Weekly Inspiration - Commit to the Lord Whatever You Do in 2011...and Your Plans Will Succeed!

Commit to the Lord Whatever You Do in 2011...and Your Plans Will Succeed!
 by Kendall Valenzuela

A new year is dawning, and the Christmas rush is through. It is time
to start packing away the boxes of garland, unused wrapping paper
rolls and lights, and to turn our focus towards 2011.

Almost everyone I know begins a new year with a list of resolutions
for things they hope to change, accomplish or improve. A new year
signifies a fresh start and a new beginning. We obtain a brand new
calendar, flipping through and temporarily admiring the twelve empty
pages; for the time being, these calendar pages are clear from any
activities, commitments or obligations which customarily beckon and
clamor for our time and attention.

For many people, their "resolution list" begins automatically with
plans to change diet habits and their physical fitness regime. Have you
ever paid a visit to your local gym in the beginning of January? It is
typically packed with newcomers, all dressed like the first day of school
in their crisp white running shoes and colorfully coordinating gym attire!
If you go back to that same gym in mid-February or March, the number of
patrons will have significantly "thinned out." (Yes...the pun was intended.) ;)
Many of these newcomers lose interest in exercise, and their initial resolve
& determination to get in better shape for the new year wanes.  For others,
the resolution topping their list has to do with establishing new
financial goals, in an effort to save more money and to spend less.

Some people actually succeed in accomplishing their new year's
resolutions. They seem to have been blessed with an "extra measure" of
will power, stamina, determination and follow through. Unfortunately,
I am not one of those lucky ones!

No matter how good and sincere my intentions are to make changes for
the better in a new year, I always seem to fall short of reaching my
goals. My self-proclaimed "ADD" kicks in to high gear, and I typically
lose interest and focus of my resolutions within just a week or two.
Another problem I have, is that I often over commit and "under
pray" in regard to my life's activities, unwittingly setting myself up
for failure.  I know that I am not in this boat alone. Perhaps you can
relate, or know of someone whom can?

I think one of the most important factors, which many of us fail to
consistantly do, is to PRAY about the changes that we wish to see take
place in our lives, and to earnestly seek the Lord's will, guidance
and assistance BEFORE we act. So often, we make commitments with our
time and resources, and set personal goals, without really asking God if our
endeavors are what He desires of us. We pack our calendars with
activities, and dedicate ourselves to tasks and new year's resolutions
(albeit many of which are noble, healthy and worthwhile causes), without
consulting the One whom knows us better than we know ourselves!

Seeing how God is omnipotent, and already can tell what our future holds
for each day in 2011...doesn't it make sense to consult Him in prayer
before committing ourselves to any tasks or resolutions in the new
year? In 1 John 5:14-15 it states: "This is the confidence we 
have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his 
will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us―whatever we ask―we 
know that we have what we asked of him." In Proverbs 16:3, it also
says: "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

So, here is your charge for the new year, my friends...Approach the
Lord with your 2011 calendar in hand. Pray earnestly, and seek His will,
prior to writing out your list of resolutions, and before you commit to undertaking
any new tasks. Spend time praying about how God wants to use your talents,
time and resources in the new year. If you have preconceived ideas
about items you wish to change or areas in which you wish to
grow...be sure to bring those before the Lord in prayer.

If you have a journal, write down your thoughts and ask the Lord to give you a
scripture verse to apply as your motto for 2011! His word is full of truth and wisdom. Delve in, and see how God leads and guides your path. He will speak to your heart, and direct your footsteps, when you commit to earnestly seek Him.

May the Lord richly bless each of your endeavors in the year ahead. Remember to commit your plans to Him daily, and they will succeed. Best wishes...and I pray you will have a happy, healthy, joy-filled and prosperous New Year!

Weekly Inspiration - Financially Free Christmas

 

Financially Free Christmas

8 Dec 2010

Marybeth Whalen

"For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37 (NIV)

The reality of our poor financial choices hit my husband and me one night just a few days before Christmas several years ago. What should have been a time of festivities and celebrating became just another cause for stress in our lives. We didn't know how we were going to afford the expensive presents on our kids' lists. We didn't want to tell them no, yet to buy gifts meant adding to our already overwhelming debt load. We took God at His word when He said that nothing is impossible with Him. And yet, from where we sat, our financial situation looked impossible.
For years, we had been trying to do something to change our financial picture, to no avail. We desperately wanted to stop using credit cards, yet financial emergencies always cropped up that drove us back to credit card purchases. We wanted to begin tithing and saving, yet there was never any money leftover to do that. We wanted to begin chipping away at our debt, and yet we saw no way to do so. We felt trapped at every turn. We had gotten ourselves unwittingly into a financial mess. Never before had we felt so strongly about getting out of that mess than that night.
I watched from our parked car as the other shoppers "rushed home with their treasures" like the carol says. I vaguely wondered how many of them were slipping deeper into debt as they charged purchases they couldn't really afford. Meanwhile, my husband and I sat in that parking lot for over an hour. We talked through what it would take for us to change our spending habits and take steps towards achieving our dream of being debt free. God met with us there and united our hearts with a purpose and a passion to see it through.
The plan we mapped out was not a quick and easy solution, but it was the real picture of what it would take. Though neither of us realized it then, that night was the beginning of a major change in our lives. We were embarking on a journey that would enable us to escape the bondage of debt and begin to enjoy financial freedom. It took us four and a half years but we are so glad we did what it took to change our family's financial picture.
If you are approaching the Christmas season with that same sense of fear and dread, I urge you to not let another day go by without making a plan and committing to do whatever it takes to avoid debt. If you're married, have this hard but necessary conversation with your spouse. By next Christmas your financial situation might not be 100% better, but it will be better than it is this year. And each Christmas, with perseverance, it will get better. It won't be easy, but it will be the one of the best things you will ever do for your family. Ask me how I know.

Dear Lord, I want to honor You with my finances. I want to tithe and save and stop borrowing money. Please help me and my family to know what steps to take, and to seek out the wise counsel we need to change our financial picture. I trust You to do the impossible. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Weekly Inspiration - Have a Merry Heart, and also a “Heart like Mary” During This Joyous Christmas Season

Have a Merry Heart, and also a “Heart like Mary” During This Joyous Christmas Season…

By Kendall Valenzuela

The last of the turkey and stuffing have been eaten, and our minds are now turned towards the “Countdown to Christmas.” How many of us can reflect back upon our childhood days, where as young girls we would write out our “Christmas Wish List” of desired toys, and make certain that, at our parent’s behest, we were displaying our very best behavior because Santa was watching? How wonderful was that, when our most difficult task at this time of year was to make certain that we did not end up with a lump of coal in our stocking? I don’t know about you, but there are times when I agree whole heartedly with the “Toys R Us” jingle … I DON’T WANT TO GROW UP!

Life is certainly more simplistic as a child. There are no parties to plan and host. You walk down the stairs on Christmas morning, with eager anticipation to see what gifts may have “magically” appeared over night. You have no real concept of the amount of thought, time, energy and money that went into purchasing, assembling and wrapping those items. Your primary focus is on playing with and enjoying the new gifts you have opened.

As women, we are innately “wired” to be caretakers and to want to make the Christmas season a special and exciting time. I truly do LOVE this time of year, and enjoy listening to and singing Christmas carols.  I think it is amazingly awesome to hear Christmas songs being played on “secular” radio stations, sharing the good news with our nation about the birth of Christ! As soon as the Thanksgiving holiday has passed, I begin to drag out the storage boxes and start the arduous process of decorating my home for the holidays. Seeing the beautiful lights and store front decorations springing up around my neighborhood makes me happy, along with so many other people that I randomly encounter. People seem to become more jovial, as the “Christmas Spirit” often spreads like the flu during this time of year.

The colder weather provides a welcomed opportunity to enjoy a warm fire, a cozy sweater and inspires (even more) trips to the local Starbucks. I relish the opportunity to gather with family and friends to share a good meal, as well as the time carved out each December to bake cookies, and other goodies to share. I have already received and thumbed through my latest edition of “Martha Stewart Living,” gathering new recipes and inspirational ideas for gifts and decorating!

 Yet…the Christmas season can also be a time where, as women, we over exert ourselves. If we are not careful to prioritize and delegate our duties and resources, we can easily become too busy and “burnt out” by the time that the New Year roles around! I am quite embarrassed to recount that I have personally and literally “run away from home” in the past. Yes, as you may have also personally experienced, running away occurred once or twice when I was a pre-teen girl, and upset at my mother for not allowing me to do something that I wanted. However, that is not the “running away” episode about which I am speaking…I am referring to a full-grown-adult episode in my life, which occurred several years ago after a Christmas holiday season ended, leaving me in a state of existence requiring a “hasty retreat” to an isolated place alone.

This is not the sort of thing about which I am proud to share, but I will for the sake of possibly saving someone else from having the same thing occur. I seriously packed an overnight bag, kissed my husband and family good bye, and got in my car to drive away. I had no idea at that exact moment in time where I was headed…but due to the enormous amount of stress and physical exhaustion I felt from having endured multiple weeks straight of planning, hosting, shopping, decorating, wrapping, shipping, cooking, cleaning, etc., I desperately needed a retreat, or I was going to have a serious “melt-down.”…And believe me when I say that there would NOT have been a top hat, corn-cob pipe, button nose and two eyes made out of coal left behind if I had actually melted! At that moment, it would more than likely have looked like a scene from the “Wizard of Oz,” wherein a pointy black top hat, a green pool of liquid and a straw broom would have been found within my (beautifully decorated, mind you) dining or family room!

During this season it is important that as women and mothers, we do not give fodder to some ridiculous Television Producer, whom may decide after witnessing our frantic and hurried holiday behavior, to come up with a new spin on the “Desperate Housewives” or “Girls Gone Wild” series. (Although, frankly speaking, a new “spin” would be a vast improvement over the current crude content of these shows!) What we really need is to take time out for ourselves, and to stop and reflect upon the true meaning and significance of Christmas. We need to make certain that we are acting more like Mary, and less like Martha. (And, in a non-biblical reference… we can also try to be less like the modern day “Martha Stewart”, too!)

Take a moment to read the following passage concerning Mary and Martha, found in Luke 10: 38-42. In this brief passage, we see that Martha was distracted by the amount of serving, planning and preparation that she had to do as a host. She was irritated that her sister, Mary, was not offering to help her serve.  Martha did not recognize that Mary was displaying the proper attitude and actions; by her making time to sit at Jesus’ feet, listening to him speak, Mary displayed that she valued her time in her Savior’s presence above that of everything else that was taking place around her. Martha became anxiety ridden over the simple, ordinary tasks that she had to address and accomplish.

During the “hustle and bustle” of the Christmas season, we need to be cautious not to act like Martha, too. In the midst of all the shopping, wrapping, cooking, baking, hosting and gathering…we need to pause and take time to sit at the feet of Jesus. Reflecting and rejoicing in the miracle of Christ’s birth, and the role that He has played in our lives.

In this passage of Luke, we read how Jesus lovingly scolded and corrected Martha. He told her to pause, to slow down from the busyness of the moment, and to reflect upon “the one thing” that is needed…that one thing was a fully focused devotion and commitment to Christ. Everything else will pass away in time. The Christmas tree trimmings, cookies, office parties and wrapped gifts are all wonderful and fun to experience. However the TRUE joy of the season will be found in the presence of Jesus. I don’t know for certain…but I don’t believe that Martha Stewart has figured this out yet, either!

My heartfelt wish is that you will embrace the truth of Christ’s words spoken to Martha (of Bethany) for yourself this season. I have learned the hard way, the effects of not personally slowing down enough to spend time alone in prayer, sitting at God’s feet and reading/listening to His Word during the busy and hectic Christmas season…Just call up the hotel, where I landed alone and exhausted on Catalina Island several years ago. (Yes…I stopped my car in Long Beach and boarded a ferry to get there. I did not flee home and drive straight to Catalina; although it would be pretty cool to have a submersible car that could drive along the bottom of the ocean! ... Santa, if you are listening…I think I just figured out what I want for Christmas this year!) If you could actually contact the hotel where I retreated, I am certain they would relay how at that point in time,  I looked like a “Poster Child” of what happens when someone works non- stop, and doesn’t slow down and seek solace in the Lord to “recharge” their own battery.

Taking time out to read the Bible, journal and pray is an important personal habit to develop and establish as an individual throughout every season of the year…however, it is even more crucial that we seek time alone at the feet of Christ during this busy holiday season. Christ alone is the main and the most important gift. He is the only true source for obtaining inner peace, strength and a knowledge of the truth that surpasses all understanding. You can try to seek this fulfillment elsewhere, but I am here to tell you that you can’t buy it at the Macy’s “One Day Sale”, and it won’t be found wrapped under the tree on Christmas morning!

So… go on now! Make yourself a cup of hot cocoa. Grab a cookie or a slice of gingerbread, and take a seat by the fire. Open up your Bible and journal…there is a very special guest whom is patiently waiting there to meet you. He doesn’t need you to entertain Him, and He doesn’t care if your hair or your house is a mess. He isn’t impressed by the time you have spent decorating. What He desires most is that you have a “Merry” heart…and also a heart like that of Mary during this joyous Christmas season. 

Weekly Inspiration - Voice of Love

A VOICE OF LOVE:
By Kendall Valenzuela

Love is typically defined as “the emotion of strong affection and personal attachment.” In philosophical
context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. In religious
context, love is not just a virtue, but the basis for all being ("God is love"), and the foundation for all
divine law. WHY IS LOVE SO IMPORTANT? It is important because Jesus said that all of the
commandments were given for two simple reasons- to help us love God and to help us love others as
we should.

As women, and followers of Christ, we are called to love God completely; and to seek living in union
with Him daily. Through our uniquely personal life journey, and our accepting of Christ as Savior, each
of us has experienced & encountered God’s unconditional love, grace and forgiveness. Every woman
(and man) has sinned, and has a story to tell.

Sadly, women are often known to be some of the most judgmental people on Earth. How often do you
personally pass judgment on others, without really knowing their “life story,” and without really thinking
that God has given you the commandment, as well as the blessing of opportunity, to be His voice of
unconditional love to them? Pause here for a moment, and truly reflect upon this… Then, mentally, fill
in the blank: I typically judge a person by___________. (Example: “… Their past or current failures and
transgressions, whether or not they have been kind & loving towards me ,whether or not they are walking
closely with God, the color of their skin, the color or style of their clothes and/or hair, the number of
tattoos on their body, the way they speak, the level of education they have obtained, the place they live,
the music to which they listen, the car they drive, the neighborhood in which they live, the job they have
or by the people with whom they choose to surround themselves.)

Christ chose to offer us salvation from sin, and to love us in spite of our shortcomings and failures. He
alone is the righteous judge of mankind (“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Matthew 7:1). We
are called to extend the same grace, by non-judgmentally expressing God’s love and mercy to others.

Take a moment to read, and to think quietly about the significance of the encounter that took place
between Jesus and two criminals during His last moments here on Earth. This narrative is perhaps
one of the most touching examples of “A VOICE OF LOVE” in the entire Bible. While our Lord was
experiencing the physical, emotional and perhaps even spiritual agony of death on the cross, he still
expressed the divine nature of His love for man. He had the compassion to listen to the pleas of one who
had great need. He made the effort to repress his own pain, in order to answer the needs of a sinner.

Luke 23:32-43 (New International Version) 32Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with

him to be executed. 33When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with
the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not
know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35The people stood watching,
and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ
of God, the Chosen One." 36The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar
37and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." 38There was a written notice above him,
which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at
him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear
God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what
our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when
you come into your kingdom." 43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in
paradise."

In the midst of his own suffering, Jesus reached out to offer love and forgiveness. The two other men,
whom were crucified on either side of Christ, were labeled as criminals in the eyes of society. Insults

We Love God & Others, Because He First Loved Us

were hurled by the local people, as these three hung to die upon crosses before them. Yet, one of the
criminals heard an opposing “voice of love,” uttered in the midst of all the insults, judgment and human
persecution.

"Father forgive them!" thus did He pray,
Even as His lifeblood flowed fast away;
Praying for sinners while in such woe -
No one but Jesus ever loved so.
- Avis Christiansen

This “criminal” on the cross next to Jesus was no different from you or me. He was a sinner, condemned
to die for his actions of wrong doing. (“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23) Jesus was…and still is…the ultimate role model for unconditional
love. We need to strive as women to not pass judgment upon others so flippantly, and to be more like
Christ. We need to actively seek out opportunities, as we encounter those in need of love and forgiveness,
whereby we can share the gift of salvation that God has so freely given to us.

You are being provided the opportunity to take Communion at this “Soul Station” today.

Before doing so, please take some time to pray and to seek God’s forgiveness personally in your heart and
life. Then, ask God to reveal those moments when you may have passed judgment unfairly upon another,
not forgiven, or for when you did not speak with a “VOICE OF LOVE” when the opportunity presented
itself. Ask the Lord to make you His “hands and feet;” and to give you a greater awareness of future
opportunities where you might be enabled to share God’s love and mercy more passionately & boldly,
while journeying through this precious life together as “brothers and sisters” in the Lord.

You may choose to find a place alone where you can close your eyes and silently speak and listen to
Him. Or, if you are more comfortable journaling your thoughts, you might wish to write them down
instead. Select a few passages from John (shown below) to read. Reflect quietly upon God’s amazing and
unlimited capacity to love all sinners, including you; give thanks that Jesus willingly sacrificed himself,
offering forgiveness & redemption to all mankind!

•

John 3:16, John 4: 1-42, John 8, John 15:9-10, John 17:23, John 21:15-17

When you are ready, take the bread, hold it, and praise God for who He is.

“This is my body given for you, do this in remembrance of me.”

Then, dip the bread into the juice and thank Him for dying to take away your sins and for forgiving
you.

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

As you take Communion with Christ, know that He has appointed this exact moment in time… and
also know full well that He loves you more sincerely and deeply than anyone else ever has or will.

Weekly Inspiration - Discerning God’s Voice

Discerning God’s Voice

Ding Dong…the doorbell rang and I ran to answer it. I knew just what sat outside waiting for me. Iknew for sure as I heard the rumble of the large truck engine. FedEx had brought my package. I had the tracking number sitting in my email and I had checked the status at least a hundred timesthroughout the day. I threw open the door and there it was, a shiny gold package addressed justto me! As I picked it up and held it in my hands I looked just below it and saw another packagesitting there, also addressed to me! This was surely going to be an excellent day. I ripped open thegold package and inside was a manuscript titled “Your Life.” It wasn’t signed but I was sure it wasfrom God. He had emailed me the day before sending me the confirmation number and everything.I knew I would want to spend most of the evening pouring over the details so I set it aside andpulled out my second package. Most likely it was a gift from my mom, or a letter from my brother,but I wanted it out of the way so I could get down to business. I slid open the top and pulled outwhat seemed to be another manuscript. As I pulled it out of the packaging I was devastated, itwas also titled “Your Life” and was also unsigned. With panic running through my brain I quickly flipped through several pages of each book and found that they were similar but some parts wereincredibly different. My heart sank, how could I know which one was from God? Who could havesent this other version? I slumped down in my chair, closed my eyes and prayed.

I don’t know about you but I have begged God, on more than one occasion, to send me a FedExpackage with my name on it that would spell out in clear black and white letters just what path Ishould take, what a certain situation meant, if the guy I was dating was “the one” (that one wasprayed on several different occasions) and the list goes on and on. Every time I made that prayerGod would point me to the obvious spot…The Bible…and I would read and read, pray and pray andstill at the end of the day I would have so many voices inside my head auditioning for a part in mylife. How could I possibly figure out just which one was God?

While God never promises to send each of us a manuscript with the details of our life etched inside,He does promise to have an intimate personal relationship with each one of us individually; andthrough this relationship we will each begin to know Him so deeply that we will be able to discernquite quickly the Voice of God.

Discerning God’s Voice is an acquired skillYou may be one of the lucky ones, like Gideon, and the Lord will send his Angel down to speak withyou face to face. Or one of the not so lucky ones like Jonah and have the Lord throw you into thebelly of a whale to speak to you. Most likely though, you are like the rest of us and searching forclues to hear from God.

How can I learn to hear God speaking to me?

RelationshipGod tells us in the Bible that he wants a personal relationship with each one of us. It is difficult toimagine having a relationship with someone we cannot see or touch but the power of God is so strongit does happen.In Job 29:4 Job speaks of an intimate friendship he has with the Lord and that it graced his homefrequently.

Growing a relationship with God is much like any other friendship. We must spend time with Him,reading his Word, prayer time conversations, worship in adoration and at times simply being still andwaiting on Him to come to you.

Christian FellowshipGod uses human beings to pass his word along to us. We will never know who God could use in ourlives to get His word to us. He may even use us in someone else’s life as well. All of God’s wordis “inspired” which literally means “God Breathed.” Being in fellowship with other Christians will giveyou more opportunities for God to speak through a mature voice to your heart, and possibly evenopen doors for a mentorship or intimate relationship with a new friend.

Being AvailableIn Judges 6:17 Gideon asks God give him a sign that it is really God talking to him.; and Godprovided.We have to be ready and willing to accept God’s Word. Don’t worry if you are thinking that youmay have missed it in your busy life. God will provide many opportunities, more than we can evenimagine, for us to know him intimately.

John 14:26 says "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, willteach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."He will remind us constantly of his desires for our heart. Often times I will have a thought nag atme for days. Sometimes that thought is even physically painful and inside me I know this must beGod.

In your quiet time today try and hear God’s voice speaking to you. Reflect on your life and thecurrent events in it and see if you can find the still small voice of God urging you along. If you arestill unsure spend time asking God to give you a sign that it is really him speaking to you.

Along the wall you will see a string hanging and on a table nearby some supplies. Think about yourquiet time with God and reflect on his voice to you. Spend a few moments and create somethingthat reflects God’s voice to you and hang it on the wall. Maybe others will hear God’s voice throughyour bubble.

“This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit,expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.” 1 Corinthians 2:13

Weekly Inspiration - A Voice of Worship

A Voice of Worship
By Angela Cachero

A simple definition of worship is: to regard with great devotion or to honor.What in this life are you most devoted to? Ask yourself, "Is it worthy of mydevotion and worship?” Are you most devoted to your family? Your career?Your ministry? Your church? Your God? God alone is worthy of our devotion.Everything and everyone else in this world will let us down. Even when thingsgo wrong around us, our Creator still commands us to worship Him. Psalm 92:9says, “Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, allthe earth.”

Sometimes it is easy to worship God. There are times in our lives wheneverything seems to be going just right and we have every reason to bow downto God in thanks and praise. But there are also times when it is difficult to find areason to rejoice. In Psalm 6, David writes about crying so much that his entirebed is drenched with tears. Yet, he still would still rather be alive and weeping,than be in a grave and unable to worship God anymore.

Worship is not merely singing songs. It means living a life that glorifies God.It means taking time to say “Thank You” to Him. It means recognizing Hisgoodness in your life whether your days are filled with sunshine, or you’re in themidst of storms. The well-known worship song, “Everything That Has Breath”says: “Praise You in the morning, praise You in the evening, praise You whenI'm young and when I'm old. Praise You when I'm laughing, praise You when I'mgrieving, praise You every season of the soul.”

Here is your opportunity to praise your God. Read Psalm 86. Then take sometime to journal. What season of life are you in now? Are you tired and barelystaying afloat? Or are you walking on water with Christ? Be vulnerable in yourwriting. Wherever you may be in your walk with God, take this opportunity nowto thank Him…to praise Him…and to worship Him for all that He’s done and allthat He will do. God loves you no matter the circumstances. He loves you. Hereis your opportunity to love Him back.

In Psalm 86, David writes about his life, then recognizes God’s perfectcharacteristics.After you’ve taken a moment to journal your thoughts, take a piece of thestationary provided and write your own psalm of praise. Keep it in a place whereyou can be reminded of God’s grace, love, and goodness in your life.

Weekly Inspiration - Hearing God's Voice

Hearing God's Voice

By Mackenzie Sterling


As we learned this morning in Judges 6, God clearly and powerfully spoke to Gideon. What God said, WAS! He spoke truth into Gideon's life and He is speaking truth into our lives today.  

If God has ever spoken to you, you know how impactful it is. Whether a Bible verse jumped off the page, He made an impression in your heart during worship, or a Christian friend spoke truth into your life; when God speaks, it's powerful. 

Numerous times in Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus says "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Does that mean that some people hear God while others don't? We know that it's God's will for all of his children to know, hear and follow his voice. However, some people have ears to hear God and some don't. The good news is, you have a choice as to which kind of ears you have! If you haven't ever heard God's voice spoken into your life through the Bible, a friend, an impression on your heart, or any number of other ways... or if you wish you heard God's voice more often, let's journey together and see how we can clear the way for God to speak in our lives. 

What are some roadblocks to hearing God and receiving his Word?  Before you continue reading, write down a couple things that come to mind. Make it personal.  Think about your life and what is keeping you from hearing him daily.  

Distraction / Busyness 
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. Luke 10:38-40

It's difficult to make our personal relationship with God a priority in our busy lives. It's easier to schedule Christian activities such as Life Groups, service projects and even Church. However, to be in a personal relationship with God means that you spend time with him one-on-one. Martha was distracted, too distracted to sit at God's feet and listen to Him. The more that we choose to stop our busy lives, ignore the housework, turn off the computer and simply sit with God and his Word and listen to Him, the more he will speak to us. 

Take a moment right now and simply sit with God.  Be still, clear your mind of any distractions, and give him your full attention for a brief moment of silence.  

A hard heart
Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Psalm 95:7-8



We don't often use the phrase "hardening your heart". The Bible uses this phrase a lot to symbolize a person who is out of touch with God and unable to hear his voice. This can be due to many things, some of them being: pride, arrogance, not confessing, hiding/running away from God, disobeying His commands and generally putting other things as a priority instead of Him. Another way our hearts get hardened is by not giving God complete access to speak into all areas of our lives. For example, if your heart is closed to (or you are ignoring) His guidance regarding the way you spend your money, then it will be harder to hear His voice speaking to you.  If we close off areas of our life to God, he most likely won't bust down the walls we build up just to speak to us. He will most likely respect the walls we've built, and not speak to us as often as if we had a soft open heart. 
Is there an area of your life that comes to mind when you think of a hardened heart?  Maybe something that has caused you to have a hardened heart?  Take a moment to reflect and write down what you are feeling.

The good news is that God wants to speak to us! He wants us to hear His voice. He wants to break down our walls and come into all areas of our hearts. He wants to fill us with His love so that we're unable to be too busy to listen to Him... so that He is our highest priority. Let's pray for our roadblocks to be removed so we can better hear the voice of our loving, wonderful God. 

Dear God, you are so powerful! The fact that you made each of us and desire to speak to us personally is awe-inspiring. We confess that we don't always put our relationship with you as first priority. Thank you that you are a loving, good God who wants to restore our relationships with you. God, please give us ears to hear you. Silence all of the distractions of this world and focus our hearts on you.  Inspire us to frequently sit at your feet and listen to you. Soften our hearts and remind us to turn every part of our lives over to your hands. May we put nothing above our relationship with you, because you love us more than anything or anyone in the world ever could. Amen.