Psalm 66:18 & John 8:47 - Failure to communicate

The other day during a conference, a single friend of mine was pleasantly surprised to be seated next to a very handsome man. They flirted casually through dinner, then grew restless as the speeches were given. During one particularly long-winded lecture, the guy sitting nest to my friend drew a # sign on a cocktail napkin. Elated, she wrote down her phone number. He looked startled for a moment, then drew another # sign, this time adding an X to the upper-left-hand corner.

Sometimes we have a failure to communicate.

Psalm 66:18

If I had cherished sin in my heart,

      the Lord would not have listened;

John 8:47

Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Listening and hearing are the lock and key of communication. How do we know God is listening? Can I hear God when he is speaking to me? According to these scriptures, if there is sin in our heart, God will not listen and if we are not hearing him, we need to examine if we actually belong to God. Have we given his life to him? How about you? Do you belong to God? Have you repented and been baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and to receive the holy spirit? If not, please do so today.

Lord, thank you for offering us salvation, listening to us and allowing us to hear you. Please help those who have not decided to be your child to do so today. Amen.

  

1 Thessalonians 1:4 - Chosen

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you,

Chosen by God. What a powerful thought. God has chosen us to be his children. The following verse tells how we can know we have been chosen: "because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction." The gospel isn't something we have to convince ourselves is true, we can feel our conviction, it's power and the Holy Spirit living in our lives.

Lord, thank you for making us a part of your family. If we don't feel your power, Holy Spirit and deep conviction, help us to reevaluate our conversion story. Amen.

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Romans 6:4 - Wanna live a new life?

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

It is almost the new year! What better way to usher in 2016 than by committing to God, being baptized and starting a new life?

Lord, thank you for the opportunity to have a new life with you. Please allow me to be of assistance to anyone who is considering giving their life to you and be with those making the decision. Amen.

Romans 6:6-7 - No longer slaves to sin

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

If we are a Christian, baptized into Christ Jesus (v.3), our old self is dead. There is power in that thought. If we believe our sin rules over us, it will. If we say, "I can't help it" or "that is just the way I am" then the sin will probably continue even if we pray for it to be taken away. But if we take hold of the power of Christ's death and believe we to have been crucified, the old self is dead and we are no longer slaves to sin.

Lord, thank you for allowing us to be baptized into a new life. Please help us to take hold of the power of this "death" and no longer be slaves to sin. Amen.