"The
secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his
covenant” (Ps 25:14; KJV). It would appear that God does not keep secrets.
Isn't it amazing that the Almighty God would be willing to share his secrets
with us mere mortals?
This
is confirmed in the book of proverbs where King Solomon wrote: “For the forward
is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous” (Prov. 3:32).
The apostle John recorded that toward the end of his ministry, Jesus called his
disciples his friends (John 15:15). Jesus assured them that he revealed to them
everything that he learned from his Father. Well, if we are truly following Jesus,
we are also disciples and friends of his.
The
disciples once asked Jesus why he spoke to the crowds in parables and he
replied: "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given" (Matt 13:11). That word
mystery means a secret or something hidden to the mind and only revealed as we prayerfully
study God’s word and allow his Spirit to reveal it to us. As Christians we have
the Holy Spirit in us (1 Cor 6:19) and the Spirit reveals God’s word to us (John
16:13-14).
As
you spend time with God today in prayer, ask God to tell you some secrets from
the word and he will.
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“Behold,
I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I
will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me" Rev 3:20 (KJV). A
very familiar scripture verse, which has been used greatly to bring people to
salvation (myself included).
However,
this verse was actually intended for a Christian church, albeit a lukewarm
church. Nevertheless, whether we are non-Christian, lukewarm Christian or any
other kind of Christian this verse reveals the heart of God. He wants to have fellowship
with us; in fact, that is why he created mankind. Before they sinned, Adam and Eve
had a wonderful walk and fellowship with God: “And they heard the voice of the
Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day” (Gen 3:8). What a beautiful
picture of fellowship. “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you,
that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the
Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).
God
does not force himself on us but is politely knocking and hoping we will invite
him in and allow him to have that true, intimate fellowship with us.
Fellowshipping over a meal isn't something you do with a casual acquaintance
but a close friend or relative. God wants to have close fellowship with us. Why,
because he loves us and wants to minister to us, encourage us, change us and
reveal his plan for our lives.
Most
people lead busy lives, but make sure you are not too busy to open the door
when you hear him knocking.
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Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic
Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more
encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.
Do
you agonize over decisions and wish you could see God’s direction clearly?
Jesus called us his sheep and said we would hear his voice (John 10:27). So how
do we hear from God? Well you need to remember that we are made in God’s image,
we are Spirit beings (1 Thess 5:23). Our spirit is our spiritual heart or
conscience. God contacts us largely (Holy) Spirit to (our) spirit. God can
communicate in other ways but by way of his Holy Spirit is the most important.
How
does the Holy Spirit guide us? He reveals God’s word to us (John 16:13-14),
brings us understanding (revelation) and if we read the word prayerfully, he
will bring guidance through the verses we read. How often we read and reread a
section of the Bible and suddenly a verse jumps out at us, that’s the Holy
Spirit.
The
other main way that the Spirit speaks to us is by the still small voice that
Elijah heard (1 Kings 19:11-12). How do we know this is God? Well, that still small
voice comes with a sense of peace and assurance that it is God. God’s wisdom is
peaceable and lines up with his word (James 3:17).
To
hear from God, we need to still our minds and learn to recognize the voice of his
Spirit (Rom 12:2). It’s a bit like the offence in a football team trying to get
directions from the quarter back in the face of a noisy opposing crowd of
supporters. Talk to God and spend time in his word; allow the word and time
with him to quiet you (Isa 26:3). He doesn’t always answer right away but often
when we least expect it.
My
wife and I had a major decision to make and we agreed to both pray
independently and seek God for several months. When we compared notes, we had
heard almost identically from God. God is good and he wants you to walk in
peace and assurance knowing you are in his will (Prov 3:5-6).
Please
pass this on. All rights reserved.
Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic
Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more
encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.
“Have
faith in God.” This short simple sentence is what the whole of Christianity is
based on. What do we know about faith? Let’s look at a few scriptures. "Without
faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe
that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him"
(Heb 11:6; KJV). "The just shall LIVE by his faith" (Hab 2:4). So
then, faith in God must be important, in fact, a whole chapter in the book of
Hebrews (chapter 11) is devoted to people who were noted for their faith. We
know that our faith is powerful and can move mountains or the challenges in our
lives (Mark 11:23).
We
know that we have all been given: "a measure of faith" (Rom 12:3).
But we also know that we need to grow our faith. Well, how do we do that? In
the Bible we read that: "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of
God" (Rom 10:17). As we spend time in our bibles our faith will grow. As
we pray in the Spirit, we also build up our faith: “But ye, beloved, building
up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude 20). Praying
in the Spirit is Spirit led prayer, including praying in tongues.
As
you go through your day think about having faith in God and use your God given
authority to speak to the mountains in your life and remember that you must
believe before you can receive from God (Mark 11:23).
Please
pass this on. All rights reserved.
Check
out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our
book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and
also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to
others.
Sometimes
we need to stop and marvel at what happened to us when we gave our lives to the
Lord and asked Jesus into our lives as Lord and Savior. Our inner man (our spirit,
conscience or spiritual heart) was recreated or born again (2 Cor 5:17; John
3:3-8; Ezek 11:19).
Our
sins were forgiven: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph 1:7; KJV). We
were redeemed from the curse of the law, (poverty, sickness and death; Gal
3:13-14). We were sanctified (1 Cor 1:30) or set apart for God, justified or
made as if we had never sinned (Rom 3:23-24) and made the righteousness of God
in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:21). Righteousness means to be made in right standing
with God.
Christ
came to live in us as the Holy Spirit (Gal 2:20; 1 Cor 6:19). We became God’s
children (Rom 8:15), joint heirs with Jesus (Rom 8:17), and were taken out of
satan’s control and placed in God’s kingdom of light (Col 1:13-14).
The
bible tells us that the Holy Spirit in us is greater than any satanic force in
the world (1 John 4:4). “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me” (Phil 4:13; KJV). In fact, we are more than conquerors (Rom 8:37). Are you
getting the picture? We are family, Jesus our brother (Rom 8:29); we have the
same Father as Jesus. The same power (the Holy Spirit) that anointed Jesus for
ministry on this earth lives in us.
We
can do anything with Jesus. Let’s do it, let’s be salt and light, let’s turn
our world right side up.
Please
pass this on. All rights reserved.
Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic
Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more
encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.