How to Welcome God’s Word into My Heart

In review of Hebrews 2:1 it says,  “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” (NIV)

I am being reminded to pay attention to the truth I've heard, so that I won't drift away into false teachings. Paying careful attention is hard work. It involves focusing my mind, body, and senses. Listening to Christ means not merely hearing but also obeying. I must listen carefully and be ready to carry out his instructions.

The Bible is one of God’s great gifts to me. But a closed Bible is worthless. To reap the benefits, I have to get its truths into my life.

One way I can do that is by receiving God’s Word with an attentive, open heart. Jesus says, “Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root . . . Therefore consider carefully how you listen” (Luke 8:13, 18 NIV).

In this Scripture, the word “receive” comes from the Greek word dechomai, which literally means “to welcome.” I can welcome God’s Word like a generous host would welcome a stranger.

But that verse includes a caution, too. I need to be careful of how I listen to God’s Word. Receive it with an open, teachable attitude.

It’s more than just hearing. We all have heard someone without really listening. It’s possible that as I’m reading this devotional today, I’m reading the words but not listening to the message; while my eyes are reading, my mind may be a million miles away.

Scripture says that I should “receive” God’s Word. This is much like a Wi-Fi connection. When I have a strong connection, I can download things quickly and smoothly; when I don’t, my device might never display what I need.

God’s Word is the same way. Sometimes I don’t have a strong connection. That keeps me from really receiving God’s Word.

Sometimes I have a poor connection to the Bible because I’m just not paying attention. Other times it might be because something’s blocking that connection, maybe my relationship with God or another person is off. I need to get my relationships in order. Then I’ll find I have a stronger connection to God’s Word, and God will be able to use it to speak to me.

Hebrews 2:1 says, “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away” (NIV).

How can I hold on to God’s Word instead of letting it drift away? One way is by taking notes. Choose a part of this devotion that God uses to speak to me and write it on a note in my phone or in a journal.

How will I know when you’re receiving God’s Word with an open, attentive heart? I’ll start to see my life being changed. Acts 2:41 says, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day” (NIV).

In summary, pay careful attention to what I've heard, so that I don't drift away. This involves focusing my mind, body, and senses. Listening to Christ means not merely hearing, but also obeying. I must listen carefully and be ready to carry out his instructions. To reap any benefit, I need to get it's truths into my life. I need to receive it with an open and teachable attitude. It's more than hearing, it's receiving. Be careful of those things that might be blocking my reception, such as focus and other times there is something in a relationship with another that is not clear. Furthermore, I can hold onto God's Word by taking notes. I'll ultimately know when I truly receive God's Word when I see my life changed by it.

Father, thank you for helping me to prepare to listen, hear and obey you. I pray through the help of the Holy Spirit that you guide my times with you, making them attentive to what you want to tell me or things I need to do. I ask you today also for your wisdom and guidance for my day, my task, my leadership and my interactions with others. May they be filled with grace that you show me. I pray these things in your Son Jesus name, Amen.

When I Call on God, He Will Answer

In review of Romans 10:13 it says, “Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (TLB).

Today’s verse comes from the last part of Romans 10:5-13 which says, the law's way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. But faith's way of getting right with God says, "the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart." If I openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead, I will be saved. For it is by believing in my heart that I am made right with God, and it is by openly declaring my faith that I am saved. As the Scriptures tell me, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced." Jew and Gentile are the same in the respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

In order for me to be saved by the law, I would have to live a perfect life, not sinning once. So why was a law given that I could never ever accomplish? The reason the law was given was to show me how guilty I am. The law was a shadow of Christ, that it, a sacrificial system that educated us so that when the true sacrifice came, we would be able to understand his work. The system of ceremonial law was only to last until the coming of Christ. The Law points to my need for a Savior.

Christ provided my salvation through his incarnation (God in human for) and resurrection. God's salvation is right in front of me. He will come to me whenever I’m in need. All I need to do is to respond and accept his gift of salvation.

Salvation is as close as my own lips and heart: We would think that it must be a complicated process, but it is not. When I believed in my heart and said with my mouth that Christ is the risen Lord, I was saved.

If I’m finding myself at a place where I need to be rescued, all I need to do is to call out for help. It doesn’t take a special phone or a bat-signal. All I have to do is ask and Jesus will rescue me. I can ask him to rescue you in any area of my life: my work life, a relationship, a financial situation, a health issue, anything. But I have to ask!

In Psalm 91:15, God says, “When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them” (NLT). This is not just talk, because God doesn’t lie. It would be contrary to his character because he is total truth.

I reminded that God says I need to do my part and then he’ll do his. I call, he answers. That’s it. Just call on the name of the Lord. And the name of the Lord is Jesus.

It’s vital to understand that in any rescue operation, the rescuer gets to determine the means and method of the rescue. I don’t get to determine how I’m saved. It’s not up to me; it’s up to my Savior. And Jesus says, “I am the way . . . No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).

Jesus doesn’t say he’s a good way or a nice way or even the best way. He says, “I’m it.” If there were a plan B, God wouldn’t have sent Jesus, his plan A, to Earth to die for me. So if I’m going to be saved and have all my sins forgiven, there’s only one way it will happen, and there’s only one person I can call on: Jesus.

Bottom Line:

Anyone who calls upon the Lord will be saved.

What does this mean to me:

When I Call on the name of the Lord, He answers and provides.

In summary, the law's way of making me right, requires 100% obedience to it. This is impossible, however if I openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead, I will be saved. For when I call on the name of the Lord I will be saved. He will come to me whenever I'm in need. All I need to do is to respond and accept his gift of salvation. When I find myself in a place where I need rescue, I can ask him to do so, and this can be any area of my life. But first, I have to ask! I need to do my part and then he'll do his. I call, he answers. I must remember however that how I'm rescued is up the rescuer and not me how it’s done. It's all up to him.

This morning Father I thank you for saving me. There is nothing I can do on my own. It’s up to you, and you give me this gift by my confession of Jesus and how you raised him from the dead. You have promised to answer me and provide when I call on your name. So Father pray, “for focus today on those things that are extremely important, not only at work, but in my relationships with my wife, daughter, son-in-law and grandson. Allow me to handle rightly the urgent things that need to be done, while continuing to identify and work on those things that are important. Give me the right words to work with those around me and respond rightly. It’s in your Son Jesus name, Amen!”

Asking and Receiving

In review of Matthew 7:8 it says, “Everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

Bottom Line:

Ask and receive, seek and find, knock and the door will be opened.

What this means to me:

If I ask, I will receive. If I seek, I will find. It only I would knock, then the door would be opened for me.

Today's passage comes from Matthew chapter 7, where Jesus teaches about asking, looking, and knocking. He tells me to keep on asking, and I will receive what I ask for. If I keep on seeking, I will find. If I keep knocking the door will be opened for me. As a parent myself, if my daughter asked me for bread, would I give her a stone instead. Even myself, a sinner, knows how to give good gifts, how much more would my heavenly Father give good gifts to me when I ask.

I’m also reminded that If my daughter had asked for something that was poisonous, would I have granted or given it? I must remember in my life that God knows what is good and what is poisonous in my life and he won't give me some that is bad for me even though I may persist in my prayers for it. As I learn to know God better as a loving Father, I learn more on how to ask for what is good for me.

Today’s verse also reminds me that I should never give up pursuing God and the things he desires of me. Knowing God takes faith, focus, and follow-through, and Jesus assured me that If I do, I'll be rewarded. I need to continue to ask him for more knowledge, patience, wisdom, love, and understanding. If I ask, He will provide them.

If I seek Him, I will find Him. If I ask, He will answer. However, it doesn’t mean that I’ll like the answer, but He will answer. He has endless resource and can touch my life so completely I will almost forget I even had a problem.

I’m truly favored. I get to live a life of blessing because Jesus my Savior redeemed me at the cross. This is not just for me, but for all who accept Him are adopted as sons and daughters of the living God. We are granted instant access to the Father. I can enter into His presence with just a few words.

This instant access means that I can have the best of Him, even in the worst of times. He wants to fight my battles and see me prosper in good times and in bad, even as my soul prospers. He is the God who cannot fail, no matter how grim the circumstances. If I follow His plan for my life, He will fulfill me richly.

On a separate note, today’s review is another great assurance for me as I wait for a decision about a potential work environment change. In it, I reconfirm my understanding that God knows what’s best for me and for what He wants to accomplish through me. While it may be a disappointment, I have assurance that God is doing what is best for me and for what He desires from me.

God’s Promises For Giving

In review of Luke 6:38 it says, “Give, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands — more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.”

Bottom Line:

Give and you will receive back. The way you treat others will determine how you are treated or given back to.

What this means to me:

As I give, I will receive. Often I will be given so much more in return. For the way and manner in which I give and the way I treat others, will be the way I’m treated or given to. For the measure I use, is how it will be measured to me.

In God’s Kingdom, planting generously will reap a great harvest!

What I’m learning is that to plant generously in faith, I should keep in mind two promises of Jesus.

First, Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands — more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you” (ICB).

The way I give to others is the way God will give to me. I should learn to be generous in planting seeds in this life in order to harvest in the next.

Second, in Mark 10:29-30 Jesus provides a guarantee about anything I give up for his sake. He says, “There is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time … and in the age to come eternal life” (ESV).   

God is saying that anything that I give up for his sake, anything I sacrifice for his Kingdom will be returned a hundredfold.

If I can believe that Jesus will save me and take me to heaven with him when I believe him, why wouldn’t I trust God with my finances. It makes sense to trust him for both and to start to plant generously in faith, so that I can reap a harvest later.

In summary, as I give, I will receive. In return I will be given so much more. For the way and manner in which I give and the way I treat others, will be the way I’m treated or given to.