I'd Like To Get To Know You

Getting to know my Savior more deeply while seeking Him during (seemingly) everyday surface stuff is one of my desires for this coming season...

“Yes, ...I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]... And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-acheived] righteousness..."

(Philippians 3:8,9 AMPC). The more recent (AMP) version says it like this in verse 10, "...That I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His person more completely]..." 

I particularly love the way the scripture speaks of getting to know Him more deeply and intimately and that nothing compares to Him and coming to understand the wonders of His person. It speaks of having a supreme advantage when you know Him! Wow, when you have an advantage, that's a great thing, but when you have a supreme advantage that goes beyond boring or humdrum. 

I love falling in love with You all over again, Jesus.
I love falling in love with You in the small things, in the places where monotonous and mundane live and excitement and enchantment rarely abide. I love discovering that You actually do want to come into the seemingly insignificant areas of my life, that You want to walk with me through the boring necessaries of my day to day. I believe You want me to see how amazing my daily routine can actually be when I become aware and stay in the awareness of Your longing and desire to always be there with me. And, You are perfectly content to walk the day to day because it is me You are walking with; that is just how much You actually enjoy me and my company. You want to show me that You're already waiting for me on the other side of tedious tasks and at the same time, in Your amazing omnipresence You haven't left my side. You're walking with me through it all- big, small and everything in between; showing me and growing me for Your mighty purposes. 

There is something so exciting about knowing that when I ask You to help me get through something uninteresting or maybe even unpleasant and You show up for me in a really
big way or maybe in a very small way with big implications- it teaches me that joy can be today, right now. I can experience the living God personally and if I'm truly engaging with Him all through my day then He can and will make the mundane majestic! 

Just imagine...the God of all creation orchestrating the events of my day in such a way that brings me good and Him glory; even if the task at hand is less than exciting, there is meaning in everything I do and I love that this verse in 1 Corinthians 10:31(NLT) affirms that, "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." You're right there with me, showing me how to bring You glory. Even when what I'm doing has no earthly glory or appeal to it, I need to remember that the glory shines its brilliance in heaven where it belongs...with You, Jesus.  ~

 

There Is Never Any Waste With God!

I hear you professing all the time that there is no waste with Me (God), so I'm pricking and invoking you to embrace that reality in your own heart and life. 
Recently some harsh blows to you living and abiding in Me and the built-in joy that entails has been, to say the least, challenging, but I want you to remember that I don't waver in any way in regards to that which concerns you and My plans, intentions and love for you!  But, you also need to remember that My plans and purposes for you never involve only you and it would be selfish of you to not understand this. 
Sarah, others are broken and hurting also and until that matters to you as much as it does to Me how then can you possibly want Me to help make your pain have not only an end but a purpose as well? 

Dear Lord,
These words You've given me are so true and You are such an amazing Savior, You have such a way of weaving us all into Your Purpose, which ultimately here on earth is to further Your kingdom by introducing those who don't know You to the One who died for them. You also intend for us to learn how to love others and be members of the Family Of God, one verse in 1 Thessalonians 3:12 NIRV says, "May the Lord make your love grow. May it be like a rising flood. May your love for one another increase. May it also increase for everyone else...". Holy Spirit, show me how to love others with the ever increasing love Paul the Apostle speaks of in this verse. I really want to learn how to love with (Your) unconditional, agape love.
One of the main purposes for Your children here on this earth is to bring glory and honor to You in everything we do and in such a way that it draws others to You, (1 Corinthians 10:31). One of the ways I can bring glory to Your name is to honor not only You during trials, but to honor the trial itself. Honor it by letting it have its way in and with me. Your word tells me, "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance",  (Romans 5:3 NLT).

Sweet and Strong Jesus,
My selfish heart tends to want to dismiss or ignore the difficulties or hurts another person might be going through especially if they have the ability to affect some outcome in my  current situation or world.
When I am going through trials or dealing with difficult people... Please don't let tears be the only thing produced as I claim to feel the weight and gravity of the pain of others. Show me how to turn tears into actions-- may You also show me when tears are enough and prayer is all that is required-- for I am not called to bear everyone's burdens, but I must not miss or dismiss those You have meant for me.
I want to thank You for the gift of having people in my life who can , if and when I let them, help me get through some of these difficult times, and yes even help me to learn how to deal a little more graciously with difficult people. The truth that I have others I can go to who have personal experiences to share with me means so much  and I don't believe it's by coincidence, but because You knew I would need them and their wisdom "for such a time as this".

I know I must trust You Lord, always, and not be complacent or get discouraged while going through the trials that come with learning to exercise, grow and strengthen my faith...faith doesn't exhibit itself until I use it. But each and every time I do use it, my faith becomes stronger. That is why I can say with great assurance that there is no waste with You, Lord. There is not one thing that happens to me (or my loved ones) that You can't or won't turn around for my good and Your glory!

Yes, I will make good on all of My promises, just hold on to and use your faith as I intended for You to, and trust that I do have a greater purpose than what you can see, for you and all of My children. The pain you may be experiencing has a purpose, but the pain itself is not the purpose, in other words, there is always something spiritual going on when trials and challenging people are at work in your life. Try to let spiritual growth have its way in you and then you will either understand what I am trying to acheive in and through you or you will be released from the burden it brings. Trust that I don't randomly, without reason put My children through trials in which there is no purpose... for everything I do has an eternal and lasting purpose. 

~ 

God's Love Changes People

Father God, 
I'm amazed by You, I stand in awe of You! Your power is beyond my comprehension, but still I see it work right before my eyes, and I know it full well, right inside of my own heart. 
Your love is so full in my life, the evidence of You is spilling out everywhere.
 Only You hold and then give the power which brings about change and only Your love sees it to completion.
For You promise that once we know You and abide in You that we will become new
 (2 Corinthians 5:17). 
 I am changing, for my (true, not perceived) good, which always brings You glory. No one can truly know You on a continual and intimate basis without a change taking place deep inside of them. I want to want the change You bring, please help me to see that change means that I'm growing, or at least, it should mean that. That is why I have said before, "Lord, because Your heart never does...mine must forever change". You bring about change by loving me...as You guide by Your light, inspire by Your Spirit, correct and even chastise me, You do it by pricking me with Your love. Your word tells me that You always know what's best for me and You will never cause me any harm (Jeremiah 29:11). And, Your love had plans for me before I ever came to be. What a great love that is...to make and intend for those plans to be eternal, for them to matter in God's kingdom forever. 
 I know You saw (it come to be) and meant a great purpose for my life before the foundations of time and I long to fulfill that Kingdom purpose You put in me. My desire is to shine Your glory as I continue this journey into my destiny, my destiny in You. 
May I be ever changing by Your amazing love. 

~