Ponder on these "Take Aways" from yesterdays sermon. What are your thoughts? What is your response to these truths? How does it make you feel to know God has a purpose and plan for you?
1. Where you are is no accident.
2. Pray for 3-5 people.
3. Jesus is renewing us to renew the world.
Matthew 5:13-18
Matthew 28:16-20
Monday, September 29, 2014
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Hearing & Seeing...Understanding & Perceiving
Dear Sister in Christ,
Early mornings are not my thing. However, about 6 years ago, a Bible study I was currently in, challenged me to rise before the sun and seek God. By the grace of God, for most days, I've continued that pattern. Not by my own strength, but His alone, can I have the strength to pull myself out of my cozy sheets, before everyone else, and open His Word.
Many days God is encouraging and responds with a message of hope. Other times, He lovingly points out areas in which I cling to worldly things and resist Him. Currently, He is doing this very thing.
"Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving." Isaiah 6:9
Ouch! Could God really be telling me that I'm not listening? Is God really confronting my distracted mind and heart? More specifically, I sensed God pointing out the ugliness of my heart and showing me to whom I relate most in the Scriptures. No, not Job who, even in his deepest hurt, sought God. No, not Mary who trusted even when she didn't understand. But God showed me that my heart most relates to the Pharisees! That really hurt.
But it's true. And in my prayer, I wrote:
Jesus, forgive me for the times when I hear your truth but do not care to understand. Or when I see you yet don't perceive you. Please open my eyes, ears and heart to you. And help me not to be so quick to judge others and to be so self righteous.
May you and I never be in a state where God is speaking; yet, we do not understand. And may we never close our eyes to Him. Keep watch, dear friend. God is working all around us. Listen and see the good things of our good God!
I leave you with this question: What are you ignoring today from God? Ask him to help you see and hear...and then understand and perceive!
Sincerely,
Beth Ann Graybeal
Early mornings are not my thing. However, about 6 years ago, a Bible study I was currently in, challenged me to rise before the sun and seek God. By the grace of God, for most days, I've continued that pattern. Not by my own strength, but His alone, can I have the strength to pull myself out of my cozy sheets, before everyone else, and open His Word.
Many days God is encouraging and responds with a message of hope. Other times, He lovingly points out areas in which I cling to worldly things and resist Him. Currently, He is doing this very thing.
"Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving." Isaiah 6:9
Ouch! Could God really be telling me that I'm not listening? Is God really confronting my distracted mind and heart? More specifically, I sensed God pointing out the ugliness of my heart and showing me to whom I relate most in the Scriptures. No, not Job who, even in his deepest hurt, sought God. No, not Mary who trusted even when she didn't understand. But God showed me that my heart most relates to the Pharisees! That really hurt.
But it's true. And in my prayer, I wrote:
Jesus, forgive me for the times when I hear your truth but do not care to understand. Or when I see you yet don't perceive you. Please open my eyes, ears and heart to you. And help me not to be so quick to judge others and to be so self righteous.
May you and I never be in a state where God is speaking; yet, we do not understand. And may we never close our eyes to Him. Keep watch, dear friend. God is working all around us. Listen and see the good things of our good God!
I leave you with this question: What are you ignoring today from God? Ask him to help you see and hear...and then understand and perceive!
Sincerely,
Beth Ann Graybeal
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