Come (Part 2)
It seems the overriding message of the Old and New Testaments is
come.
God goes to great lengths to make sure we know He yearns for us to
come to Him.
“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’
And let the one who hears say, Come!’
Let the one who is thirsty come;
and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life”
(Revelation 22:17 NIV).
Yes, God desires for us to come to Him so He can forgive us and
make us righteous, but He also wants us to come to Him so He can
meet our needs.
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters”
(Isaiah 55:1 NIV).
He wants to refresh us, fill us and restore us.
“Come, let us sing to the LORD!” (Psalm 95:1 NLT)
When we come to Him, He also desires our praise and worship.
Think about the way you approach Him. Is it only with a list of
requests, or do you also adorn Him with praise?
“Come to me with your ears wide open” (Isaiah 55:3 NLT).
The above verse tells us God wants us to LISTEN. I confess it’s easy
for me to do most of the talking when I come to Him throughout the
day. I’m asking Him to teach me to come with my ears open. I want to
hear His voice more.
“Let us come to him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 95:2 NLT).
This year I’m determined to thank Him more. I don’t want to take the
little things for granted, because even the small things are blessings
from Him . . . the weather, the changing colors of the seasons, a call
from a friend, the soft fur of my dog in my lap . . . I want Him to know
I’m truly grateful for every blessing He brings my way.
“Come, let us worship and bow down” (Psalm 95:6 NLT).
And yes, He desires genuine worship from us when we come to Him.
This week, think about the variety of ways you come to the Father.
Determine to come to Him with open ears, gratitude, worship and
restoration this week.
Thoughts?
Please pray for me this weekend as I speak to ministers and mates
on the Joplin, MO district at their annual retreat.
Come
Throughout the Bible, God’s message is crystal clear: “Come.”
He so years for us to come to Him, that He repeats this invitation in a
variety of ways:
“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever
comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37 NIV).
The most important way we can come is for salvation. Have you
come to God for this most important gift you’ll ever receive?
“ ’Come now, let us reason together,’ says the LORD: ‘though your
sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are
red like crimson, they shall become like wool’ ” (Isaiah 1:18 ESV).
We can truly REJOICE in the fact that when God forgives our sins,
He completely cleanses us inside. As the above Scripture declares,
we become transformed from dirty sinners to cleansed children of
God.
“Come to me and I will give you rest”
Matthew 11:28 LB).
The above verse reflects our Father’s great care. He knows how easy
it is for us to become beaten down by the daily grind. He knows our
hearts are fragile. When we’re burdened, weary or confused, the best
thing we can do is go to God and allow Him to breathe comfort,
strength and renewal into our souls.
Ask the Holy Spirit to draw you to the Father not only on a daily basis
. . . but several times throughout your day! You’ll be amazed at the
difference this will make.
Thoughts?
I appreciate your prayers as I speak in Waxahachie, TX this
weekend.
It’s still not too late to sign up for the Susie Shellenberger Ministries
cruise to Alaska June 1-8. This will be an incredible way to come
away for the spiritual retreat and adventure you’re yearning for.
Contact my friend and travel agent, Carla Pryor, who can accept
passengers through mid-March: carlaray@aol.com
On What Are You Focused?
I’ve always admired those little “smart cars” and have longed to drive
one. They remind me of the old-fashioned bumper cars
I used to ride at the amusement park when I was a child.
So when a friend of mine got a smart car, I longingly looked inside,
admired it, and secretly wished I could get one.
I’ve often thought it would be really fun to own some land—
a few acres . . . or even one acre . . . a place where my dogs Obie
and Amos could just go crazy. When a friend of mine moved onto 40
acres and built a new home, I found myself wanting that as well.
I’ve wondered what it would be like to have a padded bank account
and be free from the concern of meticulous budgeting. And when my
friend’s husband got a promotion and began bringing in six figures,
I dreamed of what that would be like.
God tells us in Exodus 20:17 that we’re not to covet.
What exactly does it mean to covet?
According to the dictionary:
“to desire wrongfully, inordinately,
or without due regard for the rights of others.”
Although I wasn’t exactly coveting these things I’ve mentioned,
I’ve recently felt checked by the Holy Spirit about even desiring
things that others have, because it takes my focus off of God.
Jesus was having an all-important conversation with Peter.
He was actually pulling back the curtain to Peter’s future and
revealing the life, ministry and death Peter would experience.
But Peter, looking around, saw John and asked about him.
“Peter asked Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’ “
(John 21:21 New Living Translation)
It may be natural to compare our lives with others—
but it’s not God’s will. His desire is that we remain
clearly focused on Him.
I confess I sometimes look at the ministry someone else has
and wonder why the ministry God has given me doesn’t
look like that.
Or I wish I had a spiritual gift I see in another.
But God is teaching me to keep my eyes on Him and to be grateful
for the specific ministry He has given me.
Dear Jesus, help me to be grateful for what I have remain
solely focused on You.
Thoughts?
I’d appreciate your prayers as I speak in Sharpsburg, IN
this weekend.