February

"...and find out what is pleasing to the Lord." {eph. 5:10}

"We make it our goal to please Him..." {2 Corinthians 5:9}

 I have been inspired to try to find out what would be pleasing to the Lord in my everyday life. Here are a few different ways the Lord has brought to my mind each day. Now that we are children of the light, do we actually spend time trying to find out what is pleasing to Him? It is a blessing to look back each evening and see what the Father is teaching me on how He wants me to please Him in certain areas of my life.

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21.02 — pointing in everything others to turn to Christ

Through our conversations, I see how often we are not turning others to Christ. We easily look to earthly things, just like the apostles did when Jesus tested them. {see John 6:6} How easily after the day begins we grow anxious only because we are trying to figure others peoples problem out {and our own} ourselves with earthly resources, instead of seeking to please the Lord. In this way, we can please Him when we turn others and our own hearts to Christ in everything in our daily life and conversations.

My Desire — Lord, please help me to always remember to stop trying to figure out everything on my own and trying to please others instead of You. Help me to always point others to you through my everyday life and conversation and may all the glory be given to You. Amen

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22.02 — give up things just because you love Him

As I laid in my comfortable bed, I realized I had forgotten to turn something off. I didn't feel like getting up to check whether it still had been done or not, or if I should do it. Lazily, I pulled my covers closer, keeping the warmth in. Then an impression came to my heart, I should get up and do this simple task. My spirit was willing, yet my flesh was weak. The Lord then impressed upon my heart, if you cannot do it because it is simple, can you not do it because you love me? Can you not give up this pleasure of resting in your warm bed to obey because YOU LOVE ME?

My Desire — Lord, please help me to always remember to give up things; my comforts, my pleasures, because I love You. I desire to grow in this love for You. Thank you for reminding me to give these things up, please continue to remind me of this so my love for you will abound. Amen.

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23.02 — being willing to obey Him no matter what the cost

Sometimes we are willing to obey, however if there is a cost, we usually have a harder time obeying. There's some area we are still holding onto, we enjoy it and it will cost us something if we obey the Lord. I am reminded of what David says, "But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” {1 Chronicles 21:24} Are we willing to obey Him in whatever He asks us, NO MATTER THE COST?

My Desire — Lord, please help me to always be willing to obey You no matter what the cost. Thank you for showing my heart, thank you for giving me a desire to obey You. Give me more of your power so I may give up areas in my life You desire for me, despite any cost. May you have all the glory in whatever You help me give up. Amen

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24.02 — A heart willing to give up your own pleasures to do something for Him out of love even when you don't feel like it.

I know many of these are along the same lines, but they still are important and good reminders for us. I think it is important for us to remind ourselves of different ways we might serve our Father. A heart willing to give up any pleasure, in order we might do something out of love for Him; even when we do NOT feel like it. There have been numerous times in my life I want to give up my own pleasures, yet something is holding me back. I want to grow in doing things for the Lord out of a deep love, respect/reverence for Him. You see, in North America, us Christians often have "dreams". These dreams could also be called, "our own pleasures and desires we wish for in the future". We need a heart willing to give up those "dreams" so we are willing to do whatever He has for us out of LOVE FOR HIM, EVEN WHEN WE DON'T FEEL LIKE IT.

My Desire — Lord, please help me to get rid of this "American Dream" the world keeps encouraging into my head. May your own burdens and dreams replace this. I desire to have a heart devoted to doing everything out of love for you - even if I do not feel like doing it. I want to grow in depending not on my feelings, but on glorifying Your Name by everything You do through me. Thank you Jesus, you desire this more than I, so You will help me. Praise Your Name! Amen 

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25.02 — willing to give up intellect and understanding to listen

I was challenged by a message from Sandeep Poonen, encouraging followers of Christ to lay aside our intellect and our understanding in order for us to listen to the Father. I have seen how often my head fills up with worldly, earthly knowledge, failing to hear the heavenly, spiritual way the Father desires. Thoughts keep poking their ideas into my head, causing me to try choosing between them for life and ideas. Fleshly ideas will only kill - the Spirit will bring life. {Romans 8:6} Are we going with what our mind and intellect say to us, or what His Holy Spirit is trying to whisper to our hearts? Are we trusting the world, or are we trusting God with all our hearts, not leaning on our own understanding? Are we willing to give our own understanding and ideas up so we can LISTEN?

My Desire — Lord, please help me to listen, but I need you to help me with this I don't know how to shut off intelligence I need you to help me. My mind is so full of clever ideas, yet these do not come from you. They come only from myself. Please help me to grow in hearing Your voice, listening to every word that proceeds from Your mouth. Thank you that You can quiet me in Your love. I want to find refuge in You alone. Thank you Jesus, Amen.

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26.02 — willing to face trials with thanksgiving

Trials come along our way, yet are we facing them with thanksgiving? "...give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." {1 Thessalonians 5:18} This is His desire for us, to give thanks in everything. This includes the trials, which He lovingly allows our way each day. They come in different forms, testing our faith. He wants us to grow in trusting Him completely. Often times I grumble through trials because they don't seem easy. I am struggling in a trial and I just want it to be over with. However, the Father allowed each one of them to come, who am I to grumble at His choice for the plan today? I desire to grow in giving thanks for every trial He allows my way, knowing His plan is greater than I can see. His love is perfect, He is desiring for me to grow in devotion to Him through this trial, to grow in trusting Him for every singe area of my life. I want to remember each time a trial comes my way, "Lord, what are you trying to teach me by allowing this to happen today?" Praise God, He will reveal our hearts and give us His grace to give thanks even in the trials. 

My Desire — Lord, please help me to grow in giving thanks even in the trials You lovingly place along my path each day. Help me to grow in trusting You, knowing You are working in me through each trial. You have planned each one, so help me to be thankful for them, knowing You are the One organizing my day. Thank you for the trials you have allowed, thank you for stretching my faith, causing me to see Your love. Thank You that I can rely on You for everything. Amen.

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27.02 — willing to be quiet and to speak/act only when He desires

When someone begins speaking things you do not like, or accuses you of dreadful things, isn't it so easy to talk back? We are to be slow to speak and slow to become angry. {James 1:19-20} Oh to speak and act only when He desires, to listen so carefully, hearing His voice to know whether we should reply or not. {I think this must require self-control, a fruit of the Holy Spirit} To speak only when the Father gives us a word, and if no word is given - what should we say? Nothing. "If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." {1 Peter 4:11} This challenges me, to be willing to be quiet, until He gives me the words to say. To be willing to wait on Him, doing the next thing in front of me, until He shows me what He wants me to do next. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." {Ephesians 4:29}

My Desire — Lord, please help me to be willing to quiet my words, not to speak until You give me the words to speak. I often speak in haste, which does no uplifting to the hearers. Help me to act only when You show me a different path to take. Give me grace, empowering me to do Your Will for Your Glory - bearing fruit that will last. Thank you Father, I know I can depend on You to show me what you would have me to say and do. Amen. 

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28.02 — to grow in a hot fiery love for Jesus and devotion to Him spreading it to others

A hot fiery love  and devotion for Jesus, what a goal. To grow in this devotion and love, not losing our first love but growing deeper and deeper in love with Him, oh yes this is something I desire. Can you imagine growing in such a hot fiery love and devotion to Him, and then as it grows by His power, He causes it to overflow in our lives, spreading it to those around us? What a glorious life! As the Lord gives me His power, as He speaks to me, He causes this love to grow. As I see the things He has already done out of His love, I see it helps me to grow in a deep love for Him. I pray it grows deeper. I pray I will grow in knowing more of His love, which surpasses all understanding. This is my prayer also: "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." {Ephesians 3:16-19}

My Desire — Lord, please help me to continue to grow in a hot fiery love for You. To grow in a deep devotion to You, not leaving my first love, but ever growing nearer, nearer with all delight. May I not loose my first Love, oh Father! Thank you, You will help me as I desire to seek You with all my heart. Please strengthen me with your Mighty Power through your Holy Spirit in my innermost being, so You may dwell within me through faith. I pray you will help me to be rooted and grounded in your Love so your power {with all the other brothers and sisters who desire to follow You} may grasp how WIDE, LONG and HIGH and DEEP Your love is, and OH that we may know this love that surpasses all knowledge so we may be filled to the fullest measure of You within us. Thank You Father, you will do it. As you said to Your disciples, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." You have promised to hear us as we know this is Your will - to bear fruit for You in order to glorify Your great Name. Thank you Jesus, You will do it! Amen.