Day 7: Drawing Closer to God (Clothed in White)

I was reading this scripture this morning and was able to close my eyes and imagine myself before Jesus. He is handing me a pure white robe. I put it on and embroidered on the front is "Child of God". He is my Father and I am his daughter. How potent and powerful is this when you really feel this in your heart. We often forget that God is our Father and as a father, he provides for us, keeps us safe and loves us unconditionally. I am forever thankful for God's heart being SO big that he would send his son to die for us and take away our sins. The filthiness of our sinful nature is clothed in white and we are adopted into the family. Thank you Jesus for handing me the robe.
Galatians 3:27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.

Day 6: Drawing Closer to God (Fear No More)

A few days ago I had to make a phone call that had me feeling a little anxiety. An older member of my flock as a deacon at my church was in her last days I was told via email. In the email, was the phone number for the daughter of this dying lady. So, rather than making a trip out to the facility she and her husband have been living in, I decided it was best to call the daughter since it had been a couple days since receiving the email and I had not been in a situation to be able to reach out to them. I have never been big on calling people that I do not know, let alone calling someone under such circumstances but I shared my anxiety with my hubbie and God worked through his encouraging words to help me let go of my anxiety and just do what God wanted me to do. I made the call and was sad to hear that she had indeed passed away a day after I got the email. I attended her memorial service today and found I had no more fear. I just felt conviction to be there and offer some loving words. I met the daughter and could tell how fraught she was in her grief. I boldly asked her if she was a believer and she said she was working on it; that she had turned away. I told her that I would pray that her heart would be opened to receiving the comfort and peace that only God can give her. I went on over to the husband and prayed he too would have comfort and peace. I walked away from this service thinking how much God had helped me with the loving words and touch I gave these people. I let God use me as his tool. My fearful nature is still there but I have come more and more to rely on God to help me overcome when those moments creep in. I can see a time when I will fear no more thanks be to God.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Day 5: Drawing Closer to God (Find Him in the Music)

I have this thing about music and especially love all contemporary Christian music. I have found myself singing lyrics to a song when I am feeling down, worried or in a state that my thoughts just can't seem to form coherently thanks to hormonal influences. I have often felt bad about my lack of being able to formulate those thoughts in prayer to God. My brain can get so fried from my two jobs, counseling, studying for counseling and managing my family and personal life that I just can't get any more thinking going. Music can be a form of prayer. The Psalms are all really songs that were sung as a way of helping the Israelites memorize them. Music and memory go hand in hand. So, as I was listening to the song We Believe by The News Boys this morning as I exercised, I felt the Spirit stirring within me and raised my hands to the Lord. But towards the end of the song I realized how there were some lyrics that I just couldn't grasp which is just the way my auditory processing is. So, I looked up the lyrics to the song and found a video with the lyrics and am so glad I did. (underlined parts in song were the parts I couldn't discern by hearing them) The song means that much more now as I sing it to the Lord. Do you have a song where some of the lyrics are a mystery? Find out what they are so you can sing the full song to God.

WE BELIEVE by THE NEWS BOYS

In this time of desperation

When all we know is doubt and fear

There is only One Foundation

We believe, We believe

In this broken generation

When all is dark, You help us see

There is only One Salvation

We believe, We believe

We believe in God the Father

We believe in Jesus Christ

We believe in the Holy Spirit

And He's given us new life

We believe in the crucifixion

We believe that He conquered death

We believe in the resurrection

And He's comin' back again, we believe

So, let our faith be more than anthems

Greater than the songs we sing

And in our weakness and temptations

We believe, We believe!

We believe in God the Father!

We believe in Jesus Christ!

We believe in the Holy Spirit!

And He's given us new life!

We believe in the crucifixion!

We believe that He conquered death!

We believe in the resurrection!

And He's comin' back again!

Let the lost be found and the dead be raised!

In the here and now, let love invade!

Let the church live loud, our God we'll say

We believe, We believe!

And the gates of hell will not prevail!

For the power of God Has torn the veil!

Now we know Your love will never fail!

We believe, We believe!

We believe in God the Father

We believe in Jesus Christ

We believe in the Holy Spirit

And He's given us new life!

We believe in the crucifixion!

We believe that He conquered death!

We believe in the resurrection!

And He's comin' back,

He's comin' back again!

He's comin' back again!

We believe!

We believe

Here is a very powerful video with the words in the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtPmX7e_Rpw

Day 4: Drawing Closer to God (Dwelling)

Since the retreat this weekend, I have had the thought of God coursing through my veins repeating over and over again. Like a heart beat, God is continually telling me, I am right here within you. Doesn't that fact just blow your mind? The spirit of the God of the Universe is inside of me and each of us who have accepted Jesus as our savior. What does that mean? We have the power of God within us. We can overcome the weak parts of ourselves that we all have. We can overcome temptation because we have the strength of God. We can love others that we don't even really like sometimes because the God of love gives us the means to love in a way that we cannot do on our own. God is dwelling within me. Dwelling as a noun means a place of residence. Dwell means to live somewhere. God is living at home within us. He dwells within us and speaks to our spirit. How connected are you to your own spirit? Drawing closer to God who lives right within you requires you to draw to him through your own spirit. Many of us live day to day only thinking of the body, the part of us that needs to eat and sleep and feels pain and tired but our souls and spirit need those same things. They need to be fed, need to heal from pain and need to rest. Have you taken care of your soul and your spirit today?
Ephesians 2:22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

Day 3: Drawing Closer to God (Did God really say that?)

I am thinking back to what I read in the book called The Jesus Code about the questions that Satan posed to Adam and Eve. It definitely shows how devious Satan is because his manipulation is so subtle. That one question, did God really tell you not to eat from the tree of knowledge? Okay, that was in my own words based on my wishy washy memory but its not about the exact wording but about the implication of what Satan is saying through this question. He's giving the seed of doubt and just like the seed of truth that Jesus sows, if the soil takes hold of it and let's it grow, that seed of doubt will weaken our faith and trust. Knowing that Satan will be so cunning, we have to prepare the soil in our souls each day by watering it with the truth in God's Word, fertilizing it by calling on the Holy Spirit within us and letting the light that is God pour into us. When we do this, our easy automatic answer to this question will be "Yes, he did and I will trust and obey him."
Genesis 3: 1-5
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?" "Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden," the woman replied. "It's only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, 'You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.' "You won't die!" the serpent replied to the woman. "God know that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil."

DAY 2: DRAWING CLOSER TO GOD (Patience Through Him)

God showed me how much I was like the grumbling Isrealites today. By the end of my morning, I was fed up with the lack of listening from the preschoolers in my class, two in particular got me to the point of throwing my hands up in the air. How many times do I have to call your name for you to respond???? Yes, I was frustrated and I grumbled about it. However, tonight with my bible study group, I was reminded of how very patient God was with the Isrealites as they were led out of Egypt and eventually through the desert for 40 years. God had to teach them over and over and over again about obedience. Amazing things happen when we are obedient. I witnessed this in the last two days in my preschool class with one boy who has been trouble since day one with extreme anger issues, running away from the class and even some language that nobody should say especially a 4 year old. But a reward was promised to him by his mom and he has been a delightful and very good child for the last two days. I hope it shows him how being obedience brings blessings. I am praising God for reminding me that my patience will wear thin but he is always with me so I know I have Him within me to get a dose of supernatural patience to be able to handle these days when the children are having lots of trouble listening.
This verse will be my verse to pray in the days to come...
Colossians 3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

DAY 1: 365 DAYS OF DRAWING CLOSER TO GOD

I spent this weekend at a women's retreat with my church. Despite being physically tired, I find that spiritually I am wide awake and inspired. The weekend was spent learning about the Sabbath and how we bring the practice of observing Sabbath in our lives. There were no techniques shared but rather a simple explanation of it being a choice. We have the spirit of the Creator of the Universe coursing through our veins so our rest lies in choosing to rest in his spirit within us. The gateway to resting in the presence of God is gratitude. Expressing our thankfulness to him opens us up to hearing, seeing and feeling his spirit within us and allowing us to just be with Him. So, I invite you to join me on a 365 day journey of resting in the presence of our God and drawing closer to Him more than ever before.

Psalm 22:25-26 I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.