Questions asked ... of God, of us -- Jan. 8 - 10

JANUARY 8 

Where is my hope - is it in Jesus, who is always with me, or do I have no hope, because I'm failing to look beyond myself? 

Hope has many sides. I can hope a relationship is mended, but who do you supposed does the mending? 

Do I believe it is me and you -- only we can make things better -- or do I reach out to the Lord, seeking His help for my every need?

It is a constant battle between the heavenly realms and the world. I live in the world, but I am not of the world. I am a child of the almighty God. 

I am so weak. I give in, give up. Satan has won a skirmish, but God overcame Satan -- God wins the battle. He is my every hope, my constant hope. When things overwhelm me, I must remember, I must say, I must believe, "I trust You Lord. Help me see the light." Remove the darkness Lord. Remove the pain, remove the struggle.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." ~ Psalm 46:1

"do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. ... Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer. ... Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." 
~ Romans 12:7, 9-12, 16d, 17, 21

JANUARY 9 

Do I have a course of action for today? 

How will I know if it is in line with His will? 

Will I ask for His guidance every step or will I forge ahead, unmindful of His Presence? 

Not every plan is for today, but another day. I / we cannot run quickly, but wait for the Lord's response. It will be Yes - No.  Sometimes His response is Maybe - Not Yet. Whatever His answer is, I / we will know it is the right time. I must remain close to Him, His word. I must listen for His still small voice that comes to me when I least expect it. I must be willing to go where He sends me. Sometimes when I / we abide ever so closely to the Lord, His will and my will / desire are intwined, and when that be, there is nothing that can stop me from moving toward the destined goal. 

Do I let discouragement destroy my day? 

Do I get caught up in the pressures of the day and become stress-filled? 

Stress is not of of God. When  I trust in Him, when I seek His assistance throughout every moment, and thank Him, stress will fly out the window.  Then I will not say words that are unkind or unfruitful.

Help me slow down Lord. Help me accomplish all you have for me this day. 

Do I carry burdens not meant for me to carry - my own or another's? 

I am responsible only for me. I must give all those I love and care for to You. I must give my goals, my desires for another to You. It is Your will Lord, not mine. 

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" ~ Romans 9:31

"For with God nothing will be impossible." ~ Luke 1:37

JANUARY 10

Help me focus on You Lord, past the pain. Help me Lord believe, realize, without You, I am so insufficient, so insignificant, so weak. 

I want to trust You more, completely, without fail, in big and small events.  

One says I want to know about God. Another says I want what you have. Another still says I'm tired of this, I want a man, a job, a relationship with my wayward children, health. 
We all have wants, desires. Through the years, they trickle down, but unless our wants and desires, our will, is in line with Your will, all we want remains unfilfilled. 

How do I show trust to another?

How do I make another understand I must trust You to accomplish great and wonderful things for me? 

"Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? ... What can man do to me?"
~Psalm 56:3-4, 11

Questions asked ... of God, of us -- Jan. 5 - 7

JANUARY 5

Do I learn to and do I actually do rely on God through every problem, every failure, every weakness, every need? 

"Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good, Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The righteous cry out and the Lored hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all." ~ Psalm 34:13-15, 17-19

JANUARY 6

Do I believe God can do more than I can possibly imagine?

Do I come to Him expectantly with all that He could do?

Or do I expect nothing good ... is it all futile? 

Am I discouraged with every circumstance that arises or do I view it as a way for God to intervene?

Do I see every difficulty as a scene for which He will move?

Are my eyes and my mind wide open to all that is God?

Am I focused on heavenly things or on earthly things?

"For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God."
~ Romans 8:6-8

"Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." ~ Isaiah 40:31

JANUARY 7

Do I thank God for everything - good and bad?

Am I appreciative of the arguments between me and another, realizing the argument shows I am not focused on God, but rather on me and my perceptions of the other person?

Do I ask for the Lord's assistance at every turn and thank Him for all He has done, or do forget and think it was just luck? 

Do I seek His will, searching for a better way through Him or do I just go and do or don't do; whatever pleases me?

Do I pray for guidance, ask another to pray for me (and/or us)?

How can I trust you if you won't talk to me, talking instead to someone else about us?

How can I know what is real, what is true, if all I hear from you is what is wrong with me?

How can I know what is the right thing to do? 

Who am I listening to - the Lord whom I gave my heart to or Satan, who rules the world and causes me to believe the life I have with another is futile, worthless? 

"Praise the Lord, O my soul! While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans perish." ~ Psalm 146:1-4

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." ~ I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Questions asked ... of God, of us -- Jan. 1 - 4

INTRODUCTION: This year - 2016 - I am reading Sarah Young's devotional, "Jesus Calling" for the third straight year. That is not unusual. I often re-read devotionals - there is always something new to glean from the text as well as the Holy Scriptures. This time around what is new is that I decided to ask questions. I read the text, ask questions, read the Scripture and then sometimes, share my thoughts. 

JANUARY 1

Are we teachable?

Are we eager to learn new things?

Do we give our full attention to the Lord, looking forward to His plans expectantly?

His plans are to give us hope, a future. What do we think this is? 

What are our plans?

Whose plans will we follow?

"We are to be a living sacrifice - holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." ~ Romans 12:1-2 

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." ~ Jeremiah 29:11-13

JANUARY 2

Do I look ahead at today's plans and problems?

Do I return my focus to Jesus whose Presence within me strengthens me for all that lies ahead?

Do I know what is better through Christ and go after it or do I move toward "me thinking" only?

Jesus responds to Martha re: her sister, Mary, who was sitting at the feet of Jesus. He responds likewise to each of us. 

"...you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." ~Luke 10:41-42

JANUARY 3

Do I experience God's peace every moment - at all times, in all circumstances, or is worry my nature? 

Do others see Jesus within me or do they see all the problems and concerns that bog me down? 

Who do I focus my attention - heart and mind? Is it God, who constantly walks beside me and within me, or is it Satan, who rules the world we live in, who makes mountains out of mole hills, who seeks to destroy, kill all? 

Jesus  overcame the power of the devil, therefore we can too - but we do not. We accept Chris as our Savior and continue to live as if none of it matters. 

Who really has my soul?

Am I with Him and He with me as I professed He be my Savior or have I gone my own way, scattered away from Him and all He has for me? 

"...in Me you may have peace. In the wold you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." ~ John 16:33

JANUARY 4

Do I trust Jesus or is it me alone who deals with every adverse situation that comes into play? 

How often do I say, and believe it is true -- "I trust You, Jesus?"

or is fear the road I travel?

"He only is my rock..." ~ Psalm 62:2a

"Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your Presence?" ~Psalm 139:7