JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Faith-Building Verse is Psalm 46:10.
God’s Word speaks to us with this counsel- “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
The key to a confident faith is time spent with Jesus. Worship is a way of life that includes time alone with God-away from the noise of the day. We have many gadgets that can speak into our lives, and some of the content in our podcasts, broadcasts, and telecasts can be quite edifying. But there are no substitutes for intimate moments with God where we meditate on His Word and seek His face.
Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Finding a specific solitary place to be with God on a regular basis is an extraordinary step to shutting out distractions so that we can fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
This Faith-Building Verse inspires us to be still and know the LORD in the Year of Relationship.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – From Mark 1:35.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
As we look at the life of Christ, we see His consistent devotion to the Father. He prayed regularly. Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray. Consistent prayer is an opportunity that God has provided for us to pour out the concerns of our heart, praise Him for His attributes, intercede on behalf of others, and confess our sins to Him.
Prayer keeps the communication lines open with God, where we not only speak to Him, but He also speaks to us through the counsel of His Word. As we commit our lives to Him with a trusting heart, He directs our path.
As Jesus was praying in a solitary place, Simon and his companions went to look for him. When they found him, they exclaimed, “everyone is looking for you.” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else.” He was not driven by man’s agenda, but rather the will of His Father. After spending time with the Father, He was in tune with the Father’s plans for his day ahead.
Consistent prayer in a quiet place is a vital sign of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
