Do you live a life of regret, looking back and wishing you had made different choices at key points in your life? Do not be discouraged. This is not appropriate behavior for a believer, and you may not be as far from my will for you as you imagine.
This Blog is Reprinted from Fount Shults, a Powerful Minister of God
“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it [literally, who does not put it together], the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart” (Matt. 13:19).
If you did the exercise we suggested in the previous blog, you will have noticed that you often do not “put together” what the other is saying because you are trying to “put together” your own thoughts or responses to what you think they are saying or what they ought to say. The times you failed to “put it together” were the times of the lowest level of heart-to-heart intimacy.
We are friends closer than brothers. Do you usually think of friendship as a relationship between equals? Yet we are not equals. You understand that this cannot be. Normally this puts a strain on a friendship but it is not true in our case.
My name is Penny Burton and I'm from Grace Church in High Point, NC. I'm on the Women's Prison Ministry Team. We were at our local prison a few weeks ago. I felt led to speak and do the music. I asked the Lord what to bring to the ladies and He told me to bring your message on the “Four Keys to Hearing God's Voice.” The Lord helped me to condense it to a 20 minute teaching.
We gave the ladies journals and pens so we could practice it together. I felt led to play the song "At Your Feet" by Casting Crowns before we began journaling. Listening to the song helped the ladies picture themselves at Jesus' feet.
I took you seriously when you gave your life to me. Now you are bought with a price and you are not your own. Therefore I have the authority to intervene in your life, and to expect you to obey. On one hand you have already given me blanket permission.
You live in a noisy world. It is not just the drone and clanging of engines and other machines. You have continuous access to music and talk. You engage in this voluntarily, but do you ever grow weary of it and seek a place of solitude and silence? You should, for it is good for your soul.
What would you do with a million dollars? Most people have a detailed plan in place and can answer this question without hesitation. Do you expect obtain this amount of money? Most people have more definite ideas about spending it than obtaining it.
When you ask me for blessings does it appear to you that you only get trials and hardships? Do you assume that I am not answering your prayers? I want you to get past the idea that a blessing is something you park in your garage.
Do you seek ease and comfort and avoid strenuous difficulty? You see this behavior in those around you and the motivation is no mystery. Did you assume that when you turned your life over to me that you would have a soft life?
11-15-11 7:45am Holy Lord God, I am finding that as I spend time with You and journaling our conversations, You are giving to Me Your wisdom and Your understanding. I see that as another great benefit of communing with You!
