Wandering Hearts

Scripture: Why, O LORD, do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes that are your inheritance. (Isaiah 63:17)

Observation: Though the Lord never leaves us, it is pretty interesting to know that He lets us wander from His ways. I personally know many times where I've chosen the wrong path. As much as I want to follow the Lord 100%, society makes it difficult sometimes. Isaiah is asking God to return to help us in our time of need.

Application: Right now in my life I'm having the hardest dilemma I've ever faced. I really like a girl whom I work with, but first of all, I'm discouraged by the fact that she may be getting serious with someone she's been seeing. Secondly, I allow myself to be so easily distracted by the other "pretty girls" around me. I've asked the Lord for help in this matter, and though I've asked for Him to make her mine, I've also acknowledged that i'll obey if shes not in His plan for me. The signs I see, point to a possible future with her, but because of all these distractions and discouraging reminders, it's hard for me to follow the path. I must remember that the Lord is the final word in any dilemma and that no matter what anyone says, if it's His will, it will happen.

Prayer: Dear Father, I know I must keep the path that you set before me. Help me to build a strong heart so that I may resist the discouragement that surrounds me. I will work to keep the distractions from my mind Lord, but I ask for Your help for I know that without You, I am weak. Lord take my hand and guide me to the righteous path, and let me walk in Your footsteps. Amen

Scripture: Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." (John 1:50,51)

Observation: The harshness of life can cloud you to what things are possible when you believe in Jesus. When you put your faith in the Lord, He will bless you with unbelievable things. Society may tell you that things cannot move in your favor, however with God, all things are possible. He will make the impossible within you grasp, if you just believe.

Application: A situation in my life now has me wound up so tight that just thinking about it makes my stomach turn. Now I've formed beliefs about this situation based on what I've seen. However some of those beliefs may be biased by the faith I've put in man. These thoughts discourage me and make me think that what I want, is not possible. However I know, if it's also what the Lord wants, if I place my trust in Him, He will make it happen.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, please bless me with "selective hearing". Please give me the wisdom to pick out what You want me to hear, versus what the devil wants me to hear. I know You encourage me everyday and it's my weakness that discourages me. I feel I've grown closer with You during this trip to Kona, I'm trying to stand upon Your Word Lord, and not the eroding ground of the earth. Amen.

The Heart of a Woman

Scripture: Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

(1 Peter 3:3,4)



Observation: I'm fairly young in life. 21 is the age where one becomes a true adult, at least by today's standards. This scripture describes exactly what I look for in a girl. Yeah this observation is a little selfish in a way. But I think with all the flash and glamour that Hollywood tries to portray to woman, that it's easy to get distracted from what's in front of you. It can cloud you to what you should look for in a partner.



Application: I need to not be enticed by the glamour of society these days. I must look deeper within a person and see the beauty they hold within their hearts. Only then can I truly decide whether or not I want to spend the rest of my lives with them. There's a situation now in my life where I can't decide whether or not to pursue someone that I find attractive. I've done my best to get to know her, and I feel she is of pure heart. I want to believe that but I have to try and remain objective because it could be all an illusion.



Prayer: Dear Lord, I ask that You guide me in the affairs of the heart. I've done things so blindly before that now when I feel it really matters, I really wanna make the right decision. I ask that You show me what I should do. Give me Your wisdom and patience to help me find the right life partner for me. The person You have made for me, and the person You have made me for. Amen

My Shelter

Scripture: "The word of the LORD you have spoken is good," Hezekiah replied. For he thought, "There will be peace and security in my lifetime." (Isaiah 39:8)

Observation: Isn't it amazing to know we have a God who will love us and take care of us for all of eternity. He will give us peace and serenity throughout our crazy and hectic lives. The storms of society surround us and constantly bombard us with rain and what not, yet we can still come to the Lord and be sheltered from all of that. When we just can't stand in the rain anymore, He will be the roof that will block all of that until we are ready and strong enough to continue in our lives.

Application: I have a lot of turmoil in my life. A lot of different things bombarding me, many paths to choose from. The voices of man fill my mind and drown out the word of God sometimes. But I must run to God and be sheltered from all of that so I may go back out into the world and serve His purpose for me. I gotta spend the time to listen to what He is saying to me and walk in obedience with Him.

Prayer: Dear God, I thank You for being my shelter, and giving me Your strength so that I may carry on each day. I know my problems are small, and You could be a god that belittles them and makes me deal with them myself. But I know You are so much more than that, You've taken my problems on Your shoulders and are helping me through it everyday of my life. I love You Lord and I thank You with all my heart. Amen

Trial by Fire

Scripture: In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
(1 Peter 1:6-9)

Observation: Times are tough, a lot of us are facing hardships we never would have imagined would come to us. Day after day we face test after test and it becomes harder to live our lives the way God wants us to. But when we remain true, and walk in obedience with the Lord, we build a genuine faith that He loves to see. Our loyalty and commitment to the Lord is strengthened by every trial we face. Granted there will be times when we slip and fall, but that's why it's so amazing that we have a forgiving God.

Application: I know I have to remain true to God's word. Coming back to my devotions is one way of doing that. When I strayed away, is when the world blinded me. The more I read of the Bible, the closer I come to the Lord. And when I walk in obedience with Him, the stronger relationship I build with Him as well.

Prayer: Dear Father, I know You'll never leave me Lord. Though I will sometimes stray, I'm glad that You will always bring me back to the path You've set for me. It excites me knowing that if I just follow obediently with You Lord, my relationship with You will grow ever stronger, and nothing can ever get in my way. You are an awesome God, and I'm thankful, and humbled that You sent Your Only Son to die for my sins. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Is that you, God?

Scripture: And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD : "O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.
"It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by men's hands. Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God." (2 Kings 19:15-19)

Observation: During these hard times, it's hard to remain focused on what God is saying to us. I personally feel that I'm at a constant struggle with following His Word while all of society's negativities and discouragement bombard me from every direction. But what I believe this scripture tells us is that if we remain steadfast in our walk with Him, He'll show us exactly what we need to do. He'll draw us closer to Him so that we can see what He has planned for us.

Application: Though it's good to have friends to seek advice from, I must remember that though all these things can help, they can also serve to confuse. I must seek God first, draw from His Word, and He will take me where I need to go. I've sought the wisdom of people for most of my problems when what I should be doing is seeking the Lord's Wisdom.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you speak to me Lord. In this time of confusion and chaos, I know it is You who can break through all of that and speak to my heart; I just have to be listening Lord. I know I haven't had my heart open for quite some time now, but I am ready to hear Your Voice and follow You Lord. Amen.