Archive for 'Devotion'

The Hem September 2011 Devotional – Make Room for God!

A few weeks back my local church hosted what we called “Holy Spirit and Power” meetings. God had been speaking about revival, and this was our way of welcoming God in to do His will, and asking Him to prepare our hearts for it.

During one of the special services, I was deep in worship when God spoke something very powerful to me. At first, I thought it was just for me personally, so I whipped out my iPad and wrote it down in my prayer journal.

But, once I wrote it out, God revealed that it was not for me alone, but that I was to share it with the rest of His beloved children.

My pastor was gracious enough to allow me to share it with our congregation that evening, and I feel led to share it with you today as well.

God spoke these powerful words to my heart…

Wow! The passion and pain that I felt coming from the heart of God as I spoke this. The true longing that your Lord has to be in close fellowship with you at all times. It touched my heart, and the hearts of those listening that night, so powerfully.

Many times we feel so far from God. We begin to wonder, “Why? Where has He gone?”

We question why we felt so close to Him during another season in our lives, and yet now, we feel so far away.

But, contrary to what Satan would have you think, we do not serve a God that is distant. But rather, it is us who becomes distant.

Our fast paced lives leave little room to be still and know that He is God.

But Him on the other hand…He never stops longing for you. He never stops reaching for you. His passion and love for you is unyielding.

Believe it or not, He actually loves you more than you love Him, because He Himself is love. It is His very nature to love you totally and completely.

It’s amazing to think, no mater how much your heart longs for more of God, He is longing to connect with you even more!

That was the whole point of the cross! To reconcile you back to a God who is madly in love with you. To wipe your slate clean so that you could commune with Him for yourself.

Now, you don’t need someone to talk to God for you, or tell you what He said. Jesus’ blood bought back your right to fellowship with God for YOURSELF!

So, if God is ready and waiting to commune with us every single moment of every day through, what’s the problem? Why don’t we experience more of Him?

Well, regardless of how much we say we want more of God, our ever ringing cell phones, and mile long schedules reveal our true priorities. We have literally crowded Him out!

We must make a conscious decision to make room for Him…

To turn off everything that beeps and buzzes, just to bask in His presence.

To skip an episode of our favorite show, just to meditate on His promises.

To wake up a bit earlier, or go to sleep a bit later, just to squeeze in a few extra moments with Him.

We must choose to cultivate the same kind of passion for Him in our lives, that He has for us.

Blessed by this Devotion on Making Room for God?
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How often do we feel like we aren’t enough. Like there is something about ourselves that we need to change. Whether that be something we need to change about our physical selves, like our weight or our hair. Or something we need to change about our inner selves, like being more patient, having more faith, or simply spending more time in God’s Word.

Often, we look at ourselves, and we feel like the very essence of who we are just isn’t enough.

Yesterday, as I was endeavoring to go deeper and connect with God during praise and worship at church, God spoke something very powerful to me through His Holy Spirit.

He simply said, “You’re Enough.”

I paused for a second, a bit confused. Then, I heard Him speak the same words again, “You’re Enough!”

Suddenly, I could feel the tears beginning to fill my eyes.

Of course! It finally hit me, if the God Who is more than enough not only lives inside of me, but literally created me in His image, wouldn’t that at least make me enough?

I mean, think about it for a second…

No, you are not perfect…I am NOT perfect. But, I am fearfully and wonderfully made in the very image of God. Follow me for a second here…

That means that the person that God originally intended for me to be, the person that I am predestined to become, that person, in the eyes of God, is enough.

That means that my goal should no longer be to simply “change,” but to “Become”! To become the person God originally created us to be.

So many times you hear people say things like, “I can’t change…this is just who I am.”

Well, I have some great mews for those people-you don’t need to change, but rather to become! And that is NOT who you are, but rather who Satan wants you to be stuck as.

Really, it’s about growth. Growing into the person you were created to be. While change can often seem impossible, growth, on the other hand, given the proper nutrition is inevitable.

Think of a child. My son is always growing. He outgrows clothes and shoes like nobody’s business! Why? Because he’s slowly becoming the man that God created Him to be.

Now, you may be thinking, “Sister Ameerah, he’s only one! What are you talking about growing into a man?” Well, God is not simply looking at where you are now, but the end result of who He predestined you to become. That’s why, to Him, you are who you were created to be, just like my son. You are enough.

All you have to do is grow.

Now, I don’t want to imply that growing and becoming is easy. It takes constant communion with God so that He can reveal the areas in you that He wants to heal, restore and transform. It takes meditating on His Word so that you can renew your mind and begin receiving the mind of Christ. It takes time. It takes effort. It takes patience. It takes faith.

But, it is not changing into some unattainable ideal. Rather, it is becoming the Real you. Doesn’t that sound worth it?

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If you are on my email list, you probably received a devotional the other day about releasing your past. I shared some key things God has taught me about the power of forgiveness to set us free from the pains of our past.

In the devotional, I mentioned that this journey of forgiveness is closely linked to our ability to TRUST God. I received an email from another student of God who agreed, and emphasized how important that word is -TRUST.

His email really got me thinking about TRUST, and it’s role in our entire relationship with God. I mean, if you really think about it, the foundation of every relationship that we will ever have in life is trust. And how much more so is it the foundation of our relationship with our Heavenly Daddy…or our lack of a relationship?

The Bible reminds us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Why? It says that in order to come to Him we must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Well, what is all of that in a nutshell? It’s TRUST.

Do we trust that He is really there? Do we trust that He is Who He says He is? Do we trust that it is His desire to reward us?

Or do we secretly question His motives and heart towards us? Do we have hidden blame or fear towards Him because of our past? Blame and fear that is causing us to question His intentions and doubt our future?

God promises that He has plans for us. Plans for good and not for evil. Plans to give us a future and a hope.

But, do we trust those plans? The BIG million dollar question: Do we trust His plans and vision for our lives more than we do our own?

And, do we trust His ability to bring those plans to pass in our daily life? Or, do we still think “If it’s to be it’s up to me!”

Are we still trying to force our way? Trying to force our will?

Do we wants God’s will…only if it lines up with our own? Or do we really TRUST that His will for our lives is always better and His plan always sweeter?

Yes, our God is a God Who answers prayer. But that does not mean we should become little Me Monsters running around trying to use prayer as a way to manipulate Him into bringing our will to pass.

I believe that one of the signs of true spiritual maturity is the ability to pray, like Jesus did, “not my will, Abba, but Your’s be done…” When we are able to totally trust God so much that we totally surrender our will to His, then we have moved from mere religion to a true, trusting relationship with Him.

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Read: Exodus 4:10, Exodus 6:12, 1 Kings 3:7

Today’s Scripture Focus:

Then the word of the Lord came to me [Jeremiah], saying, Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations^. Then said I, Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am only a youth. But the Lord said to me, Say not, I am only a youth; for you shall go to all to whom I shall send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. ~Jeremiah 1:4-6 (AMP)

I have to be totally honest with you – Without the help of the Holy Spirit, I can be a bit of a perfectionist. In fact, sometimes, no matter how hard I work at something or how much success I’m having, all I can see are my shortcomings and glaring imperfections.

But, praise God, that’s not what He sees when He looks at me. He’s not staring at my Pitfalls – He’s staring at my Potential!

And that’s exactly what He sees when He looks at you too!

Satan likes for us to get all hung up on what we think we can’t do. He wants us to be so focused on our flaws that they are all we can see. Why? Because if we are too busy looking at us, we will forget to stop, and look up at Jesus.

Our enemy wants us so wrapped up in the problem -Us – that we miss out on the solution – God.

You know, God showed me something a while back. In that passage that we just read in Jeremiah, God said “Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument].”

Before you were even created, God didn’t just know you – He approved of you. In all of your imperfections, the One who knows you better than anyone else on this earth approves of YOU.

Each of us has a special calling in Christ. Still, most Christians feel too unworthy and inadequate to even attempt the great things that God has for them to do.

But, God did not call you ignorant to your shortcomings. He was not surprised to find out that you stutter or that you’re afraid of speaking in public.

So, knowing your flaws, why would He chose you? Because He knew when He created you that He would be enough to cover them. He knew that, by His Spirit, you could do anything He had for you to do.

Now, if God approves of you, don’t you think it is time you finally approved of yourself? If He believes in you, isn’t it time you started believing in yourself?

Lord, Help each of us stop looking at our flaws,
and start looking at Your immense power working within us!

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