Day 4 - Verse100 - I think this is it...I think we're finished...but then again.....

"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His."  2 Chronicles 16:9

There it is...our 100th verse on our last day.  And it is such a good, good verse to close out on, for it shows the faithfulness of God to people who give themselves to Him...completely.

How do we do that while we live on this earth, in this world, that we find ourselves?  How do we do that as we raise families, go to jobs, do all the things that we find necessary to "survive"?  How do we live in this world and not become of this world, still releasing our hearts completely to God?  It is a daily struggle, isn't it?  It is a continuous tension, I believe.  I think it is why we have to start every day with a prayer of submission and surrender.  Who are you and I going to serve on this day?  To whom will our hearts be given?

Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."  Matthew 6:24  We have to claim allegiance to one or the other...we are either spending our lives serving God, or spending them in the accumulation of wealth to serve our selves.  

But don't we have to provide for ourselves and our families?  Yes (1 Timothy 5:8).  Don't we have to prepare for our futures?  Yes (Proverbs 6:6-8).  But we are told over and above providing and preparing, to TRUST!  Listen again to Jesus' words, "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  Therefore do not worry, saying, "What will we eat?' or "What will we drink?' or "What will we wear?'  For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."

If we find ourselves continually stressing over our provisions, either for the present or for the future, and feeling that it is all up to us to ensure that we are well taken care of; if we find ourselves amassing more and more and never feeling that we have "enough"; if we find ourselves unable to enjoy this day that God has given us because we are so consumed with worry for what tomorrow will bring....what do these things reveal about our heart's residence?  It has surely not been given completely to God.

A heart given to God resides in His peace, knowing that He is our good, good Father, ready to give His children exactly what they need.  Does that always look like what we think we need?  No --- just as we, as earthly parents, do not always give our children what they think they need, because we know better than they what is best for them.  "As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"  Matthew 7:11

A heart given completely to God is one that trusts in Him...no matter what.  Remembering that He has promised us good things.  Better things than we would give our children.  Things that we don't even comprehend!  But they will come...and we will see...our hearts were in a good, good place in His hands!

Well - we're finished.  100 verses!  But we are never finished with God's Word, are we?  Starting in June, we will begin to study Proverbs.  I invite you all to join in that.  In the meantime, I will be adding notes  on what I am reading in the Word and what God is showing me.  I always invite your comments and I love knowing we are being united in His Spirit through the Word of God living in each of us.  

God bless you on this lovely May morning...and give Him your heart today...and then tomorrow...and then each and every day between now and eternity!

Day 3 - Verse 100 - "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His." 2 Chronicles 16:9

I say my heart is "completely yours, O God"...but does my life truly reflect that profession?

When I review my day, how is it spent?  Do I truly have no other gods before my God?  Out of my 16+ waking hours, how many do I spend seeking/praying to/worshipping God?  Can I even get an hour in?  Do I count it a "good day" when I spend 15-20 minutes in prayer and another 10-15 reading His Word?

If my heart is to be completely turned over to God, I must dedicate time to Him.  I must seek Him wholeheartedly and get rid of a lot of other "gods" in my life.  Today, I am asking God to help me clean house...to push out the things that are keeping me from living what I say that I truly want...HIM FIRST!

God says, "Love Me the most"...more than anything else.  What is it in my life, and in yours, that steps in front of Him and demands our attention, our loyalty and our time?  Whatever those things are, let's get our lives in line and demote their position.  Let's be able to review our days and see that where we are wanting to spend our time is with our Father, our God, our Savior.  And let's begin to make those times our most coveted of the day.

Here is my intended plan going forward....

• Rise and greet the new day before my feet hit the ground with a prayer of thanksgiving to my God...thanking Him for giving me one more day on this earth to discover more of Him and to share Him with every opportunity, to cleanse me of all my unrighteousness, and to make me strong for Him...for today.
• Sit down with His Word in my lap and read, slowly and intentionally, praying through each passage for understanding and insight...asking Him for His application to my life today. Thanking Him for His unbelievably miraculous Holy Scripture that He has given us, and asking the Holy Spirit to move in my life so that I become just a little more like Him today.
• Enter my day with deliberate purpose of living for my Father.  With each decision, say a prayer of asking for His wisdom whether to turn to the right or to the left, and pausing to wait to feel His hand.
• End my day with His Word again, and then asking Him to bring to my mind those who need my intercessory prayer, praying for my family, praying for our country and for the worldwide body of believers...asking Him "to show Himself strong" for all who are faithful.

This is my plan...I pray to God to help me live by it.  I do not ever want to proclaim something that I am not ready to try to live by.  He is faithful and He is strong, and I am asking for His strength to overpower my weakness.  For my flesh is so very, very weak.  Mornings are not easy for me...my bed is hard to crawl out of at times.  I have an addiction to stupid TV programs!  I get sidetracked easily by other "not so bad" habits.

But who do I love the most?  Let my life be a testimony to that love!