HOW DO I GROW BY COMMUNICATING WITH GOD?

How do I grow by communicating with God?

- Genesis 18:20-31, Psalms 66:18-20

Our God is a personal God who desires a real relationship with us. He is not a distant, cosmic being, but a good father who longs to interact with his children. Prayer is a conversation between God and his people. We serve a God who is not threatened by our questions and doubts. We don’t have to put on a false persona to please him. He permits us to be honest about our fears, our feelings of isolation and our disappointments. When we rehearse our story before him, we see his good involvement in our lives.
Because we are God’s most prized creation, he wants to know the desires of our hearts. Scripture encourages us to, without hesitation, lay our requests before him. For example, see Gen. 18:20-31 for a conversation between Abraham and God that displays the freedom we have to talk honestly with him.

KEY VERSE

If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! (Psalm 66:18–20)

KEY IDEA

I pray to God to know him, to find direction for my life and to lay my requests before him.

KEY APPLICATION: What difference does this make in the way I live?

We pray to align our lives with God’s will and story. We pray to lay our burdens before God to find peace. We pray to avoid making any major decision without seeking God. We pray for others.
Let me share a story with you. Our son David was born without a left hand. Prayer was a key spiritual practice to not only help me process this difficult event in our lives but also to move the reality of my identity, and my son’s identity, in Christ from my head to my heart.
During this time, I began by praying psalms of lament to the Lord: Why, Lord, did you let this happen to me? I serve you as a pastor of a church — not perfectly, but wholeheartedly. Why could you not pass this burden on to someone who doesn’t even believe in you? Have I done something wrong to deserve this?
I never sensed God was angry with me for speaking to him with such honesty. Actually, I felt as though he were whispering to me, Go ahead, I can handle this. I love you. Keep talking honestly to me, and we will get to the bottom of this. I will show you something I have wanted you to see for a long time.
In many extended moments of silence, when I didn’t know what else to say or how to pray, God began speaking back to me — not in an audible voice, but directly to my spirit. “Randy, my son, I have nothing in my being that seeks to harm you. The darkness and pain of the world are caused by sin, not by me. I have come to redeem the pain caused by sin. Randy, my son, I will use this situation to show you — and your son — who I really am. If you capture this, it will be more valuable than having three hands. Randy, my son, I have given your son everything he needs to be and do everything I am calling him to be and do. Randy, my son, it is time to shift your sense of worth from your performance to your position. You are my son. You do not have to perform to be a somebody; you already are a somebody in my eyes.
“Randy, my son, you need to teach this to your son. He will learn this from how you live, not by your words alone. You have four years before he realizes he is missing a hand. This gives you four years to learn to place your identity in your position as my son. Randy, my son, if you get this truth embedded into your heart, you will be free — free from the exhausting life of trying to gain and sustain status in the world. This is a great gift to give to all your children.”
Prayer is a conversation with God. We lay our honest requests before God, our need for daily bread. Yet, we clarify, as Jesus did, that we want God’s will to be done over our will, trusting his way to be good and right. As we rest in the presence of God, he will speak and show us his will in his perfect timing.

365 DAYS DEVOTIONAL READING PLAN - Day 83

Inward Assurance

- Isaiah 32:17

In the Old Testament, the words confidence and assurance are different forms of the same Hebrew word. Isaiah adds the concept of quietness, “In quietness and trust” (Isa 30:15) we find our strength. Isaiah also tells us that “quietness and confidence” are the effect of righteousness (Isa 32:17). In the New Testament, the Greek words translated “full riches of complete understanding” (Col 2:2) and “convinced” (Ro 8:38) convey the same idea as similar words in the Old Testament.

Assurance is not based on optimism about your own abilities. Rather it is an inward peace based on God’s righteous work in you. Such confidence is not self-confidence, for that would be false security and reliance on something unreliable (Pr 14:16; Jer 9:23–24). Scripture states that those who have confidence in their own strength (Isa 30:12), beauty (Eze 16:15) or righteousness (Eze 33:12) are to be considered fools (Pr 28:26).

True confidence—rooted in the Lord’s capabilities and his relationship with his children—is a quiet strength that brings rich reward (Heb 10:35–36), a lasting security that is fully satisfying.

Taken from The Woman’s Study Bible

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Inner Peace 

- Isaiah 53:7-9

How do we react to hostile criticism? If it causes us to strike back angrily at our critics, we need to learn from colonial preacher Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758).

Regarded by scholars as an insightful philosopher, Edwards was vindictively attacked by the ruling body of his church in Northampton, Massachusetts. They felt he was wrong to teach that a person needed to be born again before taking part in the Lord’s Supper.

Although he was dismissed from his church, Edwards still maintained a loving and forgiving attitude. One supportive member wrote of him, “I never saw the least symptoms of displeasure in his countenance . . . , but he appeared like a man of God, whose happiness was out of the reach of his enemies.”

Edwards was simply copying the example of the Lord Jesus. When the Savior was insulted, He did not repay with an insult. When He was falsely denounced, He remained silent, “as a sheep before its shearers is silent” (Isa. 53:7).

Do you have an inner peace even when criticized? As you ask the Holy Spirit for His help, you can, as Edwards did, respond in a Christlike way to false accusations or gossip. —Vernon Grounds

The worst criticism of you can bring out the best in you.

365 DAYS DEVOTIONAL READING PLAN - Day 82

Confidence Builder

- Psalm 94:14

It is heartbreaking to see your child get rejected. Little children are innocent and trusting. They believe the best and can’t imagine that someone would not want them around.
Life has a way of teaching some hard lessons in this area. That’s why it will be critical to help your child know they won’t always be welcomed and will face rejection at some point in their life.
It’s also important they understand it might be the result of something they did, but more likely it will be another person who is causing that action. This will be a delicate conversation. Some children will handle it easily, but for others it could jumpstart low self-esteem issues. The ultimate goal is for your child to be secure in who they are, and in those moments when they sense rejection, not to take it personally. That is accomplished by reminding them to put their confidence in who they are in Christ.

Parenting Principle

Remember, if you are rejected, it is not by God.

Points to Ponder

*When have you felt a time of begrudging and how did you handle it?
*How can you continue to help your children prepare for these inevitable moments of rejection that are a natural part of life?
*When have you ever made others feel like you were rejecting them?
Taken from Once a Day Nurturing Great Kids

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No Lie 

- Colossians 3:9-17

A college football coach resigns after admitting he falsified his academic and athletic credentials. A career military officer confesses to wearing combat decorations he did not earn. A job applicant acknowledges that her stated experience in “food and beverage oversight” was actually making coffee each morning at the office.

Within each of us is a tendency to embellish the truth in order to impress others. Whether on a job résumé or in casual conversation, exaggeration comes naturally—but we pay a price. Small lies usually grow larger as we try to avoid discovery. Then we wonder how we ever got ourselves into such a predicament.

The Bible says, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Col. 3:9- 10). In other words, if we’ve placed our faith in Jesus as our Savior, lying is inconsistent with what God expects us to be.

The antidote to the poison of self-promotion is a growing Christlikeness—a spirit of mercy, kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness, and love (vv.12-14).

If we genuinely care about people, we won’t need to try to impress them at any cost. —David McCasland

Lord, help me to please You by telling the truth,
Being honest in words and in deeds;
And help me to conquer my selfish desires,
To love others and care for their needs. —Fitzhugh

Honesty means never having to look over your shoulder.

365 DAYS DEVOTIONAL READING PLAN - Day 81

God Cares When You Feel Worthless

- Psalm 139:16-17

How precious children are to us. Modern technology allows us to see those little feet and tiny hands and beating heart while the baby is still in the womb. But we also see with our mind’s eye as we dream about what God has in store for these little people. We don’t know the future, but what a precious promise it is to know that God does. As we walk day by day with them, guiding them, protecting them and watching with wonder as they grow, we entrust them to God who knows every moment. We don’t know where our children will go in life, but he does. We don’t know how God will use them, but he does. We don’t know what they will accomplish for God’s kingdom, but he does.
We can also understand how precious we are to God. What value he places on each of us. God knew us before we were born. He knew every day of our lives before our lives even began. May we understand the promise of God’s knowledge of the future and take comfort in it.

God’s Promise to Me

*I knew you before you were born. Every day of your life is known to me.
*I think about you more than you know. Don’t worry; you are safe in my hands.

My Prayer to God

Lord, you created me for a purpose. Every day of my life was recorded in your book and laid out before my life even began. I choose to take comfort in this knowledge. May I understand the depth of your love for me all the days of my life.
Taken from Once a Day Bible Promises

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The Fight Against Fear 

- Hebrews 2:9-18

In his landmark book The Denial of Death, author and anthropologist Ernest Becker argues that all of our anxieties and fears are rooted in our dread of death. Although Becker was not a Christ-follower, his scholarly study could serve as a commentary on Hebrews 2, which tells us that in our natural state we are subject to the fear of death throughout life (v.15).

We all know something about fear. And certainly the men and women we meet in the Bible were subject to fear, ranging from a mere tremor of anxiety all the way to terrifying panic. But there is never a need to panic, even in the face of death. Our Lord has experienced death and conquered it!

The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus “was made a little lower than the angels, . . . that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (2:9). Through His death Christ has defeated “him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,” granting us our “release” from the “fear of death” (vv.14-15).

Are you victimized by your fears? Recall the wonderful, dread-dispelling promise of Scripture: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isa. 41:10). —Vernon Grounds
When I fear my faith will fail,

Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail,
He will hold me fast. —Habershon

If you believe that Jesus lives, you don’t need to fear death.

365 DAYS DEVOTIONAL READING PLAN - Day 80

Push Pride Aside

- Proverbs 11:2

Pride is difficult to manage in a family. For example, you want your child to be proud of the excellent grades he or she is achieving, but you don’t want them to flaunt their intelligence in the classroom. Keeping a balance between healthy self-confidence and arrogance is challenging.
One of the best ways to teach your children this balance is to always remind them of how their talents and abilities come from God. Praises can easily go to a teenager’s head. Help them remember that they need to keep their feet firmly planted in that knowledge to mature in this area.
Another key for parents is to believe in your children but don’t “over believe” in them. What? I’m talking about how many parents tell their children they are or can be unbelievably good at everything. It’s usually unrealistic, and all that does is set them up for a big fall when they get out in the real world.
It’s good for anyone to be confident in who they are, and it’s good to instill this confidence in your children. But you should never forget that, apart from Christ, you can do nothing. With him, you can do all things he would have you do, but then you need to give him the glory.

Parenting Principle

Pride builds unhealthy arrogance while confidence builds healthy self-esteem.

Points to Ponder

*Where do you see pride in your family life?
* How have you seen pride affect other families?
*Do your children have a healthy self-confidence? Why or why not?
Taken from Once a Day Nurturing Great Kids

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Looting The Camp 

- 2 Kings 5:15-27

While visiting a US Civil War battlefield in Virginia, I was struck by a story about an army unit that arrived too late for a major battle. The troops had stopped to loot a camp abandoned by their enemy. By taking what they felt they needed, they could not accomplish their mission.
That seems to describe the failure of the prophet Elisha’s servant Gehazi, who sought money and clothing from Naaman, a Syrian military commander (2 Kings 5:20-25). Elisha told Naaman how to be cured of his leprosy, but he refused any gift or payment from him (v.16). Gehazi, however, decided to get something for himself (v.20). In a stinging rebuke, Elisha said to Gehazi: “Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing . . . ? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever” (vv.26-27).

The desire for personal gain can be a snare in our service for the Lord. It may be the subtle lure of recognition or the fatal attraction of financial reward. Any motive that changes our focus from giving to God to getting from Him poses a real spiritual danger.

Greed makes us believe that we deserve what we desire. That leads us down the wrong road. May God give us the wisdom to avoid the sin of Gehazi. —David McCasland

God’s riches fill up our supply,
Whatever we may need,
So we can then be generous,
And not controlled by greed. —Sper

Live to give.

365 DAYS DEVOTIONAL READING PLAN - Day 79

Ephesians 2:8

A major passage for understanding God’s grace, i.e., his kindness, unmerited favor and forgiving love. you have been saved. “Saved” has a wide range of meanings. It includes salvation from God’s wrath, which we all had incurred by our sinfulness. The tense of the verb (also in v. 5) suggests a completed action with emphasis on its present effect. through faith. See Ro 3:21–31, which establishes the necessity of faith in Christ as the only means of being made right with God. not from yourselves. No human effort can contribute to our salvation; it is the gracious gift of God.

Taken from NIV Study Bible

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Why Do You Ask? 

- Matthew 26:36-46

You may have heard the saying, “Our small things are great to God’s love; our great things are small to His power.” How true! There’s nothing in our lives so small that God isn’t concerned about it—no need, no desire, no burden, no emotion. Likewise, no problem or crisis is so big that it baffles God’s wisdom and power. And because He cares for us, we are invited to tell Him about any and all of our concerns (1 Peter 5:7).

Does that mean we can ask God for anything and expect to receive it? For example, does a Christian on a sports team have the right to ask God for victory in a particular game, and then expect God to intervene directly to help his team win? And what if players on the other team are also praying for victory?
Faith in our Savior and praying in His name are surely praiseworthy. But let’s be sure that what we’re asking for is something in line with what we know God would want. It is possible to cross the line from trustful dependence to superstitious selfishness.

Biblical faith is controlled by submission to God’s will (1 John 5:14). So every petition must be offered in a way that reflects the attitude of Jesus, who said to His Father, “Not as I will, but as You will” (Matt. 26:39). —Vernon Grounds

God’s will, not mine, that is my goal
When I bow to Him in prayer;
I know He’ll do what He deems best
When I cast on Him my care. —Fitzhugh

The keynote of every prayer should be: “Your will be done.

365 DAYS VETIONAL READING PLAN - Day 78

Who Can Be Saved?

- Isaiah 55:1

God, through Isaiah, issues an open invitation to “all . . . who are thirsty.” Anyone can eat and drink this meal, free of charge. The only requirement is that they come. In verse 6, Isaiah urges everyone to take this opportunity for forgiveness while it is so freely available.

Taken from NIV Student Bible

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The Options 

- Luke 16:19-31

Last time I checked, nobody likes having problems—problems with money, problems with cars, problems with computers, problems with people, problems with health. We would all prefer a life with as few difficulties as possible.

So, if you were to offer people the choice between (1) a future totally free of problems, sorrow, tears, and pain, and (2) a future full of pain, suffering, regret, and anguish—they would choose option one, right?
Jesus died on the cross to give us opportunity to experience that option. If we repent of our sins and trust Him as our Savior, He has promised us a life of fellowship with God in a place the Bible calls heaven. A place with no problems. A place where there are no more tears.

People living in a problem-filled world ought to be standing in line to grab that offer. Unfortunately, many haven’t heard the good news; others have refused to trust Christ. When people die without Jesus, it’s too late to take the offer, and they go to a place of torment the Bible calls hell.

Do you hate trouble and pain? Turn to Jesus and accept His offer of forgiveness. Your problems in this world won’t disappear, but you’ll reserve a home in heaven—a place of eternal joy and peace with God. —Dave Branon

Jesus is calling, “Today you must choose!”
If you delay, you surely will lose;
Listening now, you can hear the Lord’s voice,
Take His salvation—make heaven your choice! —Hess

You must accept God’s Son today if you want to live in heaven’s sunshine tomorrow.

365 DAYS DEVOTIONAL READING PLAN - Day 77

How Does Jesus’ Gift of Salvation Benefit Believers?

- 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

When humans sin, they create a barrier between themselves and God. The price for sin is death (see Romans 6:23); however, 1 Thessalonians 5:9 – 10 indicates that by his grace God provided a substitute for us: Jesus, who “died for us” to pay the penalty for our sin.

To better understand the salvation Jesus provides, we must view it in the broader context of the story of the Bible. Genesis details the creation and rebellion of the human species. Humankind’s rejection of God and God’s response is the theme of the remaining narrative of the Bible — it colors every page. Old Testament prophecies point to a time when the world as we know it will end and judgment will take place. However, these prophecies also point to the coming Messiah who will redeem the lives of those who trust in him.

Salvation is not only a future reality but also a present one. Jesus rewarded the faith of the bleeding woman and of the blind man and literally saved them from their afflictions, as the Greek word translated “healed” actually means “saved” (see Mark 5:34; 10:52). Faith has a reward dimension in this life, sometimes in tangible benefits like physical healing and sometimes in intangibles such as comfort, peace, security and freedom.

Salvation also has a spiritual quality that benefits believers — both now and in eternity. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 – 10 that believers will live with Christ in this world (when we are “awake”) and in the next (when we are “asleep”). Because of Jesus’ salvation, believers can be confident about both the present and the future.

Taken from The Case for Christ Study Bible

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That Ain't It!" 

- Isaiah 55:6-9

Visiting Alaska for the first time, I was excited that we were staying at the Mt. McKinley Lodge. As we were checking in, I caught a glimpse of a mass of rock through a large picture window, and I hurried out to the deck facing the mountain. “Wow,” I murmured softly as I took in the view.

A man standing a few feet away said, “Uh, . . . that ain’t it!”
As I discovered that day, visitors to Alaska often miss seeing all of “The Great One.” Standing at 20,320 feet, the mountain is so tall that most of it is hidden on cloudy days. I was seeing only a part of the whole.
Often we’re satisfied with our limited view of life. But Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us, “‘I know the thoughts that I think toward you,’ says the Lord, ‘thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.’” With God’s omniscient, panoramic view, He sees the people He wants us to help, the things He wants us to accomplish, the character traits He wants to develop in us.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Our view of life is restricted by our humanness, but we can trust ourselves to the One who has an unlimited view! —Cindy Hess Kasper

There’s so much now I cannot see,
My eyesight’s far too dim,
But come what may, I’ll simply trust
And leave it all to Him. —Overton

We see in part; God sees the whole.

TRUSTING GOD DAY BY DAY

Your Account Is “In Balance”

- II Corinthians 5:18

What does it mean to be reconciled to God? It means “your account is in balance.” You don’t owe anything!

I once saw a bumper sticker that said, “I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.” I immediately realized that was the mentality I lived with for years. I felt that I owed God something for all the wrong I had done, and I tried every day to do good works to make up for my mistakes. I wanted to be blessed by Him, but felt I needed to earn His blessings. I finally learned that we cannot pay for His gifts; otherwise, they are not gifts at all.

God sees the heart of man, and how He deals with us is based on the kind of heart we have. I don’t do everything right, but I do love God very much. I am very sorry for my sins, and it grieves me when I know that I have disappointed Him. I want His will in my life. Perhaps like me, you have been tormented for years by feelings of guilt and fear, but knowing that God loves you unconditionally releases you from those negative emotions and allows you to enjoy yourself while you are changing.

In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul emphasizes again the reconciliation and favor God extends to us and encourages us to believe these things: “So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.” Paul is actually begging the believers of his day to take hold of what God is offering, and I urge you to do the same. Don’t wait another moment to believe that God accepts you, views you as being in right standing with Him, and loves you unconditionally.

Trust in Him
Do you really believe you are reconciled to God? Trust that He is completely satisfied and pleased with who you are, and you don’t owe Him a thing except your love.


From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2012 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

365 DAYS DEVOTIONAL READING PLAN - Day 76

The Fallen State of People

- Matthew 25:41

In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus divides people into two groups: the righteous and the unrighteous. Jesus defines the righteous as those who helped others in need, sheltered the poor, fed the hungry, clothed the naked and ministered to the sick. The unrighteous are the ones who were too concerned about themselves to do any of these. These unrighteous people are thrown out from God’s presence.

Taken from NIV Essentials of the Christian Faith

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God Makes No Mistakes 

- Romans 12:14-21

A few days after arriving on the campus of Texas A&M University in 1984, Bruce Goodrich was awakened at 2 a.m. Upperclassmen roused him out of bed to initiate him into the Corps of Cadets, a military style training program. Bruce was forced to exercise and run several miles in hot and humid conditions. When he eventually collapsed, he was told to get up and keep going. He collapsed again, went into a coma, and died later that same day.

The students who mistreated Bruce were put on trial and charged with causing his death. Bruce’s father wrote a letter to the administration, faculty, and student body. He didn’t excuse the cruel injustice of what happened to his son, but he said: “I would like to take this opportunity to express the appreciation of my family for the great outpouring of concern and sympathy from Texas A&M University and the community over the loss of our son Bruce. . . . We harbor no ill will . . . . [He] is now secure in his celestial home. When the question is asked, ‘Why did this happen?’ perhaps one answer will be, ‘So that many will consider where they will spend eternity.’”

Trusting in the sovereignty of God can turn outrage into compassion and hatred into concern. —Haddon Robinson

The Lord can turn a tragedy
Into an opportunity
To show us that eternity
Must never be ignored. —Sper

No tragedy is beyond God’s sovereignty.