David's blog

We stand and we convince ourselves that we are right. If we believe in something, we are sometimes guilty of making our belief system fit in with ours. But we need it to be the other way. In the Christian faith we say that we do something for the glory of God. But we must be so careful, for we maybe wrong in our assumption and bring shame on God, causing people to reject God on what we have said.

What are the things that are challenging you at present? Are they creating stress or anger?
Maybe try to spend some time with God daily in prayer until there is an answer. A time where you tell God the challenge and then spending time listening and evaluating what comes into your mind.

Mat 4:4  But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”

Satisfaction – what does this bring to mind?

•    Food
•    Sex
•    New car
•    New House
•    Good job
•    Retirement
•    A sandy beach
•    Etc…

If you had these
•    Would you be satisfied
•    Want a something better

When things do not go our way, we may turn to
•    Over eating
•    Too much alcohol
•    Drugs
•    Etc…

Jesus said that God has spoken, and God’s words will satisfy our hunger. So if we look at what God has said in the Bible then it will satisfy a hunger inside of us.

Possible action:
Start a journey and examine what God has said. Look at Jesus first as he is said to be God in the flesh. Read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and see what you think.

Prayer:
Dear God, I would like to find out a bit more about you and what you say through your Bible. May I find out what you say about life and the hunger we feel inside, and how you can satisfy this. In Jesus name. Amen.

Have you had a time where feel God is far away and not speaking to you. You may have had a time where you felt God really close, but not now.

Jesus went through a wilderness experience after a real high at his baptism. But this wilderness experience was a real time of temptation. The temptation enabled him to get his priorities right, especially whether he choose to do things for his own glory or for the glory of God.

He choose to keep doing his fathers will despite his physical, spiritual and mental needs.

Are you struggling with following Jesus? Do you feel God has gone quiet? Are you being tempted to return to your old ways?

May I encourage you to keep going with Jesus, keep talking to God about how you feel, and commit to keep going no matter what. Keep reading your Bible, it is full of people who have been through the same, especially those in the Psalms.

Maybe God is preparing you for something new, and you need this time. The wilderness experience for Jesus was his preparation for his ministry.

A prayer for those who are looking
Dear God, I am not sure if you are real. My life is empty and meaningless. I have looked for you in the past and not found you. I ask if you would speak to me now, and show me that you are real. I commit to find out more about you by reading about you in the Bible.
In Jesus name.
Amen

A prayer for those who believe
Dear God, I am struggling. I feel that you are not responding to my prayers. Where are you? If there is wrong in my life, reveal it and help me overcome it. If I am going through a time of preparation, keep me strong. Keep me from temptation. I commit to keep following you no matter what.
In Jesus name
Amen.

James 4:12
Only he who made the law can rightly judge among us. He alone decides to save us or destroy. So what right do you have to judge or criticise others.

People live lives. They take certain directions. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. We do not see this or know why. We sometimes feel concerned.

What motivates that concern? Is it love for them or condemnation?

God loves us all. God knows us and sees the reasons why we do the things we do. God wants a broken person to return to him. God will do what he can to restore people. That is the reason Jesus came.

So when people are broken and are leading what we call a life that is not benefiting them, we are to love them and show them the person of Jesus.

A prayer for those who are looking.
Dear God, I am lost. My life has no purpose or direction. I have followed paths that are not good for me. I now look to you to heal the brokenness and hurt in me. Wash me clean. I am sorry for the wrong I have pursued, please forgive me. From this day forward, may I follow, love and serve you. In Jesus name. Amen.

A prayer for those who believe

Dear God, I have judged and condemned other because they are either different from me or taken a direction for their lives that I believe to be wrong. I am sorry. Please forgive me. If I am concerned for others help me to be a friend who is motivated by love. Always listening, understanding, and a helping hand in a time of need. May I be more like Jesus. Amen

Dear God,

You are great, you are almighty, you are strong and you are kind.
You love us unconditionally and you long for us to acknowledge you and to live for you.
You created us to be in a relationship with you. But other things have grabbed our attention and shaped us. We turn our backs on you and we follow a path that we think is right. We get hurt and broken, we get absorbed with ourselves. We keep looking for salvation from our circumstances, but we do not find any answers or satisfaction. We are sorry. We turn to you to save us.
Bring us home to you. That you would make us like Jesus. To live to help others and point them to you. Send your holy spirit to show us the way, and to bring us comfort in times of trouble.
We pray this in the name of Jesus
Amen.