Jan 25, 2009

Devotional - Spiritual hunger

Friends,

Although I was away from active blogging for the last 2 months, they were good times for me. Well, we did go through tough times - mild sickness, lots of travel, a little bit of bickering from my side due to not being at home as much as I wanted, some sudden travel plans by my company, loss of a loved one (my grandma). But It was a time when I was united again with my family and I did enjoy the happy Christmas season too. 

I am now away from home - on a business trip at the UK - and I miss the feeling of togetherness more than ever. One of my reflections in the last couple of days is, sometimes our lives can get too full of things - ourselves, our loved ones, our job, our leisure. This is a habit that we all need to be watching out for. As the hints of this seeming fullness appears, replace it with a spiritual hunger that starts with self emptying, spiritual hunger and a gradual replacement with our Lord's spirit. My life has probably been a little too full of trivia in the last few days - with precious little time spent with the word. And I realize that it's probably the most foolish thing since it leads me away from the path that the Lord plans for me - I get into a state where I cannot see or claim the blessings that he has planned for me. 

On that (long) note, here's a brief study on spiritual desire. 

Why do we desire the spirit ? 1Pe 2:2  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: The word always answers us - we need to grow  In faith, love, holiness, unto the full stature of Christ.

And what is the promise from our lord ? That we shall indeed be filled (Luk 6:21  Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. )

Do we need to be good to be filled ? No dear. That's not the way our lord works - Isa 55:1  Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. He reserves his blessings for the most low of us. He has reserved his blessings for me - the basest of all sinners. 

Yearn for the spirit - yearn for the gifts ; Yes ! Cry out to the lord that he may fill you therein. Pro 2:3  Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; Pro 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. Pro 2:6  For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 

Seek him , cry out to him , in faith , that he may reward you. Keep pressing to him - let it be a priority to you - beyond all your earthly and worldly bonds. Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

We press on to him for the ultimate prize that he has reserved for us. Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

Be genuine in your desire.. Be meek and listen to him .. Be part of (and BUILD!) a generation that seeks His face .. Wait on him all day that he may lead you in truth and salvation .. If you are weak in your heart, call on him and be steady in faith - He will strengthen you .. Seek him and we shall want of no good thing ever .. Do not be mindful of the evil and prosperous - we , the good, are called to be the inheritors of the earth  .. Delight to do his will - Know his will - imbibe his law and the message of salvation in your heart - hearken to his words .. deeply desire for him (remember the song - As the deer panteth for the water - be the deer that panteth for the fountain of living waters - Psa_42:1-11) Seek for him if you are going through the dark wilderness.. His right hand upholds you !! Open wide your mouth and He shall fill it .. Psa 86:11  Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. 
Psa 86:12  I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name forevermore. Delight not in the world , but find joy in his word ! Seek him and implore on him that you may not wander from his commandments...Psa 119:116  Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. 
Psa 119:117  Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually. 
 We shall surely not die - but live and declare His glorious works to the world! The lord loves they that love Him and those who seek Him early shall be satisfied. 
Hos 10:12  Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. 
Isa 55:6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 
Lam 3:25  The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 
Lam 3:26  It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. 
Deu 4:29  But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 
Thirst for His righteousness that we may be fulfilled. Joh 4:14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Joh 7:37  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. Rev 21:6  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Rev 21:7  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Stay way away from sin!!! for he warns us - (Rev 21:8)  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.)

Friends - I wish us the guidance and presence of the Lord that I so desire - and I pray for the infilling of the spirit that we may live with him for ever. 

God bless you

1 comment:

  1. Hi Thomas!
    Good to have you back online. I saw your Twitter link on BlogCatalog, so I added you to following. Stay in touch and God Bless! I got to get going, having an evening church service tonight.

    Scott

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