Our Undivided Adoration

Heavenly Notes
TheologyGirl-ReformedWomen
Devotional:  Our Undivided Adoration*

“Honoring God means that the Lord’s pleasure and glory comes first. It means giving respect and deference to Him and esteeming Him above the thoughts of those we love. It means that we are willing to suffer disrespect and even persecution in order to respect Him. We can detect the worship of false gods in our hearts when we honor anything above God.”**

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God wants our undivided adoration. What does this mean? How does one of flesh love with undivided adoration? We know the answer — it is only through the grace, mercy and love of Jesus Christ. It is only by being filled with His Holy Spirit, covered in His righteousness that we are able to even claim adoration of God at all. He ordained, He came, He gave, He died, He lives for us and we, because we are His, live for Him in adoration and obedience. Will it be divided in the pilgrimage of this life? Yes, it will because we are flesh and still do mind the things of the flesh, idols of the heart and mind, and the ever-present self-pleasing, self-love and self-gratification. It is part and parcel of our weakness as flesh. It shows our need of Christ in every minute of daily living in consecration, repentance, perseverance and submission to be able to love Him as He has called us to do and to serve in humble reliance upon Him.  So then friends, here is our hope and reason for rejoicing – we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us and the power of God rests upon us so that we can “do all things through Christ who strengthens us” (Php 4:13) and so honor the Lord God that we love and adore.

Prayer:  Blessed God, our Lord, Savior and Christ, thank you for the power of your Holy Spirit and every gift that You have given to us for “life and godliness,” so that we can cast out the idols of our hearts and be filled with your “heart’s desire” for us.   We want to be Your obedient children, help us day-by-day to love, serve, honor and follow you in humble obedience.   In Your Name, we pray, Amen

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* TheologyGirl-ReformedWomen, Summary Comments, Bible-Book Study:  Idols of the Heart
** Quote, Idols of the Heart, p.36

Oh Joy of Heart and Mind

It has been an interesting beginning of 2013 to say the least in both the secular and spiritual world. If you are “thinking and acting biblically” and have your “theological hat” on and “spiritual eyes” open, the times and seasons of unrest, ungodliness, “culture of hate and death” abound in every avenue of life. It alone makes us fall on our knees in prayer and dependence upon Christ and what a joy it is to belong to Christ to have His “ear” to our cries.  We live in difficult times and each day brings trials, tribulations, troubles and discouragement but no matter what happens to us in this world of sin and death, we belong to the King of kings and Lord of lords and we celebrate the greatness of our God and His wonderful gift of salvation to us.  Christ keeps us, every moment, every hair on our head is numbered, every, step, act or event has been ordained by Him for His glory and our good.  We can rest in that knowledge with joy of heart and mind.  He, as our Heavenly Father, loves and cares for us with perfect love.  Each day when can say with assurance, “this is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice in it.”

In our walk with Christ we seek to put off the world and its woes and submit to God’s providence for us and then rejoice in it.  With that knowledge we can press toward the mark for the high calling in Christ with prayer for introspection and a biblical housecleaning of our own hearts, minds and Christian walk so that we are not “like the world” but rather “like Christ” in our daily life.  Christ has come to give us life and that more abundantly, so can we not give Him our obedience? Pray today that you might seek Him more each minute of each day by reflecting on Christ, the cross, burial and resurrection and what He has done for you today and eternally.  When we do this, all else fades and we see with clear eyes and heart who we are in Christ and how powerful that knowledge is for daily life.

So then my fellow pilgrims, what a glorious gift you have in Jesus so be thankful. The world will continue falling headlong into hell, death and destruction and without regard for life of the unborn, the innocent, those not able to help themselves, for the poor, weak and maimed, but God will preserve His church and His providential care of His universe and people will continue until the clouds open and He appears in all of His glory. He has promised and we believe because of His gift of faith. Be encouraged as you approach His throne of grace to be bold in knowing, loving and speaking of Him. This is the day that the Lord has made and we will, most assuredly, rejoice in it! _TheologyGirl

“Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples. My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed. “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations.” Isaiah 51:4-8

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