God’s revelations are designed to bring me into a love relationship with Him
p.102
Share to the group a statement or scripture that resonates with you from today’s reading and a responding prayer…
God’s revelations are designed to bring me into a love relationship with Him
p.102
Share to the group a statement or scripture that resonates with you from today’s reading and a responding prayer…
The simple yet powerful sentence of “God always speaks with a purpose in mind” In the first paragraph of part 4. This one stood out to me because it’s a great reminder of how when God reveals himself to you it’s not important what you plan to do for God but to more importantly know what God is about to do.
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever
The purposes of his heart through all generations (Ps. 33:11)
I pray that I can better understand that the Lords plan is the only plan. I pray to better recognize when God is speaking to me through the Holy Spirit and to continue to grow in my relationship with Him.
“The biggest problem with planning is that we often plan and carry out things in our own wisdom that only God can determine.” This reminds me of the other chapters and how crucial this is to know. I often make plans and hope that God will follow along with it. But it’s a reminder that I must adjust my life to Him and not the other way around. I don’t know what’s going to happen in my life, but I need to trust that God is in control. God will reveal where He wants me to work. I pray that whatever job opportunity God places me in helps me grow deeper in my relationship with Him and speak to others about Him. I pray that I let go of my plans and listen to your voice. God help me praise you regardless of not knowing. My call right now is to love and learn more about you.
A statement that stood out to me the most in today’s study was that “the biggest problem with planning is that we often plan and carry out things in our own wisdom that only God has a right to determine”. This statement reminds me of my own shortcomings where I would take things into my own hands and expectations and expect God to go along with my own directions and then redirect me when my plans fall apart. However, this is not how things work out. Any planning of my own is useless compared to God’s plans and purposes as well as my own relationship with the Father. There is no structure or guidelines to experiencing or working with God. Instead, I must follow Him daily and prioritize strengthening my relationship with Him as God’s revelations are designed to draw me closer to Him.
As I spent time with God today, I learned about how God moves in my life and even how He will use different things to bring me closer to Him. It was also brought to my attention about how God does all these things to bring us closer to Him and to reveal Himself. God, I pray that You reveal yourself to me in this time and You reveal more and new characteristics of who You are so I can begin to trust and dive deeper into who You are. Amen.
From don (late)
“God reveals His purposes so you know what He plans to do. Then you can join Him. His plans and purposes will stand. They will be accomplished. The Lord foils and thwarts the intent of the nations and the purposes of the peoples.”
This principle, of the three that were discussed in this chapter, resonated with me the most. I instantly thought of the third step in the 12 step program: “We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.” In the AA book, in the section about this step, it speaks of us being like actors on a stage, wanting to run the show- to be “the Director.” Obviously this does not turn out well. “This is the how and why of it. First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn’t work. Next, we decided that hereafter in this drama of life, God was going to be our Director. He is the Prinicipal; we are His agents. He is the Father; we are His children.” This simple concept embarks us upon a path in which we stop fighting everyone and everything for control, and we allow God to run our lives as He sees fit. “It is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
The concept is simple, but not always easy. Self will and self-centeredness often get in the way. But in the end, God will fulfill His purposes. How gracious and loving He is to allow us to play a part in that! It seems to me that when we listen to Him, and work toward His purposes, being a part of what He is doing instead of just “doing things for Him,” we have, what the AA program calls, “a new lease on life.”
Lord, thank You for the way in which You reveal Yourself, Your purose, and Your ways to us! Thank You for allowing us to be a part of Your glorious redemptive plan. Help us to yield to You, and allow You to direct our paths, ever saying, “Thy will not mine be done.”