Do you know what gets me excited? Seeing God work. Yep. I LOVE to see God do His thing. His amazing, grave and love filled, life changing thing in the lives of His people!
Thank you all for your wonderful participation! Reading through the comments was as close as we will get to having a 'in person' discussion. So I encourage you to 'hear' what others are saying and then take it to God and have Him translate for you!
I pray that today we will open our hearts to Him. Allow Him to speak to each one of us very personally. Each one of us is in a different spot/season in our relationship with God. And friends those spots don't have points attached to them. One spot/season is NOT better than the other.
I have prayed for each one of you to come to Him today and receive a fresh perspective of who He is, who you are and allow that to enhance your relationship!
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The Creator, God, created the earth and all that is on it. He created it to be perfect.
We were created by God, and not just simply created, rather created in the very image of God!
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27
An image that He made and qualified as very good!
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Genesis 1:31(emphasis mine)
When God created the first people, Adam and Eve He created them to be in relationship with Him. They were created perfect. God gave them some guidelines to follow in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve enjoyed an intimate relationship with God, they talked with Him and lived with Him daily.
Created innocent and with free will. A free will that allowed them to choose sin, rebellion, captivity. A choice that allowed sin and death to enter the world and a separation between God and man.
Sin causes us to be separated and disconnected from God.
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked so I hid." Genesis 3:8-10 (emphasis mine)
**What do you fear about God?
**Are you afraid of a relationship with Him?
Fear is what keeps us from a relationship with God. We are afraid that we are not good enough or will not be able to keep up the standards He has for us. We can not work or earn our way into relationship with God. But please don’t be discouraged, because God had an amazing plan!
God desires to be in relationship with us. So much that He sent His Son to reconnect us with Himself. God has an unconditional love for us. He sent His Son for that very purpose! To destroy sin and death and eliminate the separation between us and God.
As God gave Adam and Eve free will, we also have the choice to accept Jesus and start a relationship with God. If we accept Jesus and the free gift then we are made acceptable and we can enter into relationship with God. The very purpose for which we were all created, to be in a love relationship with God! A love relationship that starts on earth and lasts for eternity.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
**Why are we afraid of a relationship with God?
** Why are we afraid of an intimate relationship with God?
Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning" Exodus 20:20
**Are you afraid He could ask you to....(move, quit your job, start a family, write a book, adopt a child, change jobs, become a missionary, start speaking)?
God wants us to follow Him out love not fear. To overcome this fear we must think more about His love.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38,39
May you know today that God loves you. He loves you unconditionally. And He desires to be in an intimate relationship with you.
Dear Father God please lead each one of us as we come into Your presence. Into Your presence seeking an intimate relationship with You. A relationship that is about truly knowing You! Please reveal to us what is keeping us captive from a deeper and more intimate relationship with You. We love You-Amen
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Grievances Covered By Grace
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10 comments:
Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Praise you Father for Nichole. Keep using her Lord. You are working here on this blog, and I so want to be apart of it! I am finding you and jumping in.
Nichole, my friend, you are so hitting the nail on the head. Keep following our loving Father and seeking Him. I am doing that on this end. For their is no better life than this.
These are beautiful words translated in a way that is very understable.
Love ya girlfriend! Praying for you and all who will be touched and spurred on through these posts.
Father, pour your wisdom down on Nichole right now. Keep using here. Speak to her, and through her. In Jesus Name. Amen.
THis has been on mind the past couple days...He is love is better than life!!!
In Him,
Nicole
You have given me a lot to think about. I feel that my relationship with God is better than it used to be but I don't feel I've reached the closeness my heart desires. He has done so much for me how can I not serve Him. I use to think there was not anything that I could do for my Lord, but after my fifth surgery on my neck, God showed me what I could do. (You can read my story on my blog).
I have learned that I do not have to let the enemy attach me in anyway and that I can take autority over him. As Jesus said we are to tell him to "flee in the name of Jesus" and he has to go.
Thanks for this study. My prayer is come away from this in a closer and deeper relationship with God. I want more than anything to be able to help others understand what I have learned.
From my heart to yours,
AliceE.
Sometimes I'm afraid to ask God for something I desire because I'm afraid of the way He may go about answering my prayer. For example, I'm afraid that in order to receive a certain blessing, He may decide to remove something else from my life that I love dearly.
I have to say, that absolutely adore my Father! I was raised a Christian, and I really could never ever remember not being a Christian...but, I never knew the part I was missing. I went to church, said prayers...but really did not seek him out totally in my life. A few years back a friend invited me to a Bible Study. This changed my life. Over a period of time I began seeking Him through His Word on a daily basis. I found that as I prayed to him He told me what to do. The first time it happened I was shocked that my awesome God would cared that much to answer an individual need. I began seeking his will for everything. Talking to Him throughout my day. Praising Him and offering thanks for everything. Appreciating HIS GLORY in things I once just took for granted. I feel so close to Him and I'm in love with Him like I absolutely never could imagine. Living to me, is all about having a relationship with Him. Allowing Him to fill us up with His Spirit, so it can flow out of us into our "other" relationships.
Thank you so much Nichole for taking us along in this journey! Your energy comes across the screen.
Ya'll enjoy the last day of April!
Lori - AZ
Nichole,
This is so very special & intimate.
I ask for much guidance & direction in a personal relationship w/ God.
I am not afraid but satan sure knows how to throw up roadblocks.
I love the adventure of fearing God more than man. I'm learning whatever He asks no matter how far out it sounds, He equips me. I'm loving His sweet surprises.
And yep, fear had me far from God for a long time. I knew I was doing things that were not pleasing to Him. I learned to fear Him in a legalistic church. I was a naughty girl..So glad I've learned He adopted me and loves me as is. Completely acceptable in His sight.
Funny...you quoted something I have been thinking on much recently...that perfect love drives out fear.
We are on an adventure right now in my family, one of unexpected changes and unknown frontiers. And I have to remind myself that there is nothing to fear. He is FOR me. He loves me. And His plans are always a million times better than mine...what with Him knowing everything and all that. ;)
Thanks for this reminder not to fear having relationship with Him and that He actually WANTS to be in relationship with us. I have to remember those things on the days I try to run from Him instead of to Him.
Love ya'! Have a great weekend!
k :)
Great post!
So glad that I stopped by today.
I am still so new to the land of blog, but so loving reading others stories.
Everyone has a story and so many of them are so touching....
My May give-away has started and this month there will be 10 winners. I will be blogging from Disney World soon. Stop by and see me.
Hi Nichole and friends,
I finally had the opportunity to read through the posts of this past week. Life is WAY TOO BUSY!
I must admit that fear of not being good enough kept me paralyzed in my relationship with God. He has done amazing things in me but every once in awhile those 'old' thought creep back in and I find myself feeling insecure again.
Thankfully those times are few and far between. God has taught me that we can NEVER be good enough or earn His love. He totally LOVES because we are His.
And to answer (my opioion) one of your questions: Is there a difference between religion and relationship? Yes, yes, yes!
I'm thankful that relationshipis REAL!!!
Looking forward to hearing many more Words of the Lord from you Nichole.
You are a blessing!
Cindy
Where do I begin? God is doing so much in my life lately. I am walking new paths that he has given me and he has removed me from my comfort zone. But I am so excited about what His plans are for me in this endeavor.
Thanks for sharing such wonderful verses! Hey friend, add me back to your side bar when you get a chance. :)
Sweet blessings,
Krista
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