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God’s love is so amazing. Why He did not wipe us out before now, is love incomprehensible. Would any of you be so patient?

God’s love is so amazing that He died for us. Then He wants a personal relationship with each one of us. He says we may talk to Him. He may hear all prayers, but He listens closely to His children. Then if the prayer is in our best interest and completely surrendered to Him, you can rest in His peace that He is doing what brings delight to both of you. God wants to help you. God delights in doing things for you.

God’s love keeps His throne room open to you. I have a piece on this site called, “Enter The Throne Room of God.” Although when your heart is right (always confess sin first), He will listen to you. I have seen Him answer prayer immediately with a quick four words. There is no limit put on our prayers. Just remember, not to pray selfishly, especially if it is for treasures to store upon the earth.

Jesus taught eternal truth that only believers could understand and accept. His parables withheld deeper truth from those who were merely curious or skeptical, both as an act of judgment and grace. He revealed that His unstoppable kingdom would encounter opposition but prevail and grow in ways that defy logic. Believers are to look different than the world as we show the goodness God has planted within us. The faithful minority who accept Him and join His kingdom cause will seek and find worth in this life that surpasses anything else. Christ’s love for and sacrifice on behalf of His children demonstrates their value to Him. While living in a physical world, spiritual realities matter. People who avoid or reject God and His truth in this life will enter eternity as God’s enemies — a frightful and final destiny.

God’s intimate and accurate assessment of every human heart assures that He knows His children by name. The warnings and encouragement contained in Jesus ‘ parables continue to speak today. This world cherishes what will rot, fade, and be destroyed. Only eternal treasure will remain. Jesus called His disciples and calls us to believe the truth and build our lives on His eternal realities. Like the disciples, we are to acknowledge and commit to what we do understand, which is enough to change our lives forever. Believers will experience abundant rich life now and spend eternity basking in the infinite truth and eternal worship of Jesus. This is the greatest treasure that can ever be known.*

This short study was taken from a Bible Study lesson from Bible Study Fellowship, Matthew Lesson 14, Page 149.

This bible study is worldwide. To find a group near you, go to bsf.org.

I was first introduced to BSF in the 1980s. They meet during the school year and do not meet when the children are off for holidays, breaks, and summer. Many have children’s programs. They are taught the same lesson as the adults but presented appropriately for each age group. Also, there are men’s classes.

Although I have been in this Bible study for years, (we go through the whole Bible) there is something new for me to learn in each lesson. One of the first things I learned, was how to allow the Holy Spirit to teach me and how important prayer is before I would begin each study.

Luke 13:19 “It is like a mustard seed which a man took and threw into his own garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”

A mustard seed is so very small, but it grows very large in just one season. It grows 12-15 feet. It is so large that birds nest in its branches. This is like the church and a Christian. Both start small and grow.

The gospel of Jesus Christ started with a few people and grew to many. Throughout the centuries, God’s Words remain and they enter into the hearts of people and change them for all eternity. These people make up the church through their faith in His words.

Their faith at the beginning is very small like a mustard seed but it is still enough to move mountains. Each day our faith is to grow by studying God’s Word. We must stay in His word so His/our enemies can not touch our minds and heart. We must continue our communication with God daily so we know our path daily, and the words we are to speak. It is through prayer that we activate our spiritual eyes, ears, and help in forming our words for each day.

Now we are to do all things in the will of God. Our prayers are to be prayed in the will of God. You can read my piece titled, “Enter the Throne Room of God”, to see a way that I do this.

I do believe it is alright to talk things over with God. In Genesis 18, Abraham was concerned for Lot’s family and others in Sodom and Gomorrah. So Abraham’s concerning character talked to God. God allowed this so Abraham would know that God was loving, holy. and justified in his actions in punishing the people. By destroying everyone, the sin stopped. No one in the future there had to suffer for an eternity. If there is an age of accountability, the young went into heaven and did not grow up committing the same sin and their children. It stopped.

So a mustard seed of faith will move mountains if it is the will of God. We must first ask God in faith. If we do not ask God, our mountains may not move. Read Matthew 7:7-11.

Our country is going through changes in just about every aspect of our Country’s Heritage. Also, one can watch the weather and see snow, heat, flooding rain, hurricanes,, tornadoes, and earthquakes all happening in a 24 hour period in our country (Matthew 24). I was not in shock because I knew this, but I felt something deeper in my heart. There was a physical ache and maybe grief. Beloved remember what I am about to write.

Yes, birth pains are being felt in our country and all over the world. The first way we can help our family and others we love is through prayer and obeying God at a moment’s notice.

Beloved, you were born at this time for a purpose. My purpose, the main one for this 85-year-old, is to be the Prayer Warrior for this family, He has been training me my whole life.

In the Book of Esther, God is not mentioned. But, only He can work behind the scenes in such a manner to save His people. The plot thickens with each chapter and then at the end God re…well, I will let you read it. Many would ask, “Where is God.”

In chapter 1, was it Satan whispering in Queen Vashti’s ear to bring about a vacancy or was it God pulling at her heart. No, she was not killed.

Let me make a side note here. Esther 1:13 talks of wise men. These men knew the Law for Moses and were astrologers. We are not to accept or read about astrology. All forms of astrology are not accepted by God.

In Esther 4 we see Mordecai trying to get Esther to accept the reality of the time. In verse 13 it stated, “And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for a time as this.

Read this book. Esther has only 10 chapters and some have as little as three verses. The book of Esther is full of intrigue. All the Jewish people were to be killed. God was in constant movement behind the scenes. If you want a true story to help develop your faith, Esther is the story.

When there is a change in your life, ask God, “What is the purpose.” What is your purpose in this time period? What is God preparing you to do? During this time, don’t let your eyes and heart set on negative things. Watch and see how God is working in the background for your family.

I wished I had written down how God had worked in the background for my family. Most of all the marvelous life-changing events will be lost. My children will not know about them. Maybe your’s will not be lost to your children.

My best friend sent me this question yesterday. “Why do I read the Bible? Is it to know about God or to know God?”

She then added, “A lot of times, I sit down to read His word, I’m reading to know about Him and not to get to know Him in a personal way. There’s nothing wrong with knowing about Him as He deserves, but I must know Him and have a growing relationship with Him. My heart was convicted.”

“Lord, forgive me for spending more time learning about you, and not as much time knowing You in a more personal way. I acknowledge that learning about you and not knowing You, keeps You at arm’s length so it is easier to choose not to change my ways. Knowing You and wanting to please You, will bring about the changes you desire in my life. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, painful though it may be. I need You, Lord, to help me in this area. In Jesus Name. Amen.”

Read Ephesians 1:17-23

Your whispers and thoughts are known to God by the Holy Spirit within you.

Today, most people forget about the Holy Spirit. He is the one that lives within you. He has the same attributes as the Father and Son. You carry the Holy Spirit wherever you go. He is with you and hears every word you speak. The Holy Spirit can grieve over the things you say and do (Eph.4:30). And when the Holy Spirit asks you to do something and you do not do it, that is disobedience and rebellion.

The Holy Spirit is the one that takes our prayer requests to Jesus, who sits at the right hand of God, who then discusses them with the Father. Romans 8:26-27 says, “And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should, But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words, and He who searches the heart knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”:

Blessed is the man who listens to Me, Watching daily at My gates, waiting at my doorpost. For he who finds Me, finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.

Beloved, if you want to be blessed by God, then you must spend time with Him. You can even be blessed by Him without saying a word. You can have a life knowing and touching His greatness. A heart bowed before Him can allow you to have the heart needed to just sit in His presence. But as His fullness becomes greater within you, it is harder to remain silent. Those few words of you adoring Him become as a perfume on His feet. All the while, your loving heart can bring God’s loving words into your heart. Listen for Him. Stay so your hearts can become one. The longer you sit with Him, the more of Him you take with you out into the world. Can others see that you have been with Jesus?

Let the children be happy. Teach them to fill their hearts with feelings of wonder and to be full of courage and hope. Nothing is more important than the sharing of this moment in time. Hold their kite strings, make their hearts sing, make their smiles shine.

Reflect the inner and outer beauty. Encourage them to be in less of a hurry. Love them each fleeting second. Try to have the patience of a saint, and the understanding of one, too. Admire them. Inspire them. And tell them in untold ways what they mean to you. By Douglas Pagels