#walkinginthespirit – herbcotton.org

God Speaks – Hear The Word of God

The Wisdom of the Proverbs:

Proverbs 28:25-26 (NLT)

Greed causes fighting; trusting the LORD leads to prosperity.

Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.

The Encouragement of the Psalms:

Psalm 120:1 (NLT)

I took my troubles to the LORD; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.

The Hope of the Old Testament:

Psalm 120:2 (NLT)

Rescue me, O LORD, from liars and from all deceitful people.

The Gospel Message:

1 John 2:1-2 (NLT)

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.

He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

Observation:

My one-word goal for this year is LISTEN. Today I’m going to reflect upon the first word I heard at the start of my day.

Psalm 119:9 (AMP)

How shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed and keeping watch [on himself] according to Your word [conforming his life to it].

Five months ago I started writing a book. The idea to do this was a sermon I heard on June 21, 2017. The speaker challenged the listeners to write down a bucket list of your dreams for the future. I wrote over forty things on that list that night. The next day I selected one of the items to pursue. I decided to take the first step in fulfilling my dream to write a book. Five months later the book is currently in the production phase, which is forty-five days to publication.

The title of the book, “31 Days of Hearing God Speak – How Listening to God Speak can change Your Life.”

Oh, how sweet it is to trust in Jesus with your whole heart, and to walk in His steps all of the days of your life. Think about the words of this hymn as you walk with the Lord today and every day of your life in this world.

“I come to the garden alone,

While the dew is still on the roses,

And the voice I hear falling on my ear

The Son of God discloses.

? Refrain:

? And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

? And He tells me I am His own;

? And the joy we share as we tarry there,

? None other has ever known.” – – Charles Miles – Author

Prayer:

Father God, we, Your dearly beloved children, are so grateful for Your abiding love and presence in our lives. Father, we are so thankful that we don’t have to walk through this fallen world in our strength alone, but we can walk and live in Your presence all of the days of our life.

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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What Does Your Walk Reveal About You?

Text:

Proverbs 14:2 (ESV)

2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is devious in his ways despises him.

Observation:

The Proverbs provide nuggets of wisdom in bite size pieces. When we read these nuggets they remind us of people in the bible, people we know, and they remind us of our own life, and how we live day by day.

The wise person allows these words of wisdom to inform our talk and our walk before the Lord.

Today’s Proverb reminds us of how our walk in the world reflects our relationship with the Lord.

It may be interesting or entertaining to examine the walk of others. However, it is more profitable to examine our own walk, and align it with the walk of our Lord.

Allow the Word of God to be your mirror, and the Holy Spirit of God to be your empire; calling you in or out of the will of God.

Psalm 119:105 (ESV)

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I pray that as we examine our walk, and align our walk to Your word and will, that through obedience, our lives will be submitted to, and controlled by the Holy Spirit of God who lives in the hearts of Your children. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

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What Does It Take to Maintain Peace?

Text:

John 14:6 (HCSB)

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Observation:

The question posed in today’s title prompted me to launch today’s meditation, and prayer.

When we repent of our sins it involves changing the path that we walk. We are walking one way, and we turn and walk in the way that Jesus walks. However, the new life as a Christ follower is not without difficulty.

How do you overcome the ups and downs that come after you make that initial turn to the Jesus Way?

Jesus gives the answer in our focal verse for today. Notice that Jesus said, “I am the way”.

The way to maintain the peace of God in your life is to daily walk in the pathway of Jesus. Notice the lyrics of this song.

“We’ll walk in the light, beautiful light,

Come where the dew-drops of mercy are bright;

Shine all around us by day and by night,

Jesus, the light of the world.”

There is great peace that is always present when we walk in way of Jesus; when we abide, agree, and align our walk with His walk.

Psalm 119:165 (HCSB)

165 Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your instruction; nothing makes them stumble.

Prayer:

Father, O how wonderful it is to know that Jesus is the way that leads to the blessings that You give to Your people.

Father, lead and guide our lives so that we will have the will to walk in the Way; to walk in the light of Jesus.

Father, give us the strength to not grow weary as we learn to lean on Jesus with our whole life. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

My Souls Sings:

“I’m learning to lean, learning to lean,

Learning to lean on Jesus.

Finding more power than I’d ever dreamed,

I’m learning to lean on Jesus.”

Read more: Wanda Jackson – Learning To Lean Lyrics | MetroLyrics

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

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What To Do After You Pray

Text:

Colossians 4:2 (HCSB)

2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:5-6 (HCSB)

5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.

6 Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

Observation:

I have a reminder posted prominently before me in my prayer closet that reminds me of my one word goal for this year, which is the word “First”. The verse that I have to encourage me in that goal is this one.

Matthew 6:33 (HCSB)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

This morning I woke up and just opened my heart to receive a word from the Lord before beginning my day. The next thing I did was listen to the verse of the day on my iPad.

Another poster I have in front of me each morning has these 3 things:

Lord, help me.
Lord, guide me.
Lord, use me.

The verse of the day I listened to this morning was Colossians 4:5-6. After I prayed, I was prompted to think some more about this passage. My goal is to be alert for opportunities for God to use me for His purpose, and to guide me towards my purpose.

As I reflected upon today’s focal passage, I wrote these things down to remind me that knowing is not enough, that I must do these things.

Live wisely before everyone.
Make the most of every opportunity.
Be gracious when I speak.
Listen with the intent of understanding others.
Speak wisely and with kindness.

1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I need You. Father, they need You. Father, grant us the grace and mercy we need to be who You made us to be, and do what You tell us to do. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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Who Is Your Walking Partner?

Text:

Ephesians 2:10 (HCSB)

10 For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.

Observation:

Who should we walk with in our earthly journey? The Bible says in the Amplified Version this.

Galatians 5:16 (AMP)

16 But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).

The Apostle Paul gives us guidance and encouragement of how we should walk.

Ephesians 4:1-4 (HCSB)

1 Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received,

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love,

3 diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds ?us?.

4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling—

Prayer:

Father, I thank You for the promise that we have the divine presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit living in the hearts of Your people.

Father, help us to never forget that we don’t have to ever walk alone; that You are always with us. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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Are You Able to do All Things in Your Life?

Text:

Psalm 37:23 (NLT)

23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.

Philippians 4:13 (KJV)

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Observation:

The above two verses came together for me this morning in my first appointment of the day; my appointment with my heavenly Father.

I was talking with a friend at church Sunday morning, and the first verse came up, but neither of us could remember the chapter and verse. He came to me later and quoted the verse.

Then, this morning the second verse came up in my reading, and the Holy Spirit connected the two in my mind, and I begin to meditate upon them.

This verse from Philippians has two parts; our part, and God’s part. I notice that the verse from Psalm also has the same two parts.

The light bulb experience for me was the revelation that when God is directing my steps I can do all that He is leading me to do because He supplies the strength to do it.

Our delight comes when we take the next step that the Lord directs us to take. Then I coupled that with the verse from yesterday’s devotional.

Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)

5b For he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

I am encouraged and strengthened to know that God directs my steps, and that He supplies the strength that I need to do all things that He leads and directs me to do.

Additionally, He gives this ironclad guarantee, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”. If God is in it, there is nothing that He directs you to do that will be impossible for you to do.

Luke 1:37 (ESV)

37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I delight to sing Your praises at this good news from Your Word.

Father, I pray that You will open the eyes and ears of our hearts to receive it, and the faith to obey Your calling, and the directions You give us in our daily living.

Father, help us, by Your strength, to walk in faith, and to walk in the Spirit of God. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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Welcome Holy Spirit We Welcome You

Text:

Acts 1:4-5 (ESV)

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me;

5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Observation:

It’s so amazing how God works in the lives of His children. I have been thinking about the office work of the Holy Spirit, and I wrote this draft several weeks ago.

When I turned on my computer this morning I had a text message from my brother and friend that greets me every morning with a blessing. This morning the blessing mentioned the Holy Spirit. Then I scrolled through my draft documents, and found this message.

This is what I wrote one Sunday evening. I was listening to an album by George Beverly Shea, and he begin singing this song just as I completed pasting the scripture text to my document, “Welcome, Welcome”. Holy Spirit, you are welcomed in my heart.

This is the big idea I get from this reading and focusing on the text, and the illumination that the Holy Spirit revealed to my heart. I am convinced that the God who calls us for His purpose and His glory will give us the wisdom and the power to accomplish whatever He assigns our hearts to sense and our will to obey. It is true what Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Philippi.

Philippians 4:13 (ESV)

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

The child of God is the most powerful when he or she is weak, and is the most independent when dependent upon the power of the Holy Spirit. The triune God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are doing the heavy lifting. O, that my life was lived every day, and every hour in the power of the divine presence of God living in me.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name; the name that is above every name on earth and in heaven. Father, we give all the glory that is due to You because You are God all by yourself. Great is the Lord, and You are greatly to be praised.

Father, I thank You for the forever presence of the triune God in the lives of Your people. Father, I pray we will not fail the faith test; that we will believe, receive, and appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit as He does His office work in our lives. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Romans 8:9 (ESV)

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

—

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Members of Every Generation Are Valued

Text:

Acts 2:17 (NLT)

17 ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.

Observation:

The central truth in this passage should be the focus of our life, and the energy that empowers our worship and our work in doing the will God.

Notice this significant declaration of the Lord, “I will pour out my Spirit upon all people”.

The unfinished work of God is the building on earth of the kingdom of God; on earth as it is in heaven. That is the work of the church, and that work is the office work of the Holy Spirit who lives in the hearts of God’s people; the church.

The work of the church is the work of the young and the old; it combines the wisdom of the old with the energy and enthusiasm of the young. Let us come together, and complete this unfinished work, and usher in the return of the King of kings, and Lord of lords; His name is Jesus.

2 Peter 3:8-9 (HCSB)

8 Dear friends, don’t let this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

9 The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

What is the next step in knowing and doing the will of God?

Colossians 2:6 (HCSB)

6 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him,

1 Thessalonians 4:1 (NLT)

1 Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more.

Prayer:

Father, help us to learn how to live in these last days; the days between your ascension and the day of your second coming. Father, help us rely upon Your wisdom and strength.

Father, help us to never forget that You have given us everything we need to do Your will. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Psalm 23:1 (HCSB)

1 The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.

—

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