Devotionals -February 3, 2012
Hearing God's Whispers to Me
A question for you: Have you slowed down enough lately, or been still enough to hear any of God’s whispers?
You don’t think He whispers? Oh, but He does! Read on to learn.
2011 had been a difficult year for us, and I spent a lot of my time too weary and full of pain to think, much less listen. But I kept on praying for God to heal me.
2012 crept in as we snoozed the time away. But some time after midnight I was returning from one of my bathroom visits, and as I stood at the head of my bed, I reached over and opened the curtains to see if there were any stars. I looked up and there was the big dipper just above me. And it was turned upside down! I caught my breath, for I sensed that my Father was whispering to me. It seemed that He was saying, “Rebecca, I’ve heard your petitions and have filled my dipper with streams of love and healing, and even now I am pouring them over you.”
I began to weep as tears of joy ran down my cheeks. What a blessing awaited Emory when I told him about my visit from God.
The next morning we were so busy getting ready for church that I didn’t take time to mention it. I’ll do it later, I thought. Then, just as we were ready to leave, he came charging through the front door. “ Rebecca, have you seen the sky? He pointed out the front window and I hurried to see. I caught my breath as I stared. The whole sky was covered in a layer of thick clouds, but it was almost as if a big hand had parted them to let the sunshine through. And it was making the most colorful, glorious rainbow, not so tall, but the widest I had ever seen. I caught my breath and whispered, “Noah’s rainbow! Gods promise that He would keep His word.”
Our Mighty, Loving, Heavenly Father was reinforcing His promise to me during the night, the dipper full of love and healing. So I related my experience of the night before, and we spent most of our New Year’s Day rejoicing over our circumstances.
And beloved, God is keeping His promises. I began to heal that very day, and I’ve improved daily ever since.
Psalm 46:10—Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen; I will be exalted in the earth.
If you don’t know this Mighty God, wouldn’t you like to?
--Rebecca Somoskey
The Secret of Believing Prayer
Andrew Murray
22And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” - Mark 11:22-24
Answer to prayer is one of the most wonderful lessons in all of Scripture. In many hearts it must raise the question, “How can I ever attain the faith that knows it receives everything it asks for?” It is this question our Lord will answer today.
Before He gave that wonderful promise to His disciples, Christ shows where faith in the answer to prayer originates and finds its strength. “Have faith in God.” This faith precedes the faith in the promise of an answer to prayer. The power to believe a promise depends entirely on faith in the promiser. Trust in the person engenders trust in what he says. We must live and associate with God in personal, loving communication. God Himself should be everything to us. His Holy Presence is revealed where our whole being is opened and exposed to His mighty influence. There the capacity for believing His promises will be developed.
The connection between faith in God and faith in His promise will become clear to us if we consider what faith really is. It is often compared to the hand or the mouth, by which we take and use what is given to us. But it is important that we understand that faith is also the ear by which we hear what is promised and the eye by which we see what is offered. The power to take depends on this. I must hear the person who gives me the promise because the very tone of his voice gives me courage to believe. I must see him because the light of his face melts all my qualms about my right to take. The value of a promise depends on the promiser. It is on my knowledge of what the promiser is that faith on the promise depends.
For this reason Jesus said, “Have faith in God,” before He gives the wonderful prayer promise. Let your eye be open to the living God. Through this eye we yield ourselves to God’s influence. Just allow it to enter and leave its impression on our minds. Believing God is simply looking at God and what He is, allowing Him to reveal His presence to us. Give Him time and completely yield to Him, receiving and rejoicing in His love. Faith is the eye through which the light of God’s presence and the vigor of His power stream into the soul.
Journal:
- Am I taking the time to see exactly what God promises in His Word?
- If I know some of His promises, am I having a hard time believing them? Why would that be?
Prayer: Father, increase my faith! Teach me to take time to wait and worship in Your holy presence until my faith absorbs everything there is. Let my faith see You as the Fountain of all life, working with almighty strength to accomplish Your will in the world and in me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.