How can others know that we are followers of Jesus? What are some things that we can do so that others will want to follow Jesus, too?
About the Author Muriel Larson
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“He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
I was complaining to a friend, “For so many years we prayed earnestly for the miracle of my husband’s healing, instead God gave me a growing experience.”
“That’s your miracle,” she said.
It made me think about prayer and how God answers prayer. When we’re focused on answers, we’re apt to get in a huff with God. “Don’t you care?” we rail at God.
But prayer is primarily about relationship, not answers. As we spend time with God, we get to know Him. “Prayer makes your heart bigger until it is capable of containing the gift of God himself,” writes Mother Teresa.
Remember Paul’s thorn in the flesh? Three times he pleaded with the Lord to take it away, but instead, God gave him a growing experience. This seemingly unanswered prayer became an opportunity to trust God and to experience the power of Christ in his life.
I’m reminded of a little story I read recently. Once there was a man who asked God for a flower and a butterfly. But instead God gave him a cactus and a caterpillar. At first the man was upset, but then he decided to trust God anyway. After some time, the man went to check up on his request that he had left forgotten. To his surprise, from the thorny and ugly cactus a beautiful flower had grown. And the unsightly caterpillar had been transformed into the most beautiful butterfly. God always does what is right and good for his children.
Sometimes, God gives an overt miracle: a sick person recovers, we get the exact amount of money we need, a door opens which was tightly closed before. Other times, by withholding the answer, God gives us an opportunity to grow, to mature, to learn new things about His character.
Knowing God is the greatest answer to prayer. “The real miracle is God in us; God working through ordinary works and words,” writes Paul Tournier.
Father, I’ve come into your presence just to be with you. I want to know you at a deeper level. I want to trust you even when my prayers don’t seem to be answered for you always want the best for me.
Questions: How is God answering your prayers? Why do you suppose God allows a miracle to happen to one but answers differently for another person?
About the Author Helen Lescheid
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