What does your soul crave for? Let’s explore together the theme of craving or longing for more.

There is nothing more beautiful and more attractive than someone who spends time in the secret place with God.  I love coming in contact with those who live abiding in Jesus.  You know, it’s just so obvious.  It’s as though they truly take on His image.

Intimacy with God cannot be mimicked and it cannot be forged.  Intimacy with God is very real.  You can hear it in how someone talks and you can see it all over them; they literally shine, like Moses did as He spent time with God on the mountain top.  The multitudes saw his shining face from afar and knew that he had been in the presence of Almighty God.

Spending time in the secret place with God in intimacy with Him is where we need to remain and how we need to live.  We were created for intimacy.  We were born for face-to-face encounter with God. Our innermost beings long for a personal relationship and personal experience with God.  King David said it so well:  “My heart and flesh cry out for YOU the true and Living God”. (Psalm 84:2, NIV)

There is nothing more that God desires for us than this:  to be one with Him.  He wants us to live in Him, to take time with Him in the secret place, deeply loving Him, adoring and everything He is and allowing Him to do the same with us.  Spend time with your beloved.

Those who live immersed in Him are always shining with a light that overcomes darkness, and they have a hope and peace that goes beyond all understanding.   Those who spend time in the secret place have a way of living so that nothing defies them.  No matter what, they know who they are and they know their God.  If they are broken, it’s because they are broken before God knowing that only He that can truly satisfy.  God is near those that are contrite and near those that are broken for Him and His ways.

God desires to release an understanding to His people that we are His Bride.  He wants to release a greater awareness that that He is our lover and we are His Beloved.  Oneness with Him is not necessarily something to be achieved, since on our own we cannot, but something to enter into.

When you have spent time in the secret place, you will know that you are truly His Beloved.  You will not be shaken and you will live out of the presence of His love.    Love covers all.  He is truly the essence of Love.

Father, I thank you that you long and delight for this intimacy with us.  I thank you for drawing us into You and for your beautiful love You pour over us, that we would know your amazing love towards us.  I come right now into this place.  I desire intimacy with You, Lord.  I desire a closeness with you that I haven’t yet had.  I long and yearn for You, Lord.  I open my heart to you and all that I am.   Amen.

Questions: What is your soul longing for? Are you spending time with God in that secret place?

About the Author Brigitte Straub

Please open your Bible and read:
(Colossians 1:28 – 29)

What activities embarrass you? Maybe you feel uncomfortable singing in public or your face turns red when you are caught mumbling to yourself. Does talking about Jesus embarrass you? Staying quiet may seem safer than risking ridicule or being seen as a fanatic.

Unfortunately, silent believers waste their lives. We receive so many good things from God – forgiveness, healing, answers to prayer, and the Holy Spirit’s presence. The list could go on and on. Our favorite subject should be Jesus Christ and His transforming salvation.

The apostle Paul spoke freely of his great sin before redemption. (Acts 26:12 – 18) He was a church persecutor transformed into Christ?s missionary by God’?s grace. Nothing within Paul was worth saving, and he knew it. Consequently, the man never stopped publicly praising and proclaiming the Lord’s love.

Even with the magnitude of Paul’s sins, he received no greater measure of grace than any of us. We may have lived a moral life before receiving salvation, but sin still separated us from God. Believers sometimes neglect that truth and forget Jesus? transforming power. Then we find ourselves too embarrassed or uncomfortable to share about the great change He made in our lives.

Question: Do you have a passion to proclaim Him? If not, what does inspire passion in you?

About the Author: Charles Stanley

Mosab Yousef’s book, Son of Hamas, is destined to create controversy.

Mosab is the son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, an Imam, founder and leader of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.  After being captured by Israeli forces, he became convinced that Islam is not true. In his book, he criticizes the Qur’an. For taking this position, and also admitting to have collaborated with Israeli intelligence agencies, Mosab’s life is now in danger, and his father has disowned him.

Although he criticizes Islam in his book, he notes in his interview with GQ magazine that “I point to the book, to the god. I am not pointing to the people.” He still cares for his people in Palestine, he says, and so he tries to point away from the individual towards the ideology.

Mosab explains one of the reasons he chose to embrace the Christian faith:

“In Christianity, it’s very clear that the god we worship is equal to love. The bible says, ‘God is love’. The god we worship was sacrificed, crucified on the cross, tortured, spit on, and was still forgiving. This is our highest example.”

It may not be coincidence that Mosab’s book was released around Easter time, the holiday when that God that he talks about was crucified.

Do you have Muslim friends? How do you relate to them with the gospel message without being offensive? As one Christian speaker put it, “The Gospel is offensive enough, don’t add any more offense to it; but we dare not remove the offense that is inherent to the Gospel.” (Gregory Koukl) Do you see what Mosab is doing as being a helpful and valuable witness, or ultimately harmful and not productive?

Do you feel you can’t be real with anyone? Take this free online  course on the topic of secrets

This Psalm starts out with the familiar verse – “God is our refuge and our strength and very present help in trouble.” (vs. 1)  Later on, it includes another familiar verse, “Be still and know that I am God.” (vs. 10)  The Psalmist tells us not to fear even if the mountains be moved into the sea.

If you have dedicated your life to Christ and have received the Holy Spirit, you are now a temple in which God dwells. He will never leave you. In His steadfast love He remains always with you in good times and in the bad.   It is up to us to acknowledge His presence in our lives and to turn to him for strength and comfort.  He is always just a breath away, there in the midst of your life, your soul and your body whether you realize it or not.

Pretty daunting thought, isn’t it? Yet it is as warm and comforting as a fluffy towel straight out of the dryer.  A missionary once told me to lay my hand very close to my cheek and feel the warmth. That was how near God is always to me, even if I do not feel Him to be near me at the moment.

The next time you pray, try that and feel His presence. You have to be still, but you will feel Him there in the midst of you – your life, your troubles and your joy.  He is steadfast and loving you as His child now and forever more, no matter what you are going through today, or tomorrow.

Question: When was the last time you felt God extra close to you? Do you feel that way now? Tell us about it.

About the Author Julie Cosgrove

“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19)

The Bible says we should be quick to listen. There are three things that generally hinder our ability to hear what others are saying:

1) Presumption – This is when we think we already know what the other person is going to say; yet, the Bible says, “He who answers before listening – that is his folly and hisshame.” (Proverbs 18:13 NIV)

2) Impatience-This is when you interrupt and jump to conclusions: “There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.” (Proverbs 29:20 NLT)

3) Pride – This is when we become defensive and unteachable: “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.” (Proverbs 12:15 NIV)

What does this mean?

Let me suggest three HEARING AIDS:
· Listen with your eyes – Research suggests that about 80 percent of communication is non-verbal.Our facial expressions and body language tend to tell the real story.
· Listen with your heart – Be sympathetic.Tune in to the emotions behind the words.
· Make time to listen to the people around you – You show people how much you value them when you take time to listen. Imagine how your home or where you work might be transformed if you make an effort to be “quick to listen.”

Question: Do you sometimes find it difficult to listen? Do others sometimes find it tough to listen to you?

About the Author: Rick Warren

“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:3-6)

After Nicodemus complimented Jesus in John 3:1, he might have expected Jesus to respond by saying “Thanks Nick, you’re SO right.” But Jesus’ response flummoxed Nicodemus: “no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” (John3:3)

Though we only need to be “born again” once, there are many seasons of our lives when other “new beginnings” happen. In her article “A New Beginning” author Carol Van Atta explains that:

New beginnings can happen any day at any time. A new beginning always involves leaving one thing behind and embracing something new and different. However, sometimes, new beginnings may not be of our own choosing or liking.

Read the whole article to discover what the acronym LEAN ON GOD can help you through unexpected (or expected) times of new beginnings!

“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” Psalm 27:13

Across from the mail boxes in my townhouse complex is a house adorned with flowers. As I fetch my mail I stop to admire the floral work of art my friend Yvonne has created. But it wasn’t always so, she told me.

Seven years ago, the doctor predicted that Yvonne had only months to live. Hearing the doctor’s prognosis, Yvonne lost all interest in gardening.

“What’s the point,” she thought. I won’t be here to see it anyway. But sitting around moping didn’t suit her either.

One day she had a serious talk with herself. “I was terminal when I was born so what’s new?” she said. “Only God knows the exact time of my death but until then I’m going to live each day with enthusiasm. After all I serve a God of hope, not despair.”

Yvonne went outside and planted some tulip bulbs. Soon it was time to plant flowers into hanging baskets and clay pots and flower beds. Amazingly, Yvonne began to feel much better.

“Planting is a faith-filled action,” she told me. “You have to have faith that the little seed or fragile plant will grow and flourish under your care. That kind of active faith spilled over into my health concerns as well. I knew that God was in control of my life and all would be well. Sure, I might not see my flowers bloom come spring but it was okay. Someone else would be sure to enjoy them.”

And for seven more years, we neighbors have enjoyed the fruit of Yvonne’s labors. Hanging baskets overflowing with petunias and impatiens of every hue and window boxes brimming with bright red geraniums and purple heliotrope adorn her house. Her flower beds are a radiant display of carpet roses, lilies, lobelia, alyssum, phlox and many other flowers. Birds scratch for seeds in two feeders. A slight breeze plays on the chimes.

Although Yvonne’s health is in decline once more, she keeps going. “Nothing will ward off that helpless, ‘I’m-a-victim’ feeling as some positive faith-filled action,” she says.

Lord, help me to rise to my challenges with hopeful actions fueled by your eternal hope. Amen.

Question: Are you dealing with a difficult challenge in your own life? How does God continue to encourage you despite challenging circumstances?

About this Author: Helen Grace Lescheid

Please open your Bible and read Ephesians 1:3-14.

How many times have you thought: “I wish God would bless me”? Maybe those words came to you when you were asking God to answer a specific prayer or when you sensed some type of adversity approaching. There are many different ways to receive God’s blessings, but most often we think of it from a material sense. The people that followed Jesus did the same thing.

After feeding the 5,000, Jesus exposed this materialistic attitude: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled” (John 6:26). Many followed the Lord in order to receive “something.” Their eyes were set on seeing miracles and material provisions. But Jesus wanted them to see Him as the Bread of Life in whom all their needs would be met.

The greatest of all God’s blessings has nothing to do with material wealth and social position, and everything to do with the closeness of His presence. This is why He instructed His disciples by saying, “Seek me first . . . and all these things will be added to you.”

Are your eyes set on the Savior because of what He provides or because you love Him? The test of true love is this – abiding with the One you love regardless of anything else. Learn to love Him and Him alone; then all your cares will be satisfied.

Question: How are you hoping for blessing today? What if you don’t receive it, at least not immediately?

About the Author: Charles Stanley

[Jesus] called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Change is necessary, and change is good! It was the main message of President Obama’s election campaign. “Change we can believe in” and “Yes we can” were two of the slogans seen on signs everywhere. For many people the exact nature of the change didn’t mater; anything seemed better than keeping the status quo. What is new is good.

C. S. Lewis, in his pseudo-autobiography Surpised by Joy, coined a term for this sort of thinking — “chronological snobbery”. This fallacious way of thinking says that everything new is good and what is old is outdated, ignoble, and less preferable to the new and exciting ways. I think partially this is due to the rapid pace of technological advances, where new almost always equals better. But the same isn’t true for many other areas of our lives.

To be God’s agent of change, we must often eschew what is new and exciting, and return instead to what is ancient and sacrosanct. The apostle Paul told us “Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2, TNIV) The change that we often need to make is, as Jesus said, to become as innocent and trusting as little children, as we return to God’s ways and providence instead of the way of the world and dependence on material things.

Often such changes begin with a tiny step of faith in the right direction. In his article Step, Shaun Smith explores the meaning of real change versus mere optimism. If you have been contemplating or actively pursuing godly changes in your life, check out the article (written for a non-Christian audience), and let us know about your successes and struggles in the comments here on this blog.

If you would like to talk to someone who is a patient listener and can walk along with you as you strive in God’s power towards holiness and godly change, contact an online mentor today to talk via email!

Are you afraid to ask for help?  Are you trying to get away with deception? Take this lesson.

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EST.

“There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers” (Proverbs 6:16 – 19, NIV).

When one thing gets mentioned two times in a list of seven things God hates, we’d better take notice. These verses in Proverbs tell us that God hates lying tongues.   He detests false witnesses who pour our lies.  The call to follow Jesus, to be His disciple, requires us to love the things He loves and hate the things that He hates. That includes hating lies.

Often when we lie, it is because lying looks like an easier way.  We fool ourselves into thinking that no one will know. That in itself is a lie.  The Bible teaches us, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known” (Matthew 10:26, NIV).

Although it may seem like we can get away with deception, God promises that the truth will be revealed. It may not be immediately, but every lie will be exposed.  As well, the consequences of lying – the destruction of integrity and the damage to relationships – are reasons enough to avoid it.

Not only does God hate lies, but Hebrews 6:18 says it is impossible for God to lie. It is against his very nature.  Because God hates lies, and because lying is contrary to his character, we also must not lie.

Holy God, teach me to love what You love and hate what You hate. Wash me of all lies and falsehoods. I want to be like Jesus. Amen.

Questions: Why are lies so destructive? How does knowing that God hates lies, keep you from lying?

About the Author Suzanne Benner