For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38b
As I did my Bible study this morning and wrote in my journal, I was nudged by the Holy Spirit to write my thoughts not just for myself, but for other women. It’s not the first time I felt this nudge, I just hadn’t yet taken the time to follow through.
As I reflected, I was reminded that God always redeems the time we spend with Him. A great example of this is a time when our P.I.N.K. Women’s Conference team had a retreat/meeting. We wanted to get away to pray and plan for a whole day. So we met at a place where we wouldn’t be distracted and shut off our phones and committed the time to Him.
As usual, we had our agenda printed out in front of us, but first we set out to pray. Well, we prayed, we read scripture, we sang, wept a bit, read more, prayed some more, etc., until the whole morning was gone. What sweet time we shared with each other and with Jesus. We have often reminisced about it; none of us will ever forget it.
After lunch, I didn’t know how we were going to get to all the planning we had ‘planned’ to do, but, trusting Him to omit the parts we perhaps didn’t need to do that day, we jumped into the day’s agenda. Do you know, not one thing was left undone? We were able to work on each point on the list. God redeemed the time.
This is such a reminder to me that when we spend time with Him in the morning, He can redeem that time during our day, not to mention the blessing we receive from it. Why would we think we can’t afford 15 minutes, 30, or even an hour to spend with the Author of Time? How can we afford not to? And the more time we spend, the more He will redeem and bless. We just need to trust him for it.
My passion is for women to daily seek the Lord in prayer and His Word. However, I listened to an on-line conference with Nancy Leigh DeMoss last weekend, and she shared that only 20% of women [in the church] spend daily time with the Lord. I’m trusting that’s not you. But if you are one that gets right up and at ‘em most days, know that you’re not alone, and that if you will commit the time, you will experience power and blessing you won’t want to miss the next day. Because, “the more you seek him, the more you will find him.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4crRPpqoW4
Have a blessed day!
For further thought…
If we do not spend time in prayer and God’s Word each day, imagine the peace, strength, comfort, wisdom and direction we might be missing.
How many prayers go unanswered because they were not prayed? (James 4:2)
What blessings do we miss because we did not ask? (James 5:16)
What Christ likeness do we (and others around us!) miss out on because we didn’t stay close to His heart? (2 Cor. 3:18)
And what sins go unchecked because we failed to bring them before the Throne of Grace? (Heb. 4:16)
What unchecked sin may be keeping our prayers from even being answered? (Ps. 66:18)
What power we miss when we miss time with our All-Powerful God! (Eph. 3:20)
James 4:2 You do not have, because you do not ask.
James 5:16 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
2 Cor. 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Heb. 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throneof grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Ps. 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
Eph. 3:20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we mightask or think. (For those of you that were at the Deeper Still Conference, “beyond beyond!” )
