February 6, 2016

8:41 AM

Dear God, it is Day 5 of my commitment to meet you here daily for seven consecutive days. It has been wonderful to bask in your presence and love; to learn from you; to start my day. Days that are built on such a foundation and surrounded by your presence are far better than any others. Help me to remember this, Lord, and grow in the habit of meeting you here. Help me to have an increasing awareness of you and to continue talking with you throughout my day. Help me to remember that you care about every aspect of my life, not just what I consider the big things. I just don’t know how people do life without you, dear Lord. The times that I have allowed myself to be detached from your presence, I have been miserable. Hold me close, God, and protect me daily from my enemies. I long to hear only your voice. My heart is filled with the desire to please you and to fulfill your will and purpose for me; help my fleshly desires to follow suit. I love you. And I thank you for continuing to love and bless me. Amen and Ehmen.

Dear Loved One,

Your heart makes me smile. I long for this closeness as well. It is what you were made for, my beautiful child, and as long as you make the effort, you can rest assured that I will always be here to greet you.  Immerse yourself into My Word, dear child, and I will send the Holy Spirit to translate each word and inscribe it on your heart. I will open your eyes and your heart and you will continue to grow in me and I in you. Your path will become more and more obvious and you will begin to waste less and less time on things that do not matter. Picture me a carpenter and you my protégé. I hold the toolbox and, as long as you remain beside me, you can be assured that I will hand you just what you need to complete the task before you. But, it is crucial that you stay beside me. Your purpose, my child, is a joint venture, one that is impossible without both of us. I am willing and able; and, if you are willing, I will make you able as well. That’s a promise, my child. 

Ephesians 2:10

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Life Application Study Note: The whole Bible is God’s inspired Word. Because it is inspired and trustworthy, we should read it and apply it to our life. The Bible is our standard for testing everything else that claims to be true. It is our safeguard against false teaching and our source of guidance for how we should live. It is our only source of knowledge about how we can be saved. God wants to show you what is true and equip you to live for him. How much time do you spend in God’s Word? Read it regularly to discover God’s truth and to become confident in your life and faith. Develop a plan for reading the whole Bible, not just the familiar passages.

Hebrews 13: 20-21

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Life Application Study Note: These verses include two significant results of Christ’s death and resurrection. God works in us to make use the kind of people that would please him, and he equips us to do the kind of work that would please him. Let God change you from within and then use you to help others (our purpose).