Do you know God? Do you trust God implicitly? Listen to the words of Isaiah and think about the quality of the relationship with God that we must desire. “And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, ‘You are our gods.’” Isaiah 42:16,17 Our relationship with God is marked by complete and total trust and dependance. Continue Reading…
Tag Archive - Relationship
Trust in God who declared you worthy: Isaiah 42 and 43
The dynamics of the contentious and vexing woman: Proverbs 21 and 22
How many different ways are there to lose weight? Is one weight loss plan superior than another? It is guaranteed that there are differing weight loss views held by people which is attested to by the proliferation of books on the subject. “Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts. To do righteousness and justice is desired by the lord more than sacrifice.” Proverbs 21:2,3 No matter the thoughts and intentions of mankind a way will never prove to bring true lasting fulfillment and hope. God looks upon the lives of men and He sees the intentions of every heart. There is no one that is able to hide their hearts from God. If you are motivated by righteousness and justice will there be strife? As we desire the things of God we will find great hope for tomorrow. Continue Reading…
A matter of expression and reflection: Psalm 66
When you meet with friends do you take time to share stories of what has happened since you last met? What stories do you share? This connection with our friends allows us to relate what matters most to us. Do you have this type of relationship with God? Do you run to Him to tell of all that has happened in your life? Is God your loving and faithful friend? “Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue. If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear; but certainly God has heard; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer nor His lovingkindness from me.” Psalm 16-20 Continue Reading…
The dark season before the dawning of renewed hope: Job 17 and 18
The discourse between Job and his friends continues in Job 17 and 18. It can feel a little repetitive as you read through all of the discussion. What can we glean from the story of Job? Why should I care about these chapters? When you read through chapter 17 who is Job speaking to? The main focus of Job’s talk is directed towards God because his friends are proven to be useless. Job’s perspective of God’s sovereignty is seen as he acknowledges that his friends are prevented by God from understanding what he says. Throughout Job’s talk the picture that he longs to embrace death rather than continue on the path that his life is currently on. Have you ever felt so weary that you longed for death? Continue Reading…
Unthankfulness to God for blessings leads to idolatry: 1 Kings 5 and 6
What is inspirational and life changing about 1 King chapters 5 and 6 where Solomon’s building of the Temple is detailed? I have historically just read the passages where all the details about the Ark of the Lord, the Tabernacle, or the building of the Temple with little interest or reflection on all the details. When we skip over passages of scripture that do not initially have a moral or an exciting story we are missing opportunities to get a glimpse of God. What can you glean from 1 Kings chapters 5 and 6? Continue Reading…
Strength is nothing if not melded with faith in God: Judges 15 and 16
What is the most valuable thing that you possess? Does this possession draw your attention away from God? In Judges 15 and 16 we are given glimpses into the life of Samson continuing from what is described in chapters 13 and 14. He was set apart as a Nazirite from before his birth and it was evident that the Spirit of the Lord was with him. Samson was blessed with an amazing strength from God. He was used by God to begin freeing the Israelites from the Philistines. Samson used the strength which God blessed him with to judge Israel for twenty years. Continue Reading…
First fruit offerings of love to God: Deuteronomy 25 and 26
This day the Lod your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have today declared the Lord to be your God, and that you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His ordinances, and listen to His voice. The Lord has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments; and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the Lord your God, as He has spoken.
Deuteronomy 26:16-19 NASB
Relationship process overshadowing practice: Deuteronomy 23 and 24
The more I read through the old covenant law I see that we truly can never keep the law. Where would you start to try to keep the law? Did the people become so obsessed over keeping every jot and tittle of the law that you forget about the relationship with God? If I think forward to the gospel story it seems that the Pharisees and Scribes were so fixated on the law that they were not looking for a relationship with God. Is there any areas in my life that I get so fixated on the process of following God that I forget Him? What are my priorities in life and are they as important as I think they are? I never want my relationship with God to become just a method that I build to make myself feel better. Continue Reading…
