My love,
Do you want to know what to do and when? For your life overall? Today? Tomorrow? This week? This month? This quarter? This year? This decade?
Are you ever concerned if you are on the path I want you to follow?
Do you ever want to know what my will is in your life?
The answer to each is found here:
Joshua 1:7-9 New Living Translation (NLT)
7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love,
If you want to do my will, it requires you to be strong and courageous.
Since you live in the period of time after Jesus walked the earth, you are held to a different requirement. You are to live and obey the entirety of my Word, the Old and Testaments. This requires you to act with strength and courage. If you obey all of my Word, and do not turn away from one verse or deviate from one verse, then you be successful in all you do, without fail.
How can you gain strength and courage? Study my Word continually.
How do you study my Word continually? Meditate on it night and day.
If you study my Word continually, and meditate on it night and day, you will then be sure to do all my Word says. If you do all those things (study, meditate, do), then you will prosper.
You will not just prosper, you will succeed in everything you do.
Be strong and courageous then again. If at that point you are not afraid or discouraged, then I will be with you everywhere you go.
But, all of this requires you studying my Word continually and meditating on it day and night.
Joshua 1:7-9 Expanded Bible (EXB)
7 Be strong and ·brave [courageous; resolute]. Be ·sure [careful] to obey all the ·teachings [law] my servant Moses ·gave [commanded] you. If you ·follow them exactly [L do not turn from it to the right or to the left], you will be successful in everything you do. 8 ·Always remember [L Do not let depart from your mouth] what is written in the Book of the ·Teachings [Law]. ·Study [Meditate on] it day and night to be ·sure [careful; diligent] to obey everything that is written there. If you do this, you will be ·wise [prudent; successful] and ·successful [prosperous] ·in everything [or along life's path; along the way]. 9 ·Remember that I [L Have I not…?] commanded you to be strong and ·brave [courageous; resolute]. Don't be afraid or ·discouraged [dismayed], because the Lord your God will be with you ·everywhere you go [or in all you do]."
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My Lord,
What a beautiful passage. What hope it brings!
Help me to live this passage, night and day.
My love,
There are no shortcuts in faith.
Faith doesn't require just your leftovers. Faith requires your firsts, seconds, thirds, leftovers, etc.
Faith requires all of you and all of the time. You cannot shortchange your faith or my Word.
Do you want to know my will? Study my Word all the time, without fail, never taking a break. Meditate on my Word day and night. Also, do what my Word says. After all, if you do, you will be successful in all you do and you will be prosperous.
But, it requires strength and courage.
To truly study my Word, meditate on it, and apply it, you will need strength and courage.
If you are in my Word all the time, you will be in the middle of my will, you will prosper and will be successful, and I will be with you everywhere you go.
Be in my Word, my love.
My Lord,
I will think I am going to study and meditate on this passage for a while.
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Friday, January 8, 2016
Prayer Journaling of Romans 15:13: Hope, Joy, Peace, Trust, and Power
My love,
Do you want hope?
What about peace and joy?
Trust in me.
Trust is a simple five letter word with a simple definition: have faith in and believe. Trust also means to put confidence and reliance in something or someone. The complicated part of trust is not in the definition, but is in the application. People tend to make it far more difficult than they really need.
How do you trust me? You trust me by believing in my son, Jesus Christ.
You trust me by praying, being in my Word, by meditating on my Word and pondering it, and by giving thanks in and for all things. You trust me every time you think of me and my Word.
Trust in me and draw close to me and my Word. The more you pray and think on my Word, the more you trust me and the more you draw near to me. They naturally go together.
The more you trust me and my Word, the more you will find the true source of hope..Nothing and no one else can bring you eternal hope, other than me and my Word. If you trust in anything or anyone on earth, in this world, you will put your hope and trust in that which is temporary. For everything and everyone on earth will die. I am timeless, and exist outside of time, since I created time and my Word is eternal. So, where and in whom will you place your trust?
Romans 15:13 New Living Translation (NLT)
13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
If you trust in me and my Word, you will find that which is worthy of your trust, and I will fill you with peace and joy because of your trust. Again, I offer you real peace and joy that is lasting and depends on nothing but your trust, which is you turning to me and my Word. Note, that I will fill you entirely and completely with joy and peace, and will not fill you partially with them.
When you do trust in me and my Word alone, and then I fill you completely with peace and joy, you will then overflow with confident hope through the Holy Spirit's power.
How can you trust me or my Word?
Psalm 33:4 New Living Translation (NLT)
4 For the word of the Lord holds true,
and we can trust everything he does.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love, if my Word states something, I will never act to contradict it. I am consistent and do not change.
Trust in me and my Word, your source of true and absolute hope, because I never change. And my Word never changes.
James 1:17 New Living Translation (NLT)
17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
--New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love, trust me and my Word always and without fail. You will then have hope, peace, and joy, because I will give them to you. You show your trust in me and by Word through spending time with me and my Word.
My Lord, I want to know the source of true hope, and have confident hope, true peace, and true joy. I realize the only way I can have overflowing and confident hope is through You, the power of the Holy Spirit, and trusting in You and Your Word. I show my trust by spending time with you and being in your Word and meditating on your Word.
Psalm 33:4 Expanded Bible (EXB)
4 God's word is ·true [upright; virtuous],
and everything he does is ·right [faithful].
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Psalm 119:1-8 New Living Translation (NLT)
1 Joyful are people of integrity,
who follow the instructions of the Lord.
2 Joyful are those who obey his laws
and search for him with all their hearts.
3 They do not compromise with evil,
and they walk only in his paths.
4 You have charged us
to keep your commandments carefully.
5 Oh, that my actions would consistently
reflect your decrees!
6 Then I will not be ashamed
when I compare my life with your commands.
7 As I learn your righteous regulations,
I will thank you by living as I should!
8 I will obey your decrees.
Please don't give up on me!
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Do you want hope?
What about peace and joy?
Trust in me.
Trust is a simple five letter word with a simple definition: have faith in and believe. Trust also means to put confidence and reliance in something or someone. The complicated part of trust is not in the definition, but is in the application. People tend to make it far more difficult than they really need.
How do you trust me? You trust me by believing in my son, Jesus Christ.
You trust me by praying, being in my Word, by meditating on my Word and pondering it, and by giving thanks in and for all things. You trust me every time you think of me and my Word.
Trust in me and draw close to me and my Word. The more you pray and think on my Word, the more you trust me and the more you draw near to me. They naturally go together.
The more you trust me and my Word, the more you will find the true source of hope..Nothing and no one else can bring you eternal hope, other than me and my Word. If you trust in anything or anyone on earth, in this world, you will put your hope and trust in that which is temporary. For everything and everyone on earth will die. I am timeless, and exist outside of time, since I created time and my Word is eternal. So, where and in whom will you place your trust?
Romans 15:13 New Living Translation (NLT)
13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
If you trust in me and my Word, you will find that which is worthy of your trust, and I will fill you with peace and joy because of your trust. Again, I offer you real peace and joy that is lasting and depends on nothing but your trust, which is you turning to me and my Word. Note, that I will fill you entirely and completely with joy and peace, and will not fill you partially with them.
When you do trust in me and my Word alone, and then I fill you completely with peace and joy, you will then overflow with confident hope through the Holy Spirit's power.
How can you trust me or my Word?
Psalm 33:4 New Living Translation (NLT)
4 For the word of the Lord holds true,
and we can trust everything he does.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love, if my Word states something, I will never act to contradict it. I am consistent and do not change.
Trust in me and my Word, your source of true and absolute hope, because I never change. And my Word never changes.
James 1:17 New Living Translation (NLT)
17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
--New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love, trust me and my Word always and without fail. You will then have hope, peace, and joy, because I will give them to you. You show your trust in me and by Word through spending time with me and my Word.
My Lord, I want to know the source of true hope, and have confident hope, true peace, and true joy. I realize the only way I can have overflowing and confident hope is through You, the power of the Holy Spirit, and trusting in You and Your Word. I show my trust by spending time with you and being in your Word and meditating on your Word.
Psalm 33:4 Expanded Bible (EXB)
4 God's word is ·true [upright; virtuous],
and everything he does is ·right [faithful].
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Psalm 119:1-8 New Living Translation (NLT)
1 Joyful are people of integrity,
who follow the instructions of the Lord.
2 Joyful are those who obey his laws
and search for him with all their hearts.
3 They do not compromise with evil,
and they walk only in his paths.
4 You have charged us
to keep your commandments carefully.
5 Oh, that my actions would consistently
reflect your decrees!
6 Then I will not be ashamed
when I compare my life with your commands.
7 As I learn your righteous regulations,
I will thank you by living as I should!
8 I will obey your decrees.
Please don't give up on me!
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Prayer Journal: Always be in the Word
Written on January 07, 2016, Thursday
My Lord,
Help me to prepare for this special time together. I pray this verse:
Psalm 19:14 New Living Translation (NLT)
14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My Lord, help me to remember to meditate on all the verses and teachings you bring to me. Help me meditate on and ponder, review, apply, and enjoy them. Help me to meditate on them so much I find delight in them.
Psalm 1:2 Expanded Bible (EXB)
2 They ·love [delight in] the Lord's ·teachings [laws; instructions],
and they ·think about [meditate on] those ·teachings [laws; instructions] day and night.
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My Lord, Help me to really want to meditate on and live out these verses today, along with yesterday's, and the day before's.
My love,
Remember that to meditate on my Word is to think on it, ponder it, contemplate it, and do so repeatedly. It means to think of all angles and facets. It means to chew on it so much that you cannot help but feel full.
Keep approaching me and my throne. You do so every time you think of me, read my Word, ponder my Word, pray, and give thanks. Keep doing these things and you find your delight.
I will help you want to always meditate, pray, and give thanks. After all, each is a spiritual need you have, whether you realize it at all times or not. You need them in order to survive spiritually. You need them in order to thrive as well.
What do pondering my Word, prayer, and giving thanks have in common, other than they are what you should do morning, noon, evening, and night? Think about it for a moment.
The answer is that all three boil down to this: spend time and your thought life with me.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 New Living Translation (NLT)
17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love, being in my Word (reading it, studying it, meditating on it and pondering it) is my will for you. If it is my will, and it is, know that you are not alone. I am the other part in this equation. I have my duties, and you have yours, in our relationship. For you, it's to be present and be in my Word. For me, I am to help you want to be in my Word, understand it, live it, and find delight in it.
If you are in my Word, then you will naturally pray and give thanks. You cannot help but do each. They are all facets of the rich, beautiful gem that is our relationship.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 Expanded Bible (EXB)
17 Pray ·continually [without ceasing], 18 and give thanks ·whatever happens [in all circumstances; in everything]. That is ·what God wants [God's will] for you in Christ Jesus.
--Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My love, I want you to spend time in my Word. Do so all of the time. All, meaning without exception.
How can you know me or my Word unless you spend time with us?
How can you know me if you do not spend continual time in my Word?
How can you know and hear my voice if you do not spend continual time in my Word?
How can we have a close relationship if you are not in my Word?
How can we have and share intimacy if you are not in my Word constantly?
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
17 Pray constantly.
18 Give thanks in everything,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
My love, how can you do my will if you are not consistently in my Word?
My Lord,
Help me to want more of you and your Word. I want to draw as close to you as possible, to hear you, and to delight in your Word.
My Lord,
Help me to prepare for this special time together. I pray this verse:
Psalm 19:14 New Living Translation (NLT)
14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My Lord, help me to remember to meditate on all the verses and teachings you bring to me. Help me meditate on and ponder, review, apply, and enjoy them. Help me to meditate on them so much I find delight in them.
Psalm 1:2 Expanded Bible (EXB)
2 They ·love [delight in] the Lord's ·teachings [laws; instructions],
and they ·think about [meditate on] those ·teachings [laws; instructions] day and night.
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My Lord, Help me to really want to meditate on and live out these verses today, along with yesterday's, and the day before's.
My love,
Remember that to meditate on my Word is to think on it, ponder it, contemplate it, and do so repeatedly. It means to think of all angles and facets. It means to chew on it so much that you cannot help but feel full.
Keep approaching me and my throne. You do so every time you think of me, read my Word, ponder my Word, pray, and give thanks. Keep doing these things and you find your delight.
I will help you want to always meditate, pray, and give thanks. After all, each is a spiritual need you have, whether you realize it at all times or not. You need them in order to survive spiritually. You need them in order to thrive as well.
What do pondering my Word, prayer, and giving thanks have in common, other than they are what you should do morning, noon, evening, and night? Think about it for a moment.
The answer is that all three boil down to this: spend time and your thought life with me.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 New Living Translation (NLT)
17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love, being in my Word (reading it, studying it, meditating on it and pondering it) is my will for you. If it is my will, and it is, know that you are not alone. I am the other part in this equation. I have my duties, and you have yours, in our relationship. For you, it's to be present and be in my Word. For me, I am to help you want to be in my Word, understand it, live it, and find delight in it.
If you are in my Word, then you will naturally pray and give thanks. You cannot help but do each. They are all facets of the rich, beautiful gem that is our relationship.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 Expanded Bible (EXB)
17 Pray ·continually [without ceasing], 18 and give thanks ·whatever happens [in all circumstances; in everything]. That is ·what God wants [God's will] for you in Christ Jesus.
--Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My love, I want you to spend time in my Word. Do so all of the time. All, meaning without exception.
How can you know me or my Word unless you spend time with us?
How can you know me if you do not spend continual time in my Word?
How can you know and hear my voice if you do not spend continual time in my Word?
How can we have a close relationship if you are not in my Word?
How can we have and share intimacy if you are not in my Word constantly?
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
17 Pray constantly.
18 Give thanks in everything,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
My love, how can you do my will if you are not consistently in my Word?
My Lord,
Help me to want more of you and your Word. I want to draw as close to you as possible, to hear you, and to delight in your Word.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Prayer Journal: Meditate on the Word
Written on January 06, 2016, Wednesday at a local bookstore
My love,
Do you want more delight in your life?
Delight means: Desire, good pleasure, and care.
Delight is when you bubble up with glee... and when you curl up with a good companion (loved one, book, pet). Delight is deeper than happiness. It is pure enjoyment.
If I were to tell you that you can find delight in my Word, would you believe me?
I know that at first perusal, my Word can appear confusing, boring, or both. If you read my Word once, and then close it off from you because you find it one of those things, you will never find delight in it. Reading a verse or once does my Word injustice. You will never understand it or find delight in it with one reading or even two. Your human, sinful, finite mind requires more.
My Word is not faulty. You can find delight in my Word. You can find it delightful and can understand it deeply. However, it requires more than one reading in one sitting.
There is a way to find delight in my Word. You need to meditate on my Word morning, noon, and night. The more you contemplate it, think on it, ponder it, pray it, the more delight you will find in it.
Psalm 1:2 New Living Translation (NLT)
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love,
My Word is best treasured and best understood through meditating on it and praying on it without ceasing for an extended period of time.
Again, write down our moments in the Word and as I reveal more to you from the verse and passage. As you continue to meditate on it over a long period of time, I will reveal more and more. After all, each time you think on it, you grow. It requires growth for you to learn from it and to hear from me about it. The more you grow, the more I will reveal, and the more delight you will find in it. It requires each of these things. They go together.
Multiple readings are needed.
Multiple prayers with each reading.
The think on the verse or passage over and over, morning, noon, and night.
With each reading, with each prayer, with each pondering, you will grow.
The more you grow, the more delight you will find in my Word.
Psalm 1:2 Expanded Bible (EXB)
2 They ·love [delight in] the Lord’s ·teachings [laws; instructions],
and they ·think about [meditate on] those ·teachings [laws; instructions] day and night.
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My love, you will delight in my Word and will love it, but only with multiple exposures. It also takes multiple exposures over the long-term, over the long-haul, where you meditate on it daily.
Each time you read a verse, you grow a little more and your life experiences have grown you as well. Therefore, with every reading, with every meditation, you will get something more out of the verse or passage. You will go deeper, will learn more, and will communicate with me more.
Every time you talk to me about a verse or passage, I will reveal more to you. I will grow you more and the verse or passage will grow you.
The more you grow, the more delight you will find in my Word.
Psalm 1:2 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
My love,
How can I instruct you and grow you unless you are in my Word? Unless you meditate on my Word and pray about it, day and night over a long period of time, you will not grow enough to find the delight.
My Word is how I communicate with you best. Find delight in it through multiple and intentional exposures.
My Lord,
Thank you for the insight you have given me. It has been a light bulb moment, a life-transforming moment for me. I realize how important it is for me to keep meditating and praying on your Word and about your Word. Help me to remember all of these things and try to meditate on your Word as much as possible and pray about it.
Psalm 119:33-40 New Living Translation (NLT)
33 Teach me your decrees, O Lord;
I will keep them to the end.
34 Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;
I will put them into practice with all my heart.
35 Make me walk along the path of your commands,
for that is where my happiness is found.
36 Give me an eagerness for your laws
rather than a love for money!
37 Turn my eyes from worthless things,
and give me life through your word.
38 Reassure me of your promise,
made to those who fear you.
39 Help me abandon my shameful ways;
for your regulations are good.
40 I long to obey your commandments!
Renew my life with your goodness.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Psalm 119:105 New Living Translation (NLT)
105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love,
Do you want more delight in your life?
Delight means: Desire, good pleasure, and care.
Delight is when you bubble up with glee... and when you curl up with a good companion (loved one, book, pet). Delight is deeper than happiness. It is pure enjoyment.
If I were to tell you that you can find delight in my Word, would you believe me?
I know that at first perusal, my Word can appear confusing, boring, or both. If you read my Word once, and then close it off from you because you find it one of those things, you will never find delight in it. Reading a verse or once does my Word injustice. You will never understand it or find delight in it with one reading or even two. Your human, sinful, finite mind requires more.
My Word is not faulty. You can find delight in my Word. You can find it delightful and can understand it deeply. However, it requires more than one reading in one sitting.
There is a way to find delight in my Word. You need to meditate on my Word morning, noon, and night. The more you contemplate it, think on it, ponder it, pray it, the more delight you will find in it.
Psalm 1:2 New Living Translation (NLT)
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love,
My Word is best treasured and best understood through meditating on it and praying on it without ceasing for an extended period of time.
Again, write down our moments in the Word and as I reveal more to you from the verse and passage. As you continue to meditate on it over a long period of time, I will reveal more and more. After all, each time you think on it, you grow. It requires growth for you to learn from it and to hear from me about it. The more you grow, the more I will reveal, and the more delight you will find in it. It requires each of these things. They go together.
Multiple readings are needed.
Multiple prayers with each reading.
The think on the verse or passage over and over, morning, noon, and night.
With each reading, with each prayer, with each pondering, you will grow.
The more you grow, the more delight you will find in my Word.
Psalm 1:2 Expanded Bible (EXB)
2 They ·love [delight in] the Lord’s ·teachings [laws; instructions],
and they ·think about [meditate on] those ·teachings [laws; instructions] day and night.
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My love, you will delight in my Word and will love it, but only with multiple exposures. It also takes multiple exposures over the long-term, over the long-haul, where you meditate on it daily.
Each time you read a verse, you grow a little more and your life experiences have grown you as well. Therefore, with every reading, with every meditation, you will get something more out of the verse or passage. You will go deeper, will learn more, and will communicate with me more.
Every time you talk to me about a verse or passage, I will reveal more to you. I will grow you more and the verse or passage will grow you.
The more you grow, the more delight you will find in my Word.
Psalm 1:2 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
My love,
How can I instruct you and grow you unless you are in my Word? Unless you meditate on my Word and pray about it, day and night over a long period of time, you will not grow enough to find the delight.
My Word is how I communicate with you best. Find delight in it through multiple and intentional exposures.
My Lord,
Thank you for the insight you have given me. It has been a light bulb moment, a life-transforming moment for me. I realize how important it is for me to keep meditating and praying on your Word and about your Word. Help me to remember all of these things and try to meditate on your Word as much as possible and pray about it.
Psalm 119:33-40 New Living Translation (NLT)
33 Teach me your decrees, O Lord;
I will keep them to the end.
34 Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;
I will put them into practice with all my heart.
35 Make me walk along the path of your commands,
for that is where my happiness is found.
36 Give me an eagerness for your laws
rather than a love for money!
37 Turn my eyes from worthless things,
and give me life through your word.
38 Reassure me of your promise,
made to those who fear you.
39 Help me abandon my shameful ways;
for your regulations are good.
40 I long to obey your commandments!
Renew my life with your goodness.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Psalm 119:105 New Living Translation (NLT)
105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Prayer Journal: Treasure
Written on January 06, 2016, Wednesday at a local bookstore
My love,
Who and what do you treasure and why?
Who and what brings you meaning?
The truth is if you treasure, value, find meaning, or find happiness in anything or anyone other than me and my Word, then you will never be fulfilled. You will always feel like you are missing something, will feel hollow and empty, and will not be full of joy. Anything or anyone other than me and my Word is just an imitation. It will not last and will leave you void.
Do you want to treasure someone or something temporary or eternal?
How do you know who or what you treasure? Besides looking at your calendar, your thoughts will provide you the answer. Who and what do you think of? Who and what do you think of most often?
Matthew 6:19-21 New Living Translation (NLT)
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Treasure my Word, prayer, and giving thanks. Do these nonstop. If you do these, you will treasure them more and more. If you treasure these things, you will build up your treasure in heaven. What you treasure from these three, you bring with you to eternal life.
Nothing and no one else you treasure will be brought with you to heaven. Just the moments with me and my Word will you bring with you.
The moments we have, treasure. Remember them. Think on them over and over. The only way you can do so is to write them down. Journal them. This will help you treasure them and build up your treasure in heaven.
Matthew 6:19-21 Expanded Bible (EXB)
19 “Don’t store treasures for yourselves here on earth where moths and rust will destroy them and thieves can break in and steal them. 20 But store ·your [for yourselves] treasures in heaven where they cannot be destroyed by moths or rust and where thieves cannot break in and steal them. 21 Your heart will be where your treasure is.
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My love, where your treasure is, so is your heart. Remember that heart and mind go hand-in-hand and are not mutually exclusive. So, if you think on our moments of prayer, my Word speaking to you through your meditation day and night, and offer thanks for the blessings of each moment, then you will treasure these things all the more and will build up your eternal treasure in heaven, in your eternal life. Keep drawing close to me and my Word in prayer and meditation, and you will treasure our moments all the more.
Matthew 6:19-21 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
19 “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
My love, things on this earth get lost, are damaged, and are stolen. They never last. They do not bring you joy. They may bring you short-term happiness, but they will fail you in time.
The people of this earth are sinners. They will fail you. This is why no one should ever be put on your pedestal, but me and my Word.
Things and people are imperfect. Why treasure anyone or anything that is imperfect and will fail you?
I am perfect and so is my Word. We are eternal. We offer you so much more.
Everything you seek or want pales in comparison to me and my Word.
Treasure me and my Word and our moments when you pray and meditate on my Word. You add to what you take with you to heaven.
My Lord,
Help me to fully treasure you and your Word. My mind is shallow and faulty. Help me to treasure you and your Word in spite. Help me to remember all of our moments and treasure them. I want perfect and eternal treasure that will never fail me or seduce me. Make me want You and Your Word alone, not the things of this world.
My love,
Who and what do you treasure and why?
Who and what brings you meaning?
The truth is if you treasure, value, find meaning, or find happiness in anything or anyone other than me and my Word, then you will never be fulfilled. You will always feel like you are missing something, will feel hollow and empty, and will not be full of joy. Anything or anyone other than me and my Word is just an imitation. It will not last and will leave you void.
Do you want to treasure someone or something temporary or eternal?
How do you know who or what you treasure? Besides looking at your calendar, your thoughts will provide you the answer. Who and what do you think of? Who and what do you think of most often?
Matthew 6:19-21 New Living Translation (NLT)
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Treasure my Word, prayer, and giving thanks. Do these nonstop. If you do these, you will treasure them more and more. If you treasure these things, you will build up your treasure in heaven. What you treasure from these three, you bring with you to eternal life.
Nothing and no one else you treasure will be brought with you to heaven. Just the moments with me and my Word will you bring with you.
The moments we have, treasure. Remember them. Think on them over and over. The only way you can do so is to write them down. Journal them. This will help you treasure them and build up your treasure in heaven.
Matthew 6:19-21 Expanded Bible (EXB)
19 “Don’t store treasures for yourselves here on earth where moths and rust will destroy them and thieves can break in and steal them. 20 But store ·your [for yourselves] treasures in heaven where they cannot be destroyed by moths or rust and where thieves cannot break in and steal them. 21 Your heart will be where your treasure is.
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My love, where your treasure is, so is your heart. Remember that heart and mind go hand-in-hand and are not mutually exclusive. So, if you think on our moments of prayer, my Word speaking to you through your meditation day and night, and offer thanks for the blessings of each moment, then you will treasure these things all the more and will build up your eternal treasure in heaven, in your eternal life. Keep drawing close to me and my Word in prayer and meditation, and you will treasure our moments all the more.
Matthew 6:19-21 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
19 “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
My love, things on this earth get lost, are damaged, and are stolen. They never last. They do not bring you joy. They may bring you short-term happiness, but they will fail you in time.
The people of this earth are sinners. They will fail you. This is why no one should ever be put on your pedestal, but me and my Word.
Things and people are imperfect. Why treasure anyone or anything that is imperfect and will fail you?
I am perfect and so is my Word. We are eternal. We offer you so much more.
Everything you seek or want pales in comparison to me and my Word.
Treasure me and my Word and our moments when you pray and meditate on my Word. You add to what you take with you to heaven.
My Lord,
Help me to fully treasure you and your Word. My mind is shallow and faulty. Help me to treasure you and your Word in spite. Help me to remember all of our moments and treasure them. I want perfect and eternal treasure that will never fail me or seduce me. Make me want You and Your Word alone, not the things of this world.
Prayer Journal: His inner strength, deep love, mighty power
Written on January 06, 2016, Wednesday at a local bookstore
Ephesians 3:16-20 New Living Translation (NLT)
16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love,
I have so many things to give you and so many priceless things for you to truly treasure. In fact, I have an unlimited supply.
My blessings, my gifts, only require belief from you. If you believe, I will supply you with everything you need. If you will believe, I will shower you with blessings to treasure. You may be tempted, or may even sin, but I will have treasure for you anyway. After all, I created you knowing all you would do, and all you wouldn't do, and I created you still.
You could never be worthy of one treasure I have to offer you, if not for your belief in my son, Jesus Christ, and what he did for you. I made you wonderfully (Psalm 139:???) and he has made you holy already. Trust him. The more you trust him, the deeper your roots of my love will grow and the roots of my love will strengthen you.
Do not for a moment I think you can find strength in anyone or anything apart from my love. You do not find your strength from within yourself. You find strength from me alone and from my love alone. If you find strength anywhere else, or in anyone else, it is false strength and it does not last.
Do you want to know how much strength you can receive from my love? Look at verse 18. My love is bottomless and endless, deep, wide, thorough, and unconditional. This is how much strength you can get from my love.
Do you ever feel uneasy, empty, or stressed? Do you ever feel off or like you are missing something? Meditate on verses 18 and 19 and on the love I have for you.
Now, look at verse 20, my love. Meditate on it as well.
When you meditate on my Word, and when you believe in my son and what he did for you, then you will be able to more thoroughly grasp my love and what I can accomplish in you and through you.
Keep reading this passage, and meditate on it. Think on it. Pray on it. Listen to what I have to say about it.
Let this passage help you see how much I can do through you as you deepen your trust in my son through meditating on this passage again and again. Treasure this, my love.
My Lord,
What hope this passage brings. Help me to trust in your son and in your Word more and more each day.
My love,
The best way to do so is be in my Word and meditate on it day and night. Start with this passage today.
Ephesians 3:16-20 New Living Translation (NLT)
16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love,
I have so many things to give you and so many priceless things for you to truly treasure. In fact, I have an unlimited supply.
My blessings, my gifts, only require belief from you. If you believe, I will supply you with everything you need. If you will believe, I will shower you with blessings to treasure. You may be tempted, or may even sin, but I will have treasure for you anyway. After all, I created you knowing all you would do, and all you wouldn't do, and I created you still.
You could never be worthy of one treasure I have to offer you, if not for your belief in my son, Jesus Christ, and what he did for you. I made you wonderfully (Psalm 139:???) and he has made you holy already. Trust him. The more you trust him, the deeper your roots of my love will grow and the roots of my love will strengthen you.
Do not for a moment I think you can find strength in anyone or anything apart from my love. You do not find your strength from within yourself. You find strength from me alone and from my love alone. If you find strength anywhere else, or in anyone else, it is false strength and it does not last.
Do you want to know how much strength you can receive from my love? Look at verse 18. My love is bottomless and endless, deep, wide, thorough, and unconditional. This is how much strength you can get from my love.
Do you ever feel uneasy, empty, or stressed? Do you ever feel off or like you are missing something? Meditate on verses 18 and 19 and on the love I have for you.
Now, look at verse 20, my love. Meditate on it as well.
When you meditate on my Word, and when you believe in my son and what he did for you, then you will be able to more thoroughly grasp my love and what I can accomplish in you and through you.
Keep reading this passage, and meditate on it. Think on it. Pray on it. Listen to what I have to say about it.
Let this passage help you see how much I can do through you as you deepen your trust in my son through meditating on this passage again and again. Treasure this, my love.
My Lord,
What hope this passage brings. Help me to trust in your son and in your Word more and more each day.
My love,
The best way to do so is be in my Word and meditate on it day and night. Start with this passage today.
Prayer Journal: Come close and draw near
(Written January 05, 2016, Tuesday)
James 4:8 New Living Translation (NLT)
8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love,
Do you want to hear me?
Do you not want to miss what I have to say?
Stop talking and stop being busy. Let me in.
The only way you can truly hear me is to saturate your life with my Word. Read, meditate, and pray on it. Study it and apply it.
You will never hear from me if you are so busy, so loud, so self and or situation focused, I will not get through. You won't let me.
How can you hear my voice? If you are standing so far away, or are moving from me, you will not be able to hear me. If you are far from my Word, you are far from me, and will not hear me either. Therefore, take steps to draw close and near to me. Then, you will hear me. If you draw close to me, and hear me, then you will be purified from the inside out.
If you have drawn close enough to me you can hear me, you will be purified and will no longer be world-focused, but will be focused on me and my Word.
James 4:8 Expanded Bible (EXB)
8 Come near to God, and God will come near to you. You sinners, ·clean sin out of your lives [L cleanse/purify your hands; C a metaphor for cleaning up your behavior]. ·You who are trying to follow God and the world at the same time [L You double-minded ones], ·make your thinking pure [L purify your hearts; C a metaphor for cleaning up your interior life].
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My love, if you focus on listening for me and to me, and meditate on my Word and pray on it, then your inner life will be purified and you will hear me better and will draw even closer to me.
Stop talking.
Stop the busyness.
Listen.
Conversation is at least fifty-fifty. Have you given me at least that?
Do you want to draw even closer to me? Listen far longer than you ever speak.
My Lord,
Help me to be silent and to listen. Help me be still and draw close to you.
James 4:8 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people!
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
James 4:8 New Living Translation (NLT)
8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love,
Do you want to hear me?
Do you not want to miss what I have to say?
Stop talking and stop being busy. Let me in.
The only way you can truly hear me is to saturate your life with my Word. Read, meditate, and pray on it. Study it and apply it.
You will never hear from me if you are so busy, so loud, so self and or situation focused, I will not get through. You won't let me.
How can you hear my voice? If you are standing so far away, or are moving from me, you will not be able to hear me. If you are far from my Word, you are far from me, and will not hear me either. Therefore, take steps to draw close and near to me. Then, you will hear me. If you draw close to me, and hear me, then you will be purified from the inside out.
If you have drawn close enough to me you can hear me, you will be purified and will no longer be world-focused, but will be focused on me and my Word.
James 4:8 Expanded Bible (EXB)
8 Come near to God, and God will come near to you. You sinners, ·clean sin out of your lives [L cleanse/purify your hands; C a metaphor for cleaning up your behavior]. ·You who are trying to follow God and the world at the same time [L You double-minded ones], ·make your thinking pure [L purify your hearts; C a metaphor for cleaning up your interior life].
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My love, if you focus on listening for me and to me, and meditate on my Word and pray on it, then your inner life will be purified and you will hear me better and will draw even closer to me.
Stop talking.
Stop the busyness.
Listen.
Conversation is at least fifty-fifty. Have you given me at least that?
Do you want to draw even closer to me? Listen far longer than you ever speak.
My Lord,
Help me to be silent and to listen. Help me be still and draw close to you.
James 4:8 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people!
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Prayer Journal: Life by faith and not by sight
January 05, 2016, Tuesday, 1153 a.m.
2 Corinthians 5:7 New Living Translation (NLT)
7 For we live by believing and not by seeing.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love,
Do you live by sight or by believing?
Do you live by sight or by trust?
Do you demand answers, or expect answers, rather than trust and remain in faith?
2 Corinthians 5:7 New Living Translation (NLT)
7 For we live by believing and not by seeing.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love,
Do you want to live, fully and freely live? Live this verse. Embrace it fully.
Let me rephrase it another way:
2 Corinthians 5:7 Expanded Bible (EXB)
7 We ·live [walk] by ·what we believe [faith], not by ·what we can see [sight].
-- Expanded Bible (EXB).The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My love,
Do you live this way or do you give it a nod or lip service? Do you nod your head in agreement or do you take action and live in this manner?
Live and walk by faith. Do not demand answers. Just trust me. Tell me that you do and show me that you do. If you do, you will then fully live and I will bless you and your life.
Believe. There is nothing more important in your life.
2 Corinthians 5:7 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight,
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
My love,
Know that nothing in your life is a surprise to me. Nor is it something you have hidden from me.
If you love me, you will trust me.
2 Corinthians 5:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—
New American Standard Bible (NASB). Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.
My love,
If only you would ask for me to show you how to live by faith, and not by sight, then I would. All you need to do is ask.
2 Corinthians 5:7 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
7 Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight.
-- GOD’S WORD Translation (GW). Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.
My love,
Nowhere does this verse say to trust and follow me blindly. Rather, I give you my Word, the Bible, to help give you insight and understanding of my character and my overall plan. I give you the Word to help you walk in and by faith, not by sight, as I work my purpose. If you would remain in my Word, meditate on it and pray on it, you would find it easier to walk by faith alone.
Trust me.
If only you would trust me, believe, and have faith, regardless of what you see or don't see, I would bless you and we would have a deeper, more content, more joyful relationship.
Through not walking by faith, you limit what I can do in you, through you, and around you. Whereas, if you trust me, and believe in me, you free what I can do then. You allow me to work fully and without limit.
What I accomplish through you must be your choice. I will force nothing on you. Walk in and by faith.
My Lord,
Prayer: Lord, help me to not need answers and to just trust You, no matter what. No matter how things fail to make sense. No matter how things feel. Help me to walk by faith through it all, in spite of it all, and to cling to the Bible alone as truth to help me live a life of belief, not of doubt or demanding answers. For, you owe me no answer. You are God and I am not. I will trust you. Always. And I will try not to fight you or what you are doing. I will walk by faith and not by sight. Or, at least I want to do so. Show me how, Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:7 New Living Translation (NLT)
7 For we live by believing and not by seeing.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love,
Do you live by sight or by believing?
Do you live by sight or by trust?
Do you demand answers, or expect answers, rather than trust and remain in faith?
2 Corinthians 5:7 New Living Translation (NLT)
7 For we live by believing and not by seeing.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love,
Do you want to live, fully and freely live? Live this verse. Embrace it fully.
Let me rephrase it another way:
2 Corinthians 5:7 Expanded Bible (EXB)
7 We ·live [walk] by ·what we believe [faith], not by ·what we can see [sight].
-- Expanded Bible (EXB).The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My love,
Do you live this way or do you give it a nod or lip service? Do you nod your head in agreement or do you take action and live in this manner?
Live and walk by faith. Do not demand answers. Just trust me. Tell me that you do and show me that you do. If you do, you will then fully live and I will bless you and your life.
Believe. There is nothing more important in your life.
2 Corinthians 5:7 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight,
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
My love,
Know that nothing in your life is a surprise to me. Nor is it something you have hidden from me.
If you love me, you will trust me.
2 Corinthians 5:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—
New American Standard Bible (NASB). Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.
My love,
If only you would ask for me to show you how to live by faith, and not by sight, then I would. All you need to do is ask.
2 Corinthians 5:7 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
7 Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight.
-- GOD’S WORD Translation (GW). Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.
My love,
Nowhere does this verse say to trust and follow me blindly. Rather, I give you my Word, the Bible, to help give you insight and understanding of my character and my overall plan. I give you the Word to help you walk in and by faith, not by sight, as I work my purpose. If you would remain in my Word, meditate on it and pray on it, you would find it easier to walk by faith alone.
Trust me.
If only you would trust me, believe, and have faith, regardless of what you see or don't see, I would bless you and we would have a deeper, more content, more joyful relationship.
Through not walking by faith, you limit what I can do in you, through you, and around you. Whereas, if you trust me, and believe in me, you free what I can do then. You allow me to work fully and without limit.
What I accomplish through you must be your choice. I will force nothing on you. Walk in and by faith.
My Lord,
Prayer: Lord, help me to not need answers and to just trust You, no matter what. No matter how things fail to make sense. No matter how things feel. Help me to walk by faith through it all, in spite of it all, and to cling to the Bible alone as truth to help me live a life of belief, not of doubt or demanding answers. For, you owe me no answer. You are God and I am not. I will trust you. Always. And I will try not to fight you or what you are doing. I will walk by faith and not by sight. Or, at least I want to do so. Show me how, Lord.
Prayer Journal: What do you treasure?
January 05, 2016, Tuesday, 1010 a.m.
My Lord,
I just took a shower, checked my email, and now I sit here, Lord. I am drawing near to you. I am moving my heart and mind to focus on you entirely. I will listen. I listen.
Luke 2:19 New Living Translation (NLT)
19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love (The Lord speaks),
Mary watched carefully what happened all around her and through her. She did her best to take it all in and not miss anything. She was fully present. She looked for my work and my glory. She looked in her life, around her life, through her life, and in the life of those around her, to find me, my work, and my glory.
Then, Mary committed what she saw, experienced, and learned to her heart and mind so she would remember these things and so she could ponder these things. She thought about these things so thoroughly she came to treasure them and she wanted to remember me and what I had done.
Mary had to be fully present in order to be able to treasure what she saw and experienced. If she had not been, she would have missed these blessings. Since she treasured these things, she would remember them and her life was transformed through what she treasured.
It is too easy to get so busy that you don't see the blessings all around you. Busyness clouds your eyes and makes your vision laser focused in what you are doing. It makes you self and activity focused, rather than on me or on my Word. Busyness takes you away from me and makes it so you do not see the blessings all around.
How can you fully see if you are busy?
How can you hear me if you are busy?
How can you pray without ceasing or meditate on my Word day and night if you are busy?
Busyness is an addiction. You have the choice. Choose activities and busyness, which make you feel important and valued, or choose me.
Is the way of busyness your salvation or am I?
How can you treasure anything if you are busy, never mind me or my Word?
Make me and my Word your treasure, not anything or anyone of the world. I offer you eternal life. The world offers you temporary, sinful things which prevent you from seeing how I have lavished my blessing on you.
I have a great deal more to offer you to treasure than this world ever could. Be still. Look around. Every moment has showers of blessing from me for you to treasure.
Luke 2:19 Expanded Bible (EXB)
19 But Mary ·treasured [kept; preserved] these things and ·continued to think about them [pondered/considered them in her heart].
--Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My love,
Mary treasured all these things in her heart and always thought about them, pondered them, meditated on them, and kept them in her heart.
My Lord,
My prayer: Lord, help me to focus on You and the treasure of blessing you and your Word bring, not on the things of this sin-laced world.
My Lord,
I just took a shower, checked my email, and now I sit here, Lord. I am drawing near to you. I am moving my heart and mind to focus on you entirely. I will listen. I listen.
Luke 2:19 New Living Translation (NLT)
19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
My love (The Lord speaks),
Mary watched carefully what happened all around her and through her. She did her best to take it all in and not miss anything. She was fully present. She looked for my work and my glory. She looked in her life, around her life, through her life, and in the life of those around her, to find me, my work, and my glory.
Then, Mary committed what she saw, experienced, and learned to her heart and mind so she would remember these things and so she could ponder these things. She thought about these things so thoroughly she came to treasure them and she wanted to remember me and what I had done.
Mary had to be fully present in order to be able to treasure what she saw and experienced. If she had not been, she would have missed these blessings. Since she treasured these things, she would remember them and her life was transformed through what she treasured.
It is too easy to get so busy that you don't see the blessings all around you. Busyness clouds your eyes and makes your vision laser focused in what you are doing. It makes you self and activity focused, rather than on me or on my Word. Busyness takes you away from me and makes it so you do not see the blessings all around.
How can you fully see if you are busy?
How can you hear me if you are busy?
How can you pray without ceasing or meditate on my Word day and night if you are busy?
Busyness is an addiction. You have the choice. Choose activities and busyness, which make you feel important and valued, or choose me.
Is the way of busyness your salvation or am I?
How can you treasure anything if you are busy, never mind me or my Word?
Make me and my Word your treasure, not anything or anyone of the world. I offer you eternal life. The world offers you temporary, sinful things which prevent you from seeing how I have lavished my blessing on you.
I have a great deal more to offer you to treasure than this world ever could. Be still. Look around. Every moment has showers of blessing from me for you to treasure.
Luke 2:19 Expanded Bible (EXB)
19 But Mary ·treasured [kept; preserved] these things and ·continued to think about them [pondered/considered them in her heart].
--Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
My love,
Mary treasured all these things in her heart and always thought about them, pondered them, meditated on them, and kept them in her heart.
My Lord,
My prayer: Lord, help me to focus on You and the treasure of blessing you and your Word bring, not on the things of this sin-laced world.
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