Wednesday, 3 August 2011
ON VACATION
I've been on vacation for a couple of weeks. Check back after August 8 for new and hopefully regular content.
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Seek After The Face Of God
God has been speaking to me of late about seeking His face. (Another way of expressing thirsting for Him.
The blessing of God is not so much in what He does for us as in who He is. Many people seek after what God will do for them to bless them. They are seeking after the hand of God rather then the face of God. It’s not wrong to seek His hand for He wants us to show dependance upon Him for He is Jehovah Jireh, the provider. But, if all we do, if the main thing we seek is the blessings He can provide or the answers to requests, then we miss the real blessing, the real essence of our faith, - His face, the enjoyment of the presence and His glory. In fact, He is glorified when we seek His face, when we desire Him more than anything else.
Yesterday, I was reminded from John 4 that Jesus is the "living water" that becomes in our soul a spring that wells up to eternal life (John 4;10,14). Deep, deep down, only He can satisfy the dryness of our souls. Oh, I am so thirsty for God, how about you? There are so many wells that leave us empty and parched. The real joy, the real satisfaction, comes from seeking God and God alone.
Today, walking in the park and meditating on God, I was praying through Psalm 26. I had asked the Lord, "where should I turn in Your Word to meditate"? When I was first led to Psalm 26 and looked it over I thought, "Na, must have been my own idea." But I was prompted to give it a second look.
I can’t go into all that God spoke to me about, but there are a couple of things that stand out.
" Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind" (Psalm 26:2). Wow, do I really want God checking in on what’s deep down in my heart and in my mind. Things that perhaps I don’t even what to know myself. That could be absolutely scary. Maybe that’s why we avoid such intimacy with God. Though we want to seek God’s face and experience deep intimacy with Him, we fear what it will mean.
Yet, the Psalmist proclaims, "For Your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in Your faithfulness" (Psalm 26:3). Because of His steadfast love and faithfulness, you and I can trust God to search our hearts and minds to deal with those things that keep us from seeking His face and basking in His presence.
Later David says, "O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells" (Psalm 26:8). He was referring of course to the temple in Jerusalem where God had promised to dwell among His people. There in the Holy Temple, in the Holy of Holies, was the Ark of the Covenant on which sat two cherubim of solid gold and between the cherubim was the mercy seat upon which rested the very manifest presence of God in the world. This was the Shekinah Glory, the visible manifestation of God’s presence (Exodus 25:17-22).
David loved being in the presence of God. He was a man who sought the face of God.
God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1). The real blessing, the real experience of the Christian faith, is not in the things God can give us from His hand, but from seeking His face above all. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah (Psalm 24:5-6)
What about you? What about me? Do we seek after God Himself with all our hearts. Not what He can do for us, but for God Himself. Do we really believe He is the satisfaction of our souls, the living water that springs up to wells of eternal life that actually refreshes our souls?
My heart is longing after God, how about you? He makes us this promise, "You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart", (Jeremiah 29:13).
The blessing of God is not so much in what He does for us as in who He is. Many people seek after what God will do for them to bless them. They are seeking after the hand of God rather then the face of God. It’s not wrong to seek His hand for He wants us to show dependance upon Him for He is Jehovah Jireh, the provider. But, if all we do, if the main thing we seek is the blessings He can provide or the answers to requests, then we miss the real blessing, the real essence of our faith, - His face, the enjoyment of the presence and His glory. In fact, He is glorified when we seek His face, when we desire Him more than anything else.
Yesterday, I was reminded from John 4 that Jesus is the "living water" that becomes in our soul a spring that wells up to eternal life (John 4;10,14). Deep, deep down, only He can satisfy the dryness of our souls. Oh, I am so thirsty for God, how about you? There are so many wells that leave us empty and parched. The real joy, the real satisfaction, comes from seeking God and God alone.
Today, walking in the park and meditating on God, I was praying through Psalm 26. I had asked the Lord, "where should I turn in Your Word to meditate"? When I was first led to Psalm 26 and looked it over I thought, "Na, must have been my own idea." But I was prompted to give it a second look.
I can’t go into all that God spoke to me about, but there are a couple of things that stand out.
" Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind" (Psalm 26:2). Wow, do I really want God checking in on what’s deep down in my heart and in my mind. Things that perhaps I don’t even what to know myself. That could be absolutely scary. Maybe that’s why we avoid such intimacy with God. Though we want to seek God’s face and experience deep intimacy with Him, we fear what it will mean.
Yet, the Psalmist proclaims, "For Your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in Your faithfulness" (Psalm 26:3). Because of His steadfast love and faithfulness, you and I can trust God to search our hearts and minds to deal with those things that keep us from seeking His face and basking in His presence.
Later David says, "O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells" (Psalm 26:8). He was referring of course to the temple in Jerusalem where God had promised to dwell among His people. There in the Holy Temple, in the Holy of Holies, was the Ark of the Covenant on which sat two cherubim of solid gold and between the cherubim was the mercy seat upon which rested the very manifest presence of God in the world. This was the Shekinah Glory, the visible manifestation of God’s presence (Exodus 25:17-22).
David loved being in the presence of God. He was a man who sought the face of God.
God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1). The real blessing, the real experience of the Christian faith, is not in the things God can give us from His hand, but from seeking His face above all. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah (Psalm 24:5-6)
What about you? What about me? Do we seek after God Himself with all our hearts. Not what He can do for us, but for God Himself. Do we really believe He is the satisfaction of our souls, the living water that springs up to wells of eternal life that actually refreshes our souls?
My heart is longing after God, how about you? He makes us this promise, "You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart", (Jeremiah 29:13).
Sunday, 26 June 2011
Identifying With The 23rd Psalm
Rick’s Psalm 23
(Psalm 23 paraphrased to express my identity)
I had not thought much about it before, but it makes sense. We all have our own unique relatiionship with God. My understanding the Word and my experiences in life have shaped this relationship as has your's. How do I think about God, how do I relate to Him? Knowing and understanding your personal and unique identity before God strengthens your fellowship with God.
One way of discovering your unique identity with God is to paraphrase scripture, especially the prayers of scripture, in a way that makes them personal. Like millions of other believers, Psalm 23 has been especially encouraging to me at various times in my life. This morning in my devotions, I paraphrased it in a way that expresses my experience with God as my Shepherd.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall never lack His care and provision.
He gives me rest in prosperous places and He calms my spirit like still waters.
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me to being a godly man that my life might honour His name.
Even through the most difficult times of my life, when it is only You and me;
I will not fear because You are with me. You hold me up and bring comfort to my soul.
Even when evil comes and people turn against me, You will provide a banquet of blessings to me, You have anointed me with blessings that are abundant and good.
You have been and always will be good and merciful to me Oh God, and I will walk with You always until I dwell with you eternally in Heaven.
June 26, 2011
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