The Creator; A Worthy Confidant

• In order for us to become intimate with another, we must find in him a true confidant- one in who we can safely confide our secrets.
• What are the characteristics of a worthy confidant? We usually look for someone we respect as wise and just; one we can trust implicitly; one we feel safe and secure with; one who will respond to us, help us in the right way and be available whenever we want to share. True confidants are rare, and you are fortunate if you have one.
• There is one who meets these criteria perfectly; “Call to me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 The Creator of our entire universe is also our intimate Confidant.

GOD IS RIGHTEOUS Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; mercy and truth go before your face. Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord in the light of your countenance. Psalm 89:14-15
It is comforting to know that God is righteous. In the Old Testament, righteousness is associated with God’s covenant. He is faithful to it; in relation to His promise, God always does what He ought to do, which is to fulfill His promise. Righteousness involves goodness, uprightness, integrity, morality and purity.

1. How does God deal with His people? The psalmists declares God’s justice in Psalms 9, 71, 103 and 109. What are the ways in which God’s righteous character was revealed in how He dealt with His people’s obedience or rebellion?

2. What conclusions can we make about God’s character?

3. How did David’s comprehension of God’s righteousness affect his life?

4. How does David’s psalm encourage you to bring your hurts before God, asking Him to fight for you and freeing you from seeking justice on your own?

Other scriptures on God’s righteousness; Nehemiah 9:7-8, II Thessalonians 1:5-8
GOD IS TRUSTWORTHY “Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted you and you delivered them. They cried to you, and were delivered; they trusted in you, and were not ashamed. “ Psalm 22:4-5

1. David had a deep and abiding confidence in the trustworthiness of God. Read through Psalms 31, 40, 55 and 56. What circumstances prompted David to trust God?

2. David struggled with enemies and rejection. What are your most difficult areas in trusting God?

3. What are some of the reasons that David cited for trusting God?
4. What other aspects of David’s life were touched because of his trust in God?

5. Select a passage from any of these Psalms, declaring a reason for trusting God.

• Write out your verse here and meditate on it each day this week.

• Tell the Lord in a simple prayer why this reason for trusting Him is significant to you.

Other Scriptures on God’s trustworthiness Isaiah 26:4, Jeremiah 17: 5-8, I Timothy 4:9-10

My Precious Daughter (or son)

Received this today in the mail. Thought my readers might benefit from the contents.

"I am calling you into a place of rest, into a haven of stillness. The world can be a tyrant pushing and rushing and driving you. You need not yield to its merciless rhythms. I will give you a peace that the world cannot give or comprehend. I will place my peace within you. I will draw you out of the rush and confusion and will teach you to enter my rest. Though the world swirls around you like a mad whirlpool, my Spirit at the center of your being is a fountain of stillness and peace. There, I am closer than your heartbeat. There, you can be still and know that I am God. Enter my rest. There you will know Me."
I am, God
"Be quiet and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
"I leave you peace; my peace I give you, I do not give it to you as the world does. So don't let your hearts be troubled or afraid." John 14:37

INTIMACY WITH GOD DEVELOPING A DEEPER INTIMACY WITH GOD (Part two) adapted from a Bible Study of the same title

When You said,
“Seek My face,”
My heart said to You,
“Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
Psalms 27:8

• What matters in the end, is not the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it; the fact that He knows me. I am graven on the palms of His hands; I am never out of His mind. All my knowledge of Him depends on His sustained initiative in knowing me. I know Him because He first knew me and continues to know me.

• The God who created us has not abandoned us to grope blindly through life. He has provided, at great expense, all that we need for life and godliness. God is our personal Creator, and He wants to be our Shepherd who protects and provides for us. He has proclaimed His love for us, and He waits only for our response.

• “Many, O Lord my God, are your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbered.” Psalms 40:5

1. God’s longing for His children is communicated in Psalms 8, 23, 27, 139. As you read these write down the key thoughts and phrases that express God’s desire for us.

2. How would you describe the psalmist’s responses to God’s care?

3. What specific assurances does the psalmist affirm about God’s involvement in his emotions and experiences?

4. What do the psalmist’s observations of God’s activity reveal about God’s nature and character?

5. Select a favorite passage from your reading in any of these chapters that expresses God’s longing for His people.

• Write it down and meditate on it each day this week. Memorizing this scripture will help imprint its truth on your mind and heart.

• Tell the Lord in a short written prayer your response to this revelation of who God is.

Other scriptures on God’s desire for us;
Jeremiah 24:7, Matthew 11:25-30, Revelation 21:2-4


In God there is no hunger that needs to be filled only plenteousness that desires to give. God who needs nothing, loves into existence wholly superfluous creatures in order that He may love and perfect them. C. S. Lewis

INTIMACY WITH GOD DEVELOPING A DEEPER INTIMACY WITH GOD (Part one) adapted from a Bible Study of the same title

INTRODUCTION:
You have known the love of a parent, the closeness of a friend, or the intimacy of a spouse. But is it possible to experience an even deeper relationship with someone you have never seen? This study shows you how to turn the Bible’s most expressive book; Psalms, into an intimate place to meet with God one on one. You’ll discover the keys to becoming more honest and vulnerable before God as you witness the psalmists’ struggles and triumphs. This study will help you say along with David, “O God, you are my
God. . . earnestly will I seek you.”

Part One; The Desire for Intimacy
1. In the beginning Adam and Eve enjoyed a very special, deep intimacy with God and with each other. Genesis 2:25-3:24. Their nakedness symbolized their freedom and confidence in God’s love for them and their acceptance of and trust in each other. After the intrusion of Satan and his deception, Adam and Eve hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. Their close relationship was broken.
2. As it was in the beginning, so it is now. We find ourselves still wanting to hide from God, yet also wanting to answer Him when he calls, “Where are you?” Despite our sin, fear or shame, we sense our need for reconciliation and restoration to that original intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father. Inside each of us there is a longing for love and intimacy that only He can fill.
3. Hebrews 4: 15-16 When we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He clothed us in His righteousness so that we can draw near with confidence to the throne of grace. In Christ, we are secure and free in our standing before God. We can step out from behind the trees or bushes where we are trying to hide or from the fear that is surrounding us. We are no longer bound by the belief that if we tell God how we really feel or what we think, God will judge us or cause some disaster to come upon us.
4. This is true intimacy; confidence that what we reveal about ourselves will be understood and that the person to who we reveal ourselves will
• Accept us
• Seek our good
• Communicate support and love
5. How do we deepen our friendship with God?
(question for reflection)

Interceding against the Powers of Darkness; a short Bible Study on Warfare

Then he said to me, Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind and heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come as a consequence of and in response to your words. Daniel 10:12

The angel told Daniel, “Your prayers got through the very first day.” God hears us the first day we pray, but we do have to stand sometimes before the answer comes. It is not God who withholds answers to our prayers. He sends the answer but there are forces out in the heavens endeavoring to intercept those answers.

For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood (contending only with physical opponents), but against despotisms, against the powers, against the master spirits who are the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. Ephesians 6:12

Despotisms - unlimited authority, absolute power
Despot - a tyrant

We wrestle not against flesh and blood. . . We try to fight, wrestle and cope with situations we see, when we are really wrestling against an unseen power behind the situation.

But against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world. . . Another scripture declares “the whole world lies in wickedness” 1 John 5:19. The Amplified version reads, “and the whole world around us is under the power of the evil one.” If the whole world lies in wickedness and in darkness, then the devil is ruling the whole world. He is ruling everybody who is unsaved. But as a Child of God, he does not rule us. We are not of the world. We are children of light, not darkness. “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us able to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. The Father has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” Colossians 1:12 -13 God has taken us out from under the control of darkness and the rulers of darkness; the devil, demons and evil spirits. Everything on this earth is dominated, ruled or influenced by spirits in the unseen world. We as Christians are influenced and led by the Spirit of God. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:14

Ephesians 6:10-18 Because we do wrestle in our prayer life against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and wicked spirits in the heavenlies, the object of taking on the whole armor of God is so that we can enter into the prayer life. We have authority in the Name of Jesus against all powers of darkness. The Bible calls us citizens of heaven. We need to know our rights and claim them.

Intercession comes in when we have to intercede for people who don’t know their rights. They may be honest, sincere, saved for years, but spiritual things remain hidden to them. When praying for others, we may have to take more time to intercede, because they may be yielding to evil spirits. Ephesians 6:18 speaks about making supplication “for all saints”. An intercessor is one who takes the place of another.

Interceding in the spirit with "groanings that cannot be uttered"; “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.” 1 Corinthians 14:14 Praying in the spirit provides a way for us to pray for things we know not, for things we don’t even know about, for people we don’t know. We need to have heart felt prayers, and trust the Holy Spirit to help to make intercession for individuals or situations when we do not know how to pray.

Interceding with the Understanding; “I, even I, am He who blots out and cancels your transgressions, for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance (remind Me of your merits); let us plead and argue together. Set forth your case, that you may be proved right.” Isaiah 43:25-26 God told us to remind Him of what He said. In other words, “plead your cause.”

REORDERING ONE’S PRIVATE WORLD; THE DISCIPLINE OF SIMPLICITY

Everything around us works against reordering and simplifying our lives. Ours is a cluttered and complicated world. God did not create it that way. We as restless humanity has made it that way. “God has made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.” Ecclesiastes 7:29

1. Advertisements have one major goal; to make us discontented, dissatisfied with who we are and what we have. This is so we will acquire what they offer. And we do just that!!! We want more and more; ENOUGH IS NEVER ENOUGH. 2. Competition is another way the world has to get us discontent. You meet the goal and then the goal is set even higher. Relaxing is never an option. Size is never sufficient. We not only compete but we are driven to win. Not only do we acquire things, but we keep, and we accumulate. We want more and we must spend more and then spend more time maintaining those things. Staying ahead in this maddening pace leaves us strained, fretful and breathless. Since we know that God is not the author of confusion we begin to feel an emptiness within our being. The place where only God is able to fill.

To reorder one’s own world, the need to simplify is important. If we do not, we will find ourselves unable to be at rest within; unable to enter the deep silent areas of our hearts, where God’s words are communicated to us. If we live very long in this state our hearts grow cold toward Jesus and we become sucked back into the way of the world. “I am afraid lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” 11 Corinthians 11:3

How can we be led astray as a Christian? It can happen in the most unsuspected places; in a home where every member of the family is a Christian. . . in a church where truth is taught and Christ is exalted. . . even in the heart of a Christian who is in full time ministry. It is in the act of BUSYNESS where the enemy rears its ugly head.

3. Envy is another avenue that the enemy will use to pull you away. The attitude of judging, comparing and regretting or feeling proud, turns our focus from the things of God and becomes hooked on others as well as ourselves. Instead of being contented, we are consumed by envy. Our standard of contentment is raised so high, we can never measure up.

In the initial move toward cultivating intimacy with God, it is essential that we reorder our private lives. That requires us to slow our pace as well as stop the envy. Both of these tasks have to be done by ourselves. No one else can do this for us.

To get rid of the clutter in our lives, simplicity isn’t just nice - it is essential. But neither is it automatic; it will call forth intense determination. So get ready and begin to order your life with intent.

A.S.A.P.

Ever wonder about the abbreviation A.S.A.P.? Generally we think of it in terms of even more hurry and stress in our lives. Maybe if we think of this abbreviation in a different manner, we will begin to find a new way to deal with those rough days along the way.
There is work to do, deadlines to meet;
You've got no time to spare,
But as you hurry and scurry
A.S.A.P. - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

In the midst of family chaos,
"Quality time" is rare
Do your best; let God do the rest -
A.S.A.P. - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear
Slow down and take a breather -
A.S.A.P. - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

God knows how stressful life is
He wants to ease our cares
He will respond to your needs
A.S.A.P. - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

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