Tag: Food For Growth

“¹⁶ But He [Jesus] would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” ~ Luke 5:16

Jesus never sinned, overcame the world, started a revolution, healed the sick, raised the dead, and more. What was His secret? Could it have been quiet time? Jesus spent time with His Heavenly Father so that no matter where He was or what form He was in, they remained one.

Jesus was able to overcome any and every temptation (Hebrews 4:15) without making a mistake. Could it be that the more He connected with His Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit, the less the world drew Him in? Imagine quiet time as putting on glasses that narrow in the focus only on God. That’s what you’re doing in quiet time, you’re removing everything else and placing God as your one and only focus.

He got rid of distractions, so that when He prayed God heard Him. He didn’t have to try to ignore the disciples, crowds, chatter, etc. because He removed every distraction and just had time with His Heavenly Father.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Withdraw To God.

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“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” ~ Ezekiel 22:30

God told Ezekiel that He was looking for a man, just one man to make up the hedge and to stand in the gap. Why was He looking for such a man? Because the nation of Israel had rebelled against Him and gone astray. They ignored His warnings and killed and mistreated His prophets that He sent to warn them and bring them back to a right standing. Still they insisted on continuing in their rebellion and stiff-necked ways.

Finally, God had enough, it was time for judgment, but the sin was so grievous that it demanded a severe sentence. But because of God’s loving mercy towards them, He didn’t want to destroy the land. In doing so, bring such a terrible punishment on the nation of Israel, yet His justness couldn’t let them go unpunished. So He looked for someone, anyone who would build up a hedge of protection by standing in the gap on their behalf in prayer. But He found no one.

How often has God been looking for someone who is willing to stand in the gap for your neighborhood, or your place of employment, or your family? How often has He looked and found no one willing to pray for, fast for, or intercede for them? We get so caught up in our own day to day lives, or our own personal pleasures that we forget we have a higher calling.

Don’t miss the opportunity to do something great for the people you care about. Don’t be found MIA when God comes looking for someone to build up the hedge; stand in the gap and prove yourself undependable. But rather, be usable to God by partnering with Him in His work of showing mercy to His people.

Father help us to spend more time in prayer and less time in personal satisfaction and personal pleasures. Help us to be kind and helpful. Help us to be the hands, feet, and mouthpiece of Jesus so that many will have the opportunity to be saved. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

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“‘Go out and stand before me on the mountain,’ the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” ~1 Kings 19:11-13^NLT

Elijah spent so much time with God that He knew His voice, His presence, and probably even His taste and smell (Psalms 34:8 and 2 Corinthians 2:14) Elijah wasn’t distracted by the large blasts and intense scenes, like windstorms, earthquakes, and fires, no instead, Elijah waited for the LORD. Not a great and mighty sign. Not what he thought God should appear like, but who God actually was.

When you spend quiet time with God, you build your relationship. You get to know Him and things begin to change. You aren’t easily led astray by false prophets or pastors. You aren’t led astray by Hollywood or culture’s version of God, because you truly know Him. You know who He is and what He does. What He wants and what He does to get it. You know who God is.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Listen For The Whisper.

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“²³ Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’” ~ Luke 9:23

In the movie “Passion of the Christ,” one of the thieves that was crucified with Jesus ridiculed Him saying, “Why do you embrace your cross, fool?”

Well, Jesus stated it twice in the book of Matthew, once in Mark, and two more times in the book of Luke. The purpose of embracing, or taking up your cross daily, is to deny ourselves and put Jesus first by putting others first. Paul takes up the torch on this as well when he instructs us to “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Phil 2:3).

So what does it mean to embrace your cross? In its simplest form, it means to do things you do not want to do, like forgiving others for slight as well as grievous offenses done against you. It means that when others curse you, you bless them. Do not return railing for railing, or insult for insult, but rather offer words of hope, encouragement, and avoid word wars at all cost. If we do these things, we will do well.

Father, thank You for the blessing of reconciliation. Help us to count the cost and to pick up our cross and follow Jesus daily. Help us not to tire of doing good. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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