In Pursuit of God -- Inspiration 33

The Joy of Knowing God

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart 

and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Matthew 22:37

God can be known. Astounding as that may sound, it is true. God seeks relationship with His children. They can seek relationship with Him. This involves getting closer to God.

KNOWING GOD is a pursuit of the richest kind. Apprehending knowledge about God is one thing, but actual knowing God is another. The two are not the same. To know someone implies intimacy. You don't know someone or something unless you are familiar with them. The same is true for knowing God. One has to immerse themselves totally in seeking God to know Him. God desires for His children to know Him. He delights in this endeavor. We know this through Scripture's encouragement to love God with heart, mind, and soul. To know God is to love Him. Allow God access by engaging in activities of spiritual pursuit

1. Read the Bible: Learn about God: Know about God.
2. Pray: Confess: Give thanks: Ask: Seek: Knock at the door.
3. Meditate: Contemplate: Praise Him: Open up with God.
4. Absorb God's promises: Appreciate His ways: Be thankful.
5.  Desire God in relationship: Surrender: Let God lead you.

There is no one right way to pursue God to know Him. Individuals are individual, right? They will find God as they seek His favor. Asking God to reveal Himself is good place to start. Scripture can be studied. The Holy Spirit can be accessed to make this personal and revealing. An open heart and mind turned toward God is essential to the process. The spiritual journey becomes a blessed time of love, joy, and goodness. God becomes a faithful friend. He can be counted on. Knowing God and Him knowing you is the stuff of a beautiful relationship.

Dear God, thank you for being life to us. You are everything. Amen

To God be the Glory

Controversy's Arc -- Inspiration 32

 Christians and Controversy

Finding God in the Daily

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:5-8

 
"If you are drawn into controversy, use very hard arguments and very soft words. Frequently you cannot convince a man by tugging at his reason, but you can persuade him by winning his affections.” - C.H. Spurgeon

CONSTANT CONTROVERSY SWIRLS around us. People are entrenched in their way of thinking as are others of the opposite opinion. Such debates are like ugly fests to see who can top the other in their accusations. Controversy surfaces in the form of members of society fighting a war of words in an open-ended tug-of-war over controversial matters. For representatives of Christ, a standard of acceptable behavior is the expectation. Beyond the ethical disparity of differing beliefs in any given group, believers should represent the values God set forth and Jesus lived. A disconnect between belief and behavior would suggest something is off. Here is an amazing thing, I never once saw my Christian grandparents voice anger at each other or at others. All four were of the brethren church tradition. Their behavior was well intentioned. They purposed to live a quiet but strong quality in their lifestyles. It can be done. A self-respecting individual maintains presence and respects the dignity of others even when they are not respected back. Hot topics spark controversy and some should be challenged and debated. Strong and dignified gets the job done. A caution is in order. Be slow to enter the fray unless 1) you can keep your cool when you are verbally attacked, 2) you can say the truth in love when you are confronted, 3) you can dial back your emotions when you need to reclaim reason, and 4) when your content is well-thought out. Let your life speak loudly and if you have to, use words. "Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words," is a phrase attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. 

Dear God, may we speak truth at all times. May we speak love at all times. May the two intertwine in times of controversy and dismay. Amen

To God be the Glory   

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⧫ I INVITE YOU to read my weekly post at my formal blog, N. L. Brumbaugh, A Transformed Life. You can view the blog here. I post it on Wednesdays. Have a great day.

Your Crazy World -- Inspiration 31

When Life Gets Complicated

Finding God in the Daily

 But be ever mindful of the days gone by in which, 

after you were first spiritually enlightened, 

you endured a great and painful struggle.

Hebrews 10:32

Life gets complicated very quickly sometimes. Usually we aren't prepared for the unexpected. Rather than wallow in your despairing, one has an opportunity to repair, get their bearings, revive and rejuvenate; and they become stronger than they were before the incident.

HOW DO YOU MAKE SENSE of your world when it is seemingly spinning out of control?  Pretty hard stuff comes on a frequent basis. The situation can be looked at subjectively or objectively. Objectivity shows what is going on. It is like taking your temperature. The reading on the thermometer tells the truth, if there is a fever or not. Similarly, a person looks at the factors in their life. If they're "sick" they will have to remedy the situation, take care of it and do whatever is necessary to remediate "fix" the issue.

On the spiritual side, when life gets crazy the situation needs to be stabilized. Acknowledging the chaos is not enough. Take action. It may take prayer, fortitude, counseling, and common sense. God is the 'go to' entity in this case. His Word has answers. He has answers. His people have answers. Spiritual resources provide help. Best of all is when the individual is able to get a handle on things by going to God and asking Him to show them what they need to know. God provides the strength to manage it, the necessary provision to abide for their needs during the difficulty and the endurance it takes until they are stabilized and secure.

Many of God's answers come in waves, in piecemeal, over the course of time, and not as immediate, one time solutions. The struggle's solution may take days, months, or years. It may require great patience on the inside and major trust in God on the outside. Once on the other side of the issue, they can look back and see how they've grown and bloomed as a person. God is faithful.

Dear Jesus, we don't always know how to go on. We get confused and discouraged. Life is so complicated. Help us with our problems. Show us the way. Thank you for hearing us and giving us solutions. We love You. Amen.

To God be the Glory

Unconventional Christianity -- Inspiration 30

Go For It!  

  You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual 

house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual 

sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:5

Our gifts and talents mixed with the Holy Spirit's promptings make for an interesting life. Sensitivity to the Spirit's quiet voice and active listening and then acting on the promptings means you're becoming real. The focus changes from self to others.
 
THE UNCONVENTIONAL CHRISTIAN doesn't do Christianity the traditional way. They walk the walk according to the Spirit's compelling. Once they realize it is God giving these thoughts to them, they begin to be responsive. The thought comes in. Immediately or as soon as possible they go into action, no matter what it is. Every day meets with surprises.

Go here, go there. *Talk to that man over there, he's having a hard time. *Remember the announcement in church? Send $60 to the Smith family. *You need to go visit your auntie in the hospital. Right now. Drop everything and go. *See that woman over there, help her with her groceries. *You know, Mike? Send him an encouragement card. He needs to know he's appreciated. *And Pastor So and So, he would sure be tickled to get a home-baked strawberry pie, especially because it means you care. *Fast for a week for greater sensitivity in your ministry. *Commit to volunteering at the soup kitchen every week. *See over there on the park bench, give that homeless person your lunch. He's not eaten today. *Smile at people--because you love me. *Sing because you are my light to others. *Love on everyone you meet, the cashier, people at work, the little ones, your difficult relative, boss, co-worker. *Take a meal to your new neighbors, welcome them. *Call your sister. Pray with her, she's going through a rough patch. *Invite the young mother you met at church to your house for coffee; she's struggling and frazzled. It would mean a lot to her. *Time to get involved with the city park cleanup. *Share Christ with your grandpa. He's ready to listen now. *You really should make that call. *Mop the floor, clean toilets, wash dishes for Me and with a cheerful attitude. *Give thanks for My provision. *You need to forgive her, it's robbing your joy. *Stop complaining, it's finding fault with what I have made. *Pray for one hour every day for the needs in your family, country, world. And so the unconventional Christian life goes.

Want to have an unconventional spiritual life? Start listening to the Holy Spirit and follow the prompts. You'll be blessed (and surprised).

Dearest Father in heaven, it is joy to serve You. You receive the glory in all. Praise You. May Your love flow freely in all we do. Amen

To God be the Glory