Seeking God

 

I went to a ladies’ meeting this morning at a church thirty minutes away and just before leaving the house, I felt as if the Lord said, “Seek Me.”

So, it got me pondering, what does that really mean?

I decided it means don’t just cruise through the Bible when I’m reading it. Ask God for help in understanding what He’s saying.

My husband says, “God is interested in two things, our relationship with Him and our relationship with others.”

Then, I figured that Jesus went away from everyone and spent time alone with His Father. That certainly helps a person to seek God.

Later in the day it seemed good to ask God to help me to seek Him.

In Matthew 6 when Jesus is telling His followers not to worry about food and clothing and needs of life, He says in Matthew 6:33 for us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

May God bless you!

Hindered from Blogging

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I’m beginning to wonder if God wanted me to take a break from blogging. Every time I thought I’d take time to blog, my computer acted up. And I almost quit tonight when Word stopped responding.

 

I got a new computer in August and soon after setting it up, it malfunctioned. My son, an IT guy, told me to erase everything and set it up with the CD that came with it. Scrub it clean and start over. Months later, I read on the internet that the manufacturer warned new owners that they may have to empty the new computer and imprint it again with the enclosed disc. I was not impressed.

 

For the last four days, every time I started this computer, it froze. So, I closed it up and walked away. I’m using patience on real life events and the computer was low on my list of priorities. Until tonight.

 

My life is moving along without a lot of hitches, although everybody and their brother has been sick in one way or another. My husband and I have battled low grade fevers, and then coughs, etc. for at least three weeks. We’re at the end of it and my schedule allows for rest easier than his.

 

I know some folks fighting Stage 4 cancer and God is answering prayer on their behalf, others battling debilitating diseases and people are praying for them as well.

 

So, I can’t complain and I’m learning more and more that God doesn’t like bitterness and complaining. It hurts our soul and it’s telling God He’s not helping us. Yowza!

 

In Numbers 21: 4-6, the people told Moses their soul loathed the manna God provided and that they didn’t have water and food. Then God sent fiery serpents to kill off the murmurers until they cried out for forgiveness in verse 7. Sometimes I think we’re the same today. We take God’s blessings for granted and when things don’t go our way, we start carrying on – at least, I do at times. Then I wonder why I’m suffering some direct results of the negative conversation. It may be unanswered prayer, or some previous blessings melt away.

 

Then I, like the Israelis, get on my face and tell God I’m sorry and He turns things around. Praise God for His mercy!

 

I hope this finds you well. May God bless you.

Easter

 

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A month ago, after dinner, a devotional on the cross and Resurrection taught by a lady brought tears to her eyes. “I never get tired of hearing of Jesus’ sacrifice and all He went through-the awful beatings, His beard plucked from His face and ultimately, one of the cruelest forms of execution. He took the punishment for my sins and multitudes of others, some of whom end up rejecting Him.”

 

Tonight, we attended the dinner in a different locale and it was my turn to present the devotional. I left my statements and Scripture references early with an open-ended question because the ages of the Christians vary and their years in the faith vary. To say they are mature Christians would be an accurate statement. Completely perfect, impossible. Only Jesus is perfect, back when He walked the earth and now, alive in heaven. They are a group of believers that try to keep their eyes on Jesus and they repent when they mess up, but they sincerely try to follow God’s commands.

 

My text was James 1:5 and then James 1:6-8. God promises us wisdom from Him if we ask with faith. Then I went to James 3:13-18 which tells us in the ASV, (which I downloaded from e-Sword.net):

Wisdom from Above 

Jas 3:13  Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom.

Jas 3:14  But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth.

Jas 3:15  This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

Jas 3:16  For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.

Jas 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy.

Jas 3:18  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.

 

Even when God tells me I’ve done something wrong, the idea may be firm but it’s not condemning, nasty, and/or contradictory to Scripture.

 

So, when I ask God questions like, “Father, what should I do in this situation? Is anything hindering Your will?”

 

I can expect Him to give me the wisdom I’m seeking. In the past, when I needed answers, I’ve asked God what something meant and then I’d hear teachings from pastors or teachers on Christian radio. Sometimes, I’d sense a Scripture pop into my brain and there would be the answer.

Other times, I’d ask my husband or if we were at a different church sitting under a pastor, I’d ask the pastor. God always showed me what I needed to know.

 

What about you?

 

One of the ladies said that she hears from God when she spends quiet time reading the Word and praying and listening for Him and often times it’s such a silent little nudge in her thinking that is outside of her normal way but well within the precepts of Scripture. Once she felt she should share of her bounty with a fellow-believer, but she wanted to be sure and so she prayed for six weeks. She kept sensing the same direction, give to your friend. When she gave her the money she offered an apology for waiting so long. The friend said the income came at just the right time. Our associate said, “Isn’t that just like God? He knew it would take me six weeks to get to the place of obedience, so He started trying to get through six weeks before the need arose. He knew when she would need it. He knew how long it would take me to act. He is incredible and He is gracious.”

 

Many participated, although some did not. One person said he mostly gets what God wants Him to do by reading the Word and as he sees a need before him, he’ll help if he has the means and he’ll pray that he errs on the side of grace. There are times when he doesn’t give because he can tell the person is totally scamming him and is capable of working but chooses not to. Then he spoke about people losing the fear of the Lord, how God is a just Judge, but not completely forgiving and kind and willing to slip-slide around when it comes to His commands. That brought up more discussion. God does forgive when someone truly is sorry and truly starts to turn from their sin. He knows our hearts, our thoughts, every intent, every word we’re about to speak.

 

That’s why He tells us in Proverbs 21:23, (NKJV), “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.”

 

That’s a good word for me.

 

May God bless you.

Northanger Abbey

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I am about to read Chapter VI in Jane Austen’s novel, Northanger Abbey, with the Introduction, Bibliography, and Chronology copyrighted in 1991 by Everyman’s Library. It was published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY and elsewhere around the world.

 

It seems that I pick up a book or begin a chore more easily than I read the Bible lately, and my disposition suffers from the lack of the Word. So, I read some of the book of Joshua today, but in addition, the quiet sitting and thinking of the meaning of the passages has been avoided.

 

Another habit that’s slipped by the wayside- a regular writing of this blog!

 

So, tonight, I decided to just write a little and to say hello.

 

I wrote about Easter the second week in March because a lady did a devotional on the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. I will type it out this week rather than go into detail tonight, although it is a very short blog.

 

One of my children, with our grandchildren in tow arrived at our house on Thursday and stayed until Monday morning. Making pancakes, and Easter bread, which came out well, (yay!) kept me busy, in the midst of hide and go seek, and monster tag, etc.

 

Since I bought a soft cast for my leg to support my sore foot, I decided to chase the kids with the big black velcroed boot on, which stiffens the whole leg. Extending arms and making scary noises started a new game a little while ago. That event caused them to beg for the chase again this week.

 

When we moved to the back yard, which is not flat and smooth, it made it awkward for me. My granddaughter stood before me to guard against the boy monsters getting me. When I told her she didn’t have to always be the monster, she said, “I’ll just be your apprentice monster.”

 

Kids grow up so fast!

 

I wonder what Jane Austen would think of modern day England and America. She mentions in Chapter V, “As soon as divine service was over, the Thorpes and Allens eagerly joined each other;”

 

The Christian world was commonplace to her in the novels I’ve already read, but she didn’t mention “divine service,” as far as I can recall. I liked that phrase, “divine service.”

 

Before the story begins, there are pages of narration in the Introduction and then there are a few pages of her history, and other author’s names and works, and the history of the world all in corresponding rows set up according to the years. The events of war and major political happenings concerned Europe and Russia and occasionally the United States. Napoleon was alive and engaged in taking over much of the world during her lifetime.

 

Today, I heard in the news that Chinese diplomats are talking to Russian diplomats and possibly America and South Korea will join the conversation. As I read the Bible, it makes me think of the alliances of nations that it talks about at the end of the ages. China and Russia are mentioned. The United States is not mentioned, as far as I can tell, unless we are included with Great Britain. It’s a little complicated.

 

I hope this finds you well. May God bless you and keep you in the palm of His outstretched hand.