Discovering God's Will

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

              "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."
                                                                                                                 Ephesians  5:17

     Before we can address the questions we have about God's specific will, we must look at how we are leading our lives in light of His revealed will.  Take God's command that we walk in love.  If, after a tough day, I snap at my family and take out my frustration on them in a hateful way, I'm obviously not living in God's will.

    If I'm not obeying the revealed will of God, it isn't likely that I will receive further instruction on the specific choices I face in my life.  That would be like asking for directions when I hold a road map in my hands
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     Once we've made a concentrated effort to know and follow God's revealed will, we can ask for His direction on the specifics in our life - those forks in the road.  Fortunately, we can relax a little on knowing God's specific will for one simple reason - one many of us overlook.  Discerning God's specific will is not a mystery game where He's trying to hold something back from us.  Often we feel we must go through layers and layers, all the time wondering,  "Will God really let me know about this?" when all along God is saying, "I'll show you."  He is a God who loves us and wants us to find His will.  We just need to have an open heart to His leading.

The Bride Awakens

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

  "I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on?  I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?"                     Song Of Solomon  5:3

     She does not see what it means to refuse to open the door to Him, for she is so nearly asleep, that her senses and discernment are clouded.  Her own trouble, and what it will mean for her to rise and let Him in, are filling her mind, crowding out the apprehension of the sin she is committing.  Her delay in opening the door does not look so heinous to her, for she knows that she loves Him; she would rejoice if He were within. She really desires to have Him within and longs to enter into that closer communion to which He is inviting and urging her.

     Dear child of God, for what trifles have you and I repulsed our Lord when He has knocked upon our door and called us to rise up to higher ground?  When He has called us to wait upon Him, and we found that it was hard to enter in, how quickly have we left our knees and gone away.  We do not apprehend that He is calling us to get into the place where He can do something for us.

     It only needs a few repulses through some trifle or selfish reason, and sleep will prevail.  In the end, the bride loses what God is offering her and misses the blessing and revelation that He is waiting to bring her.  The best God has for her, she carelessly lets fall from indolent and powerless fingers.

To Pray In The Name Of Jesus

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

"And whatesoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."     John  14:13

     What is it to pray in Christ's name?  There is nothing mystical or mysterious about this expression.  If one will go through the Bible and examine all passages in which the expression 'in My name' or 'in His name' or synonymous expressions are used, he will find that it means just about what it does in modern usage.  If I go to a bank and hand in a check with my name signed to it, I ask of that bank in my own name.  If I have money deposited in that bank, the check will be cashed; if not, it will not be.  If, however, I go to the bank with somebody else's name signed to the check, I am asking in his name, and it does not matter whether I have money in that bank or any other; if the person whose name is signed to the check has money there, the check will be cashed.  So it is when I go to the bank of heaven, when I go to God in prayer.  I have nothing deposited there, I have absolutely no credit there, and if I go in my own name I will get absolutely nothing. But Jesus has unlimited credit in heaven, and He has granted to me the privilege of going to the bank with His name on my checks; and when I thus go, my prayers will be honored to any extent.

Personality Plus Power Produces Positive People

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

     "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him"                      1 Corinthians  12:18

     God made each one of us different, so we could function in our own role.

     I learned this principle personally through the experience with my two brain - damaged sons.  Each one was beautiful to look at.  They had bright - blue eyes, blond hair, turned - up noses, dimpled chins.  They had normal arms and legs that moved, but they did not have normal brains.  They looked all right on the outside but without a brain, nothing worked.

     A lot of us are like my boys - we look all right on the outside, but without Christ as our head, nothing much is working.

     Have you ever had a friend whom you loved so much that you wanted to be with him all the time and get to know him better every day?  Has his presence lit up your life, so you felt energized, just being close?  Have you watched him so closely and followed him so much that you've almost become like him?  Jesus wants that kind of relationship with you.  He wants you to get to know Him better by reading His Words and talking to Him; He wants you to feel His power in your life so you can overcome your weakness.  He wants you so spend so much time together that you become like Him.

Receiving God's Thoughts

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."   Ephesians  4:31

     "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,  declares the Lord."                                                                                                                                                Isaiah  55:8

     A mother was tucking her young son into bed.  "Have you said your prayers?"  she asked.  "No," the boy replied.  "Why not?"  the mother asked.  "Because there was nothing I wanted."

     We may smile at that story, but children aren't the only ones to treat prayer as primarily a way of getting what they want.  God does want us to bring our needs to Him in prayer, but prayer is more than that.  We come in prayer not to get God to do our will, but to open ourselves to doing His will.

     Our time of reflecting on God's Word is a chance to get away from our own words and thoughts to receive God's thoughts, to learn from Him.

     In prayer we open ourselves "to a transformation of conscience and consciousness with all that can lead to.  One's life will never be the same again"  (Basil Pennington).  Our time of prayer may lead us to see ourselves or others in a new light.  We may receive a new insight, or peace of mind, or a call to a specific action.

     Sometimes it may seem that we receive nothing from our time of prayer.  That's all right too.  Sometimes it's enough just to be close to God, just because we love Him.

Through Life's Changes

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from me, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

         "But I trusted in thee, O Lord:  I said,  Thou art my God.  My times are in thy hand."
                                                                                                                      Psalm  31:14-15

     Everything that is good and perfect when it comes from You, O Lord and Creator.  How great are Your fullness and wonder.  You shine on my life day and night with no shadow of turning away.  Thank You for keeping the promises you gave in Your Word.  You never forsake, You never fail.  You are truth, You are life.

     When I go through life's changes, I sometimes find myself getting way off base.  But You snatch me from destructive situations.  Thank You for being here.  At times I can't see why things happen the way they do.  But You know, and You are still here.  Thank You for being patient with me.  Thank You for how Your compassion and love never fail.

     I'm growing in my walk with You.  Because of all You teach me, I'm learning to give my joys, my worries, my disappointments, my goals, and dreams to You.  They are all in Your sure hands.  Lord, You are first now in everything I do and plan.

     What a comfort to know You will live forever and ever, and that I can always be with You.  You have promised to always be my God, and keep me Your child.  Through eternity, I cling to You, the Rock of my salvation.  I shall never fear, for You are with me.  You are first, last, always, my God and my dearest Friend.

If I belittle.....

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

        "Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire."
                                                                                                                       James  3:5-6

     If, in any way, I belittle those who I am called to serve...
     if I talk of their weak points in contrast, perhaps, with what I think of as my stronger points...
     if I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting to consider the wisdom of the voice that asks me, inwardly,  "Who made you different from the one you are criticizing - and what do you have that you have not been given?"
     if I can easily discuss the shortcomings of the sins of any man or woman...
     if I can speak in an offhanded way, even of a child's wrongdoing....then I know nothing of Calvary love.

My Father, how often do my words "singe" someone else?  (And how much time do I spend thinking critically about another - so that nothing but words that singe come out?)
     Today, Lord, work in me.  Change the thought-life in me when I strip others of dignity...or reduce them point by point...in order to build myself up.
     And give me your voice, to speak words of value...admiration...encouragement...compassion...true kindness.

Amy  Charmichael