by Charity Pence
Due to my schedule, I've had a difficult time keeping up with this blog. That being said, I'd like to "change it up" a bit. Rather than keeping to the traditional format, I will be varying the posts. Though I will occasionally share a regular devotion, on any given week a post may focus on one of the following:
one verse
a group of verses
a person from the Bible
a group of people from the Bible
an issue currently affecting the church
a prayer...
or anything else I or anyone else feels led to share.
The Olive Branch has been God's tool since this blog was created, and I do not want to interfere with that. This blog has been a spiritual building block for me and everyone else who has taken part in it. So let's continue the work. If you have anything to share, please let me know by commenting or sending an email to fccgals@hotmail.com. I will also welcome any feedback.
I'd like to end this post with this prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, please use me and this blog as Your outlet so that Your light shines to the world. Let it be You that people see, and let it be You that people turn to. Please help me to be open to your leading, Lord. Thank You for trusting me in this endeavor. Sometimes it seems like such a small attempt to reach others for You, but if one person comes to know You, Lord, then it's more than enough. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Showing posts with label devotions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label devotions. Show all posts
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Sunday, December 11, 2011
God Time
by Charity Pence
This Week’s Verse: Psalm 55:17 “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” (KJV)
Normally I like to have my “God time” in the morning. Each day before work, I sit down with my Bible or with a devotional and spend time studying and praying. But lately I’ve been slacking. And I can always tell the difference it makes. I can feel in my heart when I’ve not been making God my priority. There’s a separation that builds up, and I know God isn’t moving away from me; I’m moving away from Him. Jeremiah 29:12 says, “Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.” (KJV) This verse reminds me that God will not force Himself into my life. When I turn away from Him, he eagerly but patiently waits for me to come back to Him, and if I am willing to call upon Him once again, He will hear me.
I always talk to God at random moments during the day. But that isn’t enough for me. I need to sit down with God at least once a day with all my focus and attention on Him because that is what strengthens me and protects me from the enemy. Proverbs 15:19 says, “The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway.” (NKJV) When I think of this verse, I picture two separate roads. One is unpaved, has bumps, and is covered with briars and brambles. This road resembles my life when I allow myself to drift away from God. The other road is paved, smooth, and easy to travel. This is the road God clears for us, if we would follow His path.
By not spending as much time with God as I should, I have allowed myself to veer off onto the wrong road. I have been stumbling along, getting tangled in snags, and I am exhausted. It’s about time I listen to Isaiah 58:9 which says, “Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.” (KJV) The Lord is waiting for me to turn back to Him. It’s time to admit I’ve gotten myself lost and need my Heavenly Father’s help with getting back on the correct road.
Will you pray with me this week? It’s so easy to allow ourselves to become distracted. It’s not so easy to stay connected to our Lord when the world is caving in around us.
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for straying so far from You. Help me to get back on schedule so I can be near You. And thank You, Lord, for always being ready to take me by the hand to lead me when I call out to You.
Application: Do you spend time with God each day? It can be in the mornings, afternoons, evenings, or at bedtime, whichever is best for you. If you currently do, great! If not, ask yourself why. God does so much for us; I think He deserves a lot more than what we give Him.
Power Verses:
Psalm 9:10 “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” (KJV)
Proverbs 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (KJV)
Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go: I will guide you with my eye.” (NKJV)
This Week’s Verse: Psalm 55:17 “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” (KJV)
Normally I like to have my “God time” in the morning. Each day before work, I sit down with my Bible or with a devotional and spend time studying and praying. But lately I’ve been slacking. And I can always tell the difference it makes. I can feel in my heart when I’ve not been making God my priority. There’s a separation that builds up, and I know God isn’t moving away from me; I’m moving away from Him. Jeremiah 29:12 says, “Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.” (KJV) This verse reminds me that God will not force Himself into my life. When I turn away from Him, he eagerly but patiently waits for me to come back to Him, and if I am willing to call upon Him once again, He will hear me.
I always talk to God at random moments during the day. But that isn’t enough for me. I need to sit down with God at least once a day with all my focus and attention on Him because that is what strengthens me and protects me from the enemy. Proverbs 15:19 says, “The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway.” (NKJV) When I think of this verse, I picture two separate roads. One is unpaved, has bumps, and is covered with briars and brambles. This road resembles my life when I allow myself to drift away from God. The other road is paved, smooth, and easy to travel. This is the road God clears for us, if we would follow His path.
By not spending as much time with God as I should, I have allowed myself to veer off onto the wrong road. I have been stumbling along, getting tangled in snags, and I am exhausted. It’s about time I listen to Isaiah 58:9 which says, “Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.” (KJV) The Lord is waiting for me to turn back to Him. It’s time to admit I’ve gotten myself lost and need my Heavenly Father’s help with getting back on the correct road.
Will you pray with me this week? It’s so easy to allow ourselves to become distracted. It’s not so easy to stay connected to our Lord when the world is caving in around us.
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for straying so far from You. Help me to get back on schedule so I can be near You. And thank You, Lord, for always being ready to take me by the hand to lead me when I call out to You.
Application: Do you spend time with God each day? It can be in the mornings, afternoons, evenings, or at bedtime, whichever is best for you. If you currently do, great! If not, ask yourself why. God does so much for us; I think He deserves a lot more than what we give Him.
Power Verses:
Psalm 9:10 “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” (KJV)
Proverbs 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (KJV)
Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go: I will guide you with my eye.” (NKJV)
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