In the absence of Biblical convictions, people will go the way of culture. I have said this again and again! If we don't regularly listen to the voices of God, we are doomed to obey the voices of those in our lives---friends, culture, family, neighbors, television, magazines, Satan--the list goes on and on. Hebrews 1: 1-2 says, "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways (He talks all the time, many ways!), in these last days has spoken to us in His son,"
God was walking in the garden in the heat of the day to speak to Adam and Eve- He is not just a theological thought to be understood, He is a lover, a friend, a Father, a trainer, a savior--and He wants to speak to us.
However, in the busy-ness of our lives, I see so many, many who just don't get this. They read blogs to find out truth, they listen to media, they write me and ask me to tell them advice--(and I do believe in the counsel of older women), but God wants to talk to us--to tell us His insight about our situation, our puzzle. He, the Word Himself, has a word for us.
Seems that in our lives together, God has led Clay and me to make many out of the normal box decisions--but it wasn't arbitrary--we just kept looking at the Word, listening to His voice.
His words, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you can prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." In order to do God's will, you have to have your mind transformed to His will--which is not conforming to this world.
I have found in my life that everyone will give me permission to give up on my ideals--you deserve a break--you need to find fulfillment--and so on. Yet, the more I walk with God, the more I realize I have just this one life to live a story that will show His excellence, His greatness, His love and mercy, redemption and grace.
Are you feeling condemned and like a failure in your life, His words, "there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8: 1
Do you wonder why you are having trouble and difficulty, Jesus's words, "In this world you will have tribulation, but take courage, I have over come the world." This world is the battle ground--it was for Jesus it is for us--but He told us to take courage, He has overcome. David, who had constant battles personally and publicly, said, "O Lord, in thy strength, the king will be glad, And in thy salvation how greatly we will rejoice." God's strength will carry us through--not our own strength.
I see so many young women who are listening to feminist voices, to media, to contemporary thought. They do not know that all choices, especially made by hearing the wrong voices, will have great consequences in their lives. They unwittingly think that personal fulfillment comes from getting the material things they think they need to have; work that will give them a sense of their own importance; experiences that will give them a surge of adventure and excitement; romance--someone else will make them feel loved--but they do not really know or understand, that in the long haul, no one and no thing can make them happy or fulfilled apart from the love and grace and forgiveness of God. So many decisions made for the short term have devastating consequences and scars in the long term.
God says, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul."
I was going to awaken Joy this morning as we have a very jam packed day ahead of us. She was sitting in her room with a cup of tea, reading her Bible and said, "Mom, guess what I just found in scripture--and she told me what she had learned.
As I taught my children the word, I said, "Look at Samuel when he was a young boy--God spoke to Him. God loves you so much, He wants to speak to you. He loves to talk with His children just as I love to talk to you. He speaks to children even when they are young."
The first priority of our days together for years and years, was to open the word and see what God had to say. I built this habit into my children by modeling it, doing it, and then as they got older, I would get them a quiet time book or something short to read and then bring them a cup of tea, hot chocolate or something warm and gave each of them a soft chair for them to sit in and they started their own habit of listening to the Lord.
There were many weeks we just survived--I don't want anyone to think I read to my children from the word every day--moving, traveling, ear infections, exhaustion--each day is a different puzzle--but we did strive to do this as a regular routine--an expectation--but it was not about legalism or teaching them to live by law, t was about seeing the love and faithfulness and holiness of God every day, through all the stories and pondering Jesus--this great God who was speaking to us in these last days.
Don't feel guilty if you do not know what to do or what to read. All of us have to learn about how to do this--but most of all--do it, start it, try it. No one loves you or has more grace for you than God--He is a God of love, second chances, forgiveness--all He wants is our hearts--but He wants to inform our decisions, our ways, our attitudes, our convictions and our values. He is waiting to talk to you,... today!
So, as I face my busy day, the Lord spoke to me this morning--I give you grace, I pursue you as my child, I love you and just want you to walk with me today. And so I quieted the other voices in my head, and now after talking to Him, I am ready to face my day
May you hear His gentle, loving, encouraging, voice today, that you may have his blessing in your day today.