August 19
O Lord, My God who is like unto Thee, there is none to be compare with Thee. We are grateful for all You have done for us. When we are scared about the prosperity of the evil ones and their boosting, You sent Your Word and rescued us from our captivity then our mouths were filled with laughter wherefore we are glad.
Bless us O! Lord with Thou power and peace Ps 29:11, Your Name will forever be in our mouths.
The Lord said, Today if yea will hear My voice do not harden your heart Heb 3:7-8, I pray for every user of this devotional that the heart is still hardened to be made a fruitful vine for the Lord today through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let the Word find it expression in the heart of that individual that is inconsistent in deciding for the Lord, may the Holy Spirit make them followers of God Eph 5:1, Amen.
We are continuing with last week series on “Meditation” and my prayer is that you will testify at the end in Jesus name. Today, we will be considering two reasons while we resist time of solitude with God and how we can apply the scriptures into our lives:
Two Reasons We Resist Times Of Solitude With God
The excuse we usually give for failure at spending time with God is time. “There is not enough time.” The truth is, that for the most part, time has nothing to do with it! We make time for what is of paramount importance to us. If we want to play 18 holes of golf badly enough, we will find the time!
So why do we resist times of solitude with God? Let me propose two of many reasons:
1. We don’t want to change.
If we are brutally honest, we find “a stubbornness within ourselves. A hardheartedness that will not yield to transformation and change.” Because exposure to the Word of God in an atmosphere of solitude discloses our corruption, we find ourselves resisting the pain of truth, and the pain of change.
“His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon‘s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God‘s Word. We can‘t get away from it—no matter what.“ (Hebrews 4:12, 13 – The Message)
When we insist on living a marginal Christian existence by dabbling in and out of sin, our appetite for solitude with God can be numbed to the point of revulsion. We do not want Him to get that close!
2. We don’t want to give up control.
We are accustomed to being at the center of the action. We seem to need to be around people. Influencing them, managing them, or seeking their approval. We want to feel indispensable! After all, if we are not there for them, they might not grow – or “make it.” Remember the parable of the sower? “Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.“ (Mark 4:27) God brings the growth! Not us! (1 Corinthians 3:6 )
The fact is, God would have us resign as CEO of the universe in order that we might begin to comprehend the truth that our greatest need is not for pleasure, but for intimacy with Him. Is it not the nervous activity of our lives that reveals our little faith while serving to crowd out those much needed times of seclusion with God?
QUESTION: Are you up to the challenge of choosing to become great with God through a regular pattern of solitude with Him? Then, if you so determines, He can make you great in spiritually influencing others. Be assured that the latter will not happen without the former.
Hosea 4:6 said my people perish for lack of knowledge and do you know that “Wisdom” is knowledge that is rightly applied. When you don’t apply or practice what you know or learnt you are likely to forget it in no time. So we will be considering how to apply the scriptures you learnt or read to your own life. Praise God; come along with me as we consider it together:
As you spend time with the Lord meditating over a portion of Scripture, you may find it helpful to ask the following questions:
- · Is there an example to follow?
- · Is there a sin to avoid?
- · Is there a promise to claim?
- · Is there a prayer to repeat?
- · Is there a command to obey?
- · Is there a condition to meet?
- · Is there a verse to memorize?
- · Is there an error to mark?
- · Is there a challenge to face?
If you would like practice in utilizing the above questions, read and meditate upon Luke 14:25-34; 17:10.
I pray that this week, God will send out His light and His truth: let them lead us; let them bring us unto His holy hill and to His tabernacles in Jesus name. Amen! Ps 43:3.
Remain blessed in the Lord.
Evang. Ifeoma Ohondu
