In the Gospels we see many times Jesus seeking out desolate & deserted places to pray. For this is where He fought His spiritual battles. In Mark 1:12 we read where the Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness…the meaning of “drove” here that of Divine and Scriptural necessity. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was by Himself, away from others as He struggled in prayer. So why is secluded prayer important? To start, it’s a way of shutting out the noise of the world and all its distractions…and that includes our phones. It’s a chance to really focus on God and allow Him to speak to you through Scripture and prayer. And finally, like Jesus, it’s an opportunity to take important issues to God…asking for wisdom, direction, and Divine insight.
Author: kezha1
A Christian mother, grandmother, and retired nurse living in Illinois. Called into a ministry of encouraging others to find their ultimate plan and purpose in life through Christ.
I John 3:18 ” Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
The crux of this Scripture from John can be found in Romans 12:9, “Love must be sincere.” With the Greek word for “sincere” referencing back to Classical Greek drama, where the actor wore a mask and wasn’t genuine. So here, John is urging his readers to not just think about it, or make promises that they will never keep, or make grandiose speeches with no integrity…but to put their love in action with authenticity…modeling the love of Jesus for all to see.
“When a door closes, knock on it a few times. But if it doesn’t open, let it stay closed. In career, in love, in life, when you see the period at the end of the sentence, don’t try and turn it into a comma. Know when something is over and move on.” Mother Teresa
As Believers, we will all go through Seasons of our life. Doors open and doors close, as the Lord leads us on our journey. But many times, that closing door catches us by surprise and brings out the worst in us. We’re comfortable & very content where we are, thank you, and don’t want to change. Or we’re finally in a place of honor & accolades in our Ministry Outreach…so how dare the Lord shut us down! Closing doors can also be very scary, because what are we going to do now? So, we cling to the door handle & block the door closing with our bodies, all the while crying and complaining…or we curl up in an angry ball in front of the closed door and refuse to move…both of which are totally futile. Proverbs 16:25 tells us that there is a way that seems right to man, but it’s not God’s way…and we all know that God’s way is the best way. So, the next time a door closes in your life, accept it as God’s divine Will.
II Samuel 7:22 ” How great You are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like You, and there is no God but You…”
This is part of David’s prayer of gratitude to God. Having offered Him a house (the Temple), David is overwhelmed by the Lord’s declaration that He will build David a house. (a dynasty) In humility, David recognizes that it’s the Sovereign Lord Who has been present with him all along and will continue to be with him. He is also humbled by God’s unmerited favor…for God has chosen David and the Nation of Israel itself to be His chosen people through whom God’s great Name will become known to the world. (Exodus 15:11-13 & Deuteronomy 7:6-8)
Malachi 3:10 ” Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. ‘Test Me in this’, says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.’ “
God usually tests man, not the other way around…but here, God is inviting His people to prove His claims, justify His commands, and determine for themselves His essential character and integrity. The Apostle Paul in his second letter to the Church in Corinth called them to excel in the grace of giving…suggesting that love should move them to greater generosity, and that the Old Covenant of tithing was just the minimum they should be giving. In II Corinthians 9:7 Paul wrote, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” In other words, God examines our motives for giving, not the amount we give.
James 5:10-11 ” Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”
James is urging his oppressed Christian readers to remain patient in their suffering…reminding them that God is still in control even when their lives appear to be spiraling downward with trials and tribulations. He uses the well-known Old Testament figure, Job, as an example of patience in the face of adversity. For even after losing everything…his wealth, children, and health, Job ‘s trust in God couldn’t be shaken, and his faith remained steadfast. And at the end of Job bearing up under his load of miseries, God’s compassion & mercy delivered him…”Blessing the latter part of his life more than the first.”
Nahum 1:7 ” The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him…”
When Nahum wrote that the Lord was good, it meant much more than just showing us kindness. It stood for God’s benevolence for our wellbeing and His desire for the ultimate plan & purpose of our life to be played out in our lifetime. That’s because, “God knows the way of the righteous.” (Psalm 1:6) So whether we take His way or the other, all is determined by our relationship with Him and where our trust can be found.
I am humbled to now be a published author in an iconic magazine.
“That Church which the world likes best is sure to be that which God abhors.” Charles Spurgeon
Don’t be fooled by a Church that is more entertainment than doctrine…more preaching of social issues & political activism than God’s Word…and more manmade rituals than God’s Truth revealed. That’s because, the Church that caters to the worldview rather than honoring God is dangerously close to becoming dead like the Church in Sardis that John wrote about in Revelation 3. (The Greek word for dead here meaning useless, spiritually dead, and faithless.) The world loves a Church where the only words from the pulpit are man centered, with no conviction or judgement of their sins…desiring rather, Polly Anna, feel good platitudes and worldly cliches about love and what it looks like today. They want a Church that takes the Bible seriously, but not necessarily literally…and questions Scripture rather than requiring blind allegiance & trust. The world likes the Church that doesn’t make them feel uncomfortable and places them on the throne of their life…all the while, pushing Jesus to the background. No wonder God abhors such Churches…
Exodus 21:5-6 ” But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.”
Voluntary servanthood was common during Biblical times as a way to erase a debt that couldn’t be repaid. But on the seventh year, (The Year of Jubilee) freedom must be offered. But for some slaves, they voluntarily committed to willingly stay & serve their master for life. This public indication of an inward decision was done by the master with a sharp instrument used for piercing, called an awl. Sure, there’s an obvious correlation of this passage and our walk with the Lord, in that our required attachment and loyalty, commitment and dedication has to be to Him and Him alone. But this allegiance also applies to personal relationships such as to a spouse or parents. You might call it honoring well… for it’s a lifelong bond of love and gratitude for a debt that can never be repaid.
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