PURPOSEFULLY

My Dear Friends in India,

I would like to invite you to join me on my other blog, Purposefully, as I'm finding it more than I can handle to post in two places.

May the Lord continue to bless your ministry in the east.

Love and blessings,
annee

WHERE YOUR HEART IS

In Revelation Unveiled, Russel M. Stendal writes this about the church at Pergamos:

“The enemy is attempting to contaminate the Christians at Pergamos with idolatry, fornication, and human control, all of which are being formalized as doctrine.”

This sounds exactly like what’s happening in the “the church” today. Television, movies, and the internet have given us a Hollywood mentality that anything is permissible.

Recently a Christian women’s forum presented a panel on female sexuality and alluded that all sorts of acts were acceptable in the context of marriage, including “sex toys.” A couple months later this same forum presented another panel on homosexuality. The panel seemed to glance over the issue of immorality, instead placing emphasis on the need for understanding and tolerance to Christians caught up in this aberrant lifestyle.

I don’t stand in judgment of anyone – Christ alone has that authority. But Scripture is clear on what is sin and what is righteousness. We have the Holy Spirit within us to convict us of the Truth. There is no excuse to indulge in unnatural behaviors no matter how good and right it may feel to us. We will be judged. Don’t misunderstand me – I’m not legalistic by any stretch. We are saved by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8). Nothing can take that from us. We belong to Jesus. That does not mean we won’t be judged by Him for what we have done or failed to do, for we most certainly will.

Jesus said where our treasures are, our hearts will also be. That covers every aspect of our spiritual life. Our only investment should be pursuing God with our whole being. All the worldly possessions and following after the ways of the world will get us nothing. We must seek first the kingdom of God and what we need will be provided (Matthew 6:33.)

Today is a good day for self-examination under the governance of the Holy Spirit. What are your idols? What takes your time away from doing the work of God? What acts are you engaging in that cause you to question your morality? What are you not doing that the Holy Spirit establishes you should be doing?

You know where your heart is in your body. Now it’s time to examine your soul to see where your spiritual heart is.

Memory Verse:

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

My Prayer:

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WHAT NOW, LORD?

I recently finished a Bible study on prayer by Priscilla Shirer. As a result, this thought came to mind: The strength of our church rests on the shoulders of elderly women in fervent prayer.

I belong to a small fellowship. It's no secret churches of all sizes are shrinking at an alarming rate. The world has gained a mighty foothold in Christian culture. It's popular for Christians to leave fellowship while claiming to maintain faith in Christ. 

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

We are where we are at this stage in our fellowship. The Lord uses us as He will according to His purposes. God reveals what He chooses in His time. This I know – all are called to pray – fervently and without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

When we study His word, we will always be presented with new questions. It’s what keeps us delving deeper, seeking Him with renewed zeal. A Christian life should be rooted in prayer. Fervent prayer. Seeking the Holy Spirit at every turn, at every wall, at every opportunity.

God is ever-present ready to show us what's next. 

Memory Verse:

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

My Prayer:

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HIS WILL DAILY DEVOTIONS

This collection of Daily devotions was written to help Christians focus on our Father in heaven, to draw closer to Him, and to align your will with His.

Set aside a time every day, preferably at the beginning, to intentionally seek the Lord. Jesus took the beatings, the slander, the ridicule, the long hard road to Calgary, and finally even the nails that should have been ours. Surely we can sacrifice a bit of time and perhaps some comfort to honor and worship Him. If it means getting up a half hour before the rest of the household to have quiet time alone, God’s blessings will make it well worth the loss of a few minutes of sleep.

It may be helpful to keep a notebook handy to jot down insights gained in your reading, questions to pray about, and to write memory verses.

Each day a scripture verse will accompany the devotion. I encourage you to write it and speak it out loud until it’s etched on your heart, utilizing the Bible reference also. Colossians 3 ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. In this way you will always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have. 1 Peter 3:15

Begin your devotion time with a sincere prayer that God will speak to your heart and lead you according to His purposes. 

I like to close my prayer with Psalm 19:14, “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Contemplate each devotion with enough time to allow the Spirit to speak to you individually.

Close your devotion time by thanking God for His presence in your life and allowing you the privilege to serve Him in all you do. Then keep this thought in mind as you go about your day.

As you meet with Him regularly, you’ll begin to comprehend Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” You will be able to discern His word and see where He’s leading you.

Most of the daily verses are short and easy to remember. I encourage you to memorize each one for your edification. Deuteronomy 11:18, Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds.

The verses used are from the New International Version Bible (NIV) unless otherwise noted.

My prayer is that you will draw closer to God, gain a deeper understanding of His purpose and will for your life, and find true joy in fellowship with our living Savior. 

HUMILITY vs GLORY

JOHN 1:35-36 Again the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 35And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"

John has been Baptizing people in the Jordan for some time, and many have questioned his authority. With every question fired at him, he points to Jesus.

Now he's walking along with two of his disciples, Andrew was one of them, brother of Simon Peter, whom Andrew immediately went to get.

The distant cousin of Jesus, John the Baptist, as we call him, could have twisted the situation mightily in his favor with the Jews, and claimed to be the Christ himself. But he didn't. He lived off the land (locusts and wild honey, Matt 3:4; Mark 1:6) and wore garments of camel skins belted with leather.

Camel hair is not soft. It's properties are insulating to protect the animal from extremes of heat and cold and the texture is course. John did not live a cushy life. He lived in discomfort, proclaiming the coming Messiah in obedience to the Holy Spirit.

The life of John the Baptist was the very essence of humility.

Today, as always, those who don't love God seek glory for themselves. True glory comes to those who love the Lord when we give honor and praise to Him. He alone is worthy of all honor, praise, and glory.

How can we glorify God?

     * Humble ourselves and seek His will through the power of the Holy Spirit.

     * Demonstrate His love to a lost and hurting world without faith or with faith in false gods by sharing the true gospel with His heart.

     * Walk as Jesus walked, meeting the needs of those we encounter with gentle hands and deep prayer.

What are some ways you can think of to humbly bring glory to God?