His Answer

God wants to answer the prayers of those whose hearts are completely His (2 Chron. 16:9). God can accurately orient you to the events of your day. Media, public opinion, and political leaders cannot tell you the truth of your circumstances. Only God can. God loves you and will speak to you in His time. His answer may come immediately as it did in Daniel's case, or it may be delayed, but it will come (Dan. 10:13). If it seems as though everything is crumbling around you, and you wonder why you do not see God's activity, take comfort in knowing that you are loved in heaven. If you are genuinely seeking God's answers, you can go to your Father confidently with your questions. He will respond to you in love (Luke 11:5–13). - Blackaby

I am in awe of God in this. More so in the last several years of asking, God's been verbally answering. 

Things that I couldn't know or shouldn't be able to know have been brought to my mind and this could only come from God.

I have been shown answers for only me to see as well as confirmation of thoughts on the matters of others.  It all began with shifting my life away from things that the world offers to a life that is more Christ centered.  To the asking of God to show me more.  I was hungry for more from God and God doesn't disappoint!

God loves us so much.  How do we really show it back to Him?  Hours on end in sports, movies etc all the time? Then forgetting to even thank Him for the day before going to sleep?

Let me ask you, how DO you thank God for all He's done for you? 

You get up, rush into the day and forget to include Him?  Oh He's there with me you say.  Some guy cuts you off and something inappropriate comes out of your mouth.  No apologies to the one you say is there with you?

You get to work and jump right in. It's a struggle getting just to your first break.  Another to lunch. Yet another struggle to your last break and then finally to leave. Whew you're glad that's over. The frustration, anger and bad temperament isn't good for you but you chalk it up to just part of the job.

You fight traffic getting home. You aren't so kind to family or possibly friends.  You eat and say you deserve your down time.  Hours later you go back to bed. 

So where was God in all this you ask?  Why is it so hard? 

You may say He's there with you but you never included Him. You never asked Him for help. You never shared your day with Him.  Then you take out your frustration on others because the day didn't go as planned...by you.  You didn't once come to Christ in prayer.  You never once asked for His help.  You were no reflection of Christ to the world.  You were a reflection of the world to the world.

So now what?  You will repeat this until the weekend.  You may or may not go to church.  If you do go you put on a face for others to see but inside you're not feeling it.  You sing what there is there to be sung. You may even participate in a class or two. Then after church your mind is on an afternoon of something else.  Forgot God already. 

Is this you? See the problem here?

Let me confess something to you my readers.  It was me that I described.

That was me until a few years ago. 

But is it you today?

So what changed with me?

I cut out the TV, I removed the sports from my life.  I had several 'Spiritual Surgeries' where I was on my knees before my God. Things had to go.  Desires that I had, had to die. I claimed the name of Jesus but wasn't living it.  He was my Savior but I wasn't letting Him rule in my life.  I wasn't letting Him have control.  He was consigned to sit in my entryway of my heart but wasn't allowed in the rest of it.

Jesus wants all of you. 

But what if...
But if He asks...
But I will have to...

No buts. Look at the Gospel accounts of those who gave excuses to why they couldn't immediately follow Christ.  Excuses.  Not reasons. Excuses.

Fear is the chief excuse behind the 'buts'.

Fear of letting go of every single thing in your life.

Ok. Look at what it meant in Jesus's day to be a Disciple.  The person would have nothing personal on them or carried with them.  They would follow and do as their Master commanded.  Trusting fully in what He would say to do. The blessing given to someone who was chosen to be a Disciple was "May you be covered in the dust of your Master".  May your life so mirror His that the world cannot tell you apart.

I haven't arrived at fully letting go of things in this world.  But I am learning to let go of more as time goes by.  I learned, after a few of those surgeries to begin asking the RIGHT questions.  To ask to be shown more.  I had been at a crossroads in my life.  Things were crashing down inside me.  I had no goals, no purpose.  Just a job to do that made me miserable.

Once again I needed to step out of the boat.  Go read the Gospel accounts of Peter walking on the water.  It's not just a lesson for him. It's for us too.

It hurt bad to be shown the truth about me.  But then as the changes came.  As I was shown more of what God wanted of me. Something wonderful happened.  Peace. 

I craved learning and I once again became a student.  Was given an education at a half dozen jobs. No student loans. Then in my personal life I was shown the importance of beginning the day in prayer  no matter what.  To be reading my Bible every morning no matter what. To be reading reputable devotionals no matter what.  To change my music to be God honoring.  To pray even at the smallest of troubles.  All day long.  And then I realized God was changing me.  Peace came around more often.  Jesus keeps His promises.

So think about your life.  Think about your whys.  Why are you fighting Him?

I have by no means arrived but I am learning.

Jesus is to be your best friend and closest brother.  Not a good luck charm. Not an emergency roadside kit to bring out in times of trouble. 

He's to be the most important relationship in your life. 

So...is He or isn't He?