Day 28: Being chosen.

Today we are reading Proverbs chapter 28 and Psalm chapters 131-135. Ask God to join you and commune with you today.

-Read Scripture-

The Psalms refers to God's chosen people a lot. Israel, God's chosen people. God chose Jacob, etc. There is a ton of weight and pressure when you really think about that. Psalm chapters 131-135 is no different. It is filled with promises to God's chosen people, Israel, and more specifically, David.

In chapter 132 verse 11 the writer refers to the promise God made to David and how he would not go back on that promise. Psalm 135 refers to Israel as God's treasured possession. There are so many beautiful promises of protection, provision, and blessing. But there is also tremendous responsibility and weight, and you feel that in the Psalm as well.

An amazing thing happened after Christ came, you and I and all of his followers are now included with his chosen people. The new testament says: "But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you - from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted." 1 Peter 2:9-10 The Message.

Talk about weight and responsibility. You are chosen. You have a role to play. You have a job that God has called you to do.

No pressure. :)

But that also means you get to claim all the beautiful promises to the Israelites that you read in the Psalms. What encouragement. Here's my truth: God has made a night-and-day difference in my life. Those of you who have known me any length of time can attest to that. He has turned me from nothing special into something special. And this is me, attempting to fulfill my calling to priestly work and telling others of what God has done for me. I have been chosen. I have been called, and so have you.

Today, I want you to meditate on the fact that you are a chosen one, that your Abba has "embraced you as a prized possession." He has called you to do his work on this Earth. Who has he put in your life to share your story with? Where has he placed you to do his work? Because with this gift, we have a great responsibility. What does your priestly work look like? Ask him to show you, or to confirm what you may already know...

Day 6: The List.

Today we are reading Proverbs chapter 6 followed by Psalm chapters 26-30. Before you start reading, (as always), ask God to prepare your heart to receive his truth for you today!

-Read Scriptures-

As followers of Christ, we should always be aiming to become more like Jesus. Our character should always be molding into a more Christ-like character. But sometimes I got frustrated. I mean, why didn't God just give us a list? Wouldn't that make it so much easier?!

Then I came across the "Seven things God hates" list. The following literally came to me as in the comics when a light bulb turns on over one's head. If these 7 things are the things he hates more than anything, then surely the opposite characteristics are the things he loves most! Really profound right?! Lol. Well, it makes perfect sense to me. :)

So here is the list according to the TNIV:

"There are 6 things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness that pours out lies, and a person who stirs up dissension in the community." Proverbs 6: 16-19 

(In case you were wondering, haughty eyes means seeing yourself as superior, being arrogant. I had to look that one up, not ashamed to say. :)

So using that list, I wrote my own "Things God loves" list and started praying to become these things every day. I have been praying this list over myself, my kids, and my husband for over a year! I figure that if I can use this list of characteristics as my guideline, then I will constantly be moving in the direction of becoming more Christ-like (no matter how slow). Now here is what I came up with. (Keep in mind, this is a list I wrote based on what I read, so take it for what it's worth, grain of salt and what not!)

Here are the 6 things God loves, 7 that are honorable to him (according to Steen):

Undivided heart: 100% focused on You, not on this world. (More on this concept later :)
Clear mind: to remember and recall Your truths.
Peaceful attitude: to bring people together, not to separate.
Compassionate eyes: eyes that are quick to embrace, not judge.
Selfless mouth: quick to listen, slow to speak, and speaking only truth.
Productive hands: accomplishing Your work.
Steady feet: following You, never to wander or stumble.

(When I pray it, I work from the head down. Start with the heart, mind, attitude, eyes, mouth, hands, then feet!)

I have found that you can run almost ANYTHING that comes your way through this filter/grid and know how to respond in a more Christ-like manner. Since I have begun praying for these specific traits, I've felt myself change. It's getting a bit easier to make right choices. I still struggle with several of them, (especially the selfless mouth). But slowly, God is molding me to become the person I am asking him to make me.

A prayer I want us to offer up and meditate on today:

"Examine me, GOD, from head to foot, order your battery of tests. Make sure I'm fit inside and out so I never lose sight of your love, But keep in step with you, never missing a beat." Psalm 26:2-3 The Message

My challenge for you: Pray this list over yourself and your loved ones every day for the rest of the month and just see what happens!

Day 2: Learning to listen.

Before we start, ask God to open your ears and heart to hear and receive anything he may have for you today. Then go ahead and read Proverbs chapter 2 and Psalm chapters 6-10.

-Read Scripture-

Today we are going to talk about the biggest, life changing thing that has happened to me. (Regarding my relationship with God.) And that has been training myself to hear and respond to God's voice. Over the past 5 years or so, I would hear him speak to me, but it was sporadically. It wasn't until about a year and a half ago that I started hearing him regularly. 

And it wasn't because he wasn't speaking, it was just that I wasn't listening. 

"If you listen for Lady Wisdom, attune your ears to her, and engage your mind to understand what she is telling you, If you cry out to her for insight and beg for understanding, If you sift through the clamor of everything around you to seek her like some precious prize, to search for her like buried treasure; Then you will grasp what it means to truly respect the Eternal, and you will have discovered the knowledge of the one True God." Proverbs 2:2-5 The Voice

Attune your ears, sift through the clamor. I love these verses, they gave me the instruction I needed.  Like much of the world today, I suffer from some form of ADD. I would pray, say in the car, then I would find myself mentally preparing my grocery list...or I would be reading the bible, then out of nowhere be thinking about the movie I watched the night before. 

It wasn't until I started journaling where everything changed for me. I started journaling on my trip to Thailand in January of 2011 and never stopped. I journal and read every single morning. It has gotten to where my whole day feels out of sorts if I don't! Each morning, I start out journaling about what is going on in my life, family, friends, upcoming events or vacations. I tell him the funny story that happened the day before (this has also done wonders for my memory!) I ask him for help with problems I can't solve, etc.

Then I read some scripture, then I close by praying. I journal ALL of my prayers. It allowed me to focus and an amazing thing happened. As I'd journal, I would hear God answer or respond to me! So I started writing his responses down in capitol letters so I wouldn't confuse myself. Now, I'm able to go back and reread what he has said to me.

It's incredible to be able to go back a year and read the things God prepared me for and how they all came true. I get to see how God saw the whole picture way before I could!  Now I do hear God other times, but when I "attune my ears, engage my mind, cry out to him, and beg for understanding...when I sift through the clamor," THAT is when I hear him best.

People have asked me how I know it's him, or what does it sound like. Now this is just my personal experience and I'm wanting to share it with you so that you will not be afraid to share your story with others. It's not a booming voice of God, he speaks through the Holy Spirit inside me. So it kind of sounds like me talking to myself, but I always know when it is him. There are two ways I know. 

1. It's always something that I would NEVER say to myself. 

2. It almost always moves me emotionally. 

Whenever the Holy Spirit speaks to me or prods me, it is very overwhelming. It is almost as though I feel warm inside and on the verge of tears. It is, my absolute favorite feeling. 

My challenge for you today, and the rest of this month, is to journal some of your prayers. Put your phone in another room, (mine has buzzed 3 times in preparing this study, talk about clamor!), sit it in a quiet place, and ask God to show up. Then wait. Don't think about anything else. (I've found the easiest way for my ADD mind to do this, is to visualize a picture of God I have in my mind and rest there.) Praise him, thank him.

And if he speaks, write down what he says. It may not make any sense to you at that moment, but I'm willing to bet that if you go back and read it later this month, it will. There is NO confirmation of faith like going back and reading God's personal words to you, especially when you've seen them play out! I promise. 

Abba, may we open ourselves up to you. Let us forget about the world around us and ignore the clamor for just a moment. Let us be open to hear what you have for us and the truth about how you feel about us. We rely on you. Let us simply rest in your presence today.

Amen