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Tested By Praise

By Steve T. on March 15, 2011

The longer and closer we walk with God, the more we realize how He uses every opportunity to shape and mold us – to chip, file, and sand the rough edges – as we are gradually “conformed to the likeness of His Son” (Romans 8:29). This is His desire for everyone who trusts in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin.

We often learn through personal experience how our trials are used to teach us valuable lessons and refine us into Children of God with the character of Christ; “the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:3). Our trials teach us to persevere in the faith and to trust God with all our heart. But a more subtle refinement of our character occurs as we receive praise for who we are or for what we’ve accomplished.

Proverbs 27:21
“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.”

This isn’t simply referring to how we verbally respond to a compliment; rather, it is the response of our heart which reveals our true belief and submission. God is the sovereign Creator and Lord of ALL! All our abilities and gifts were given by Him. He deserves ALL the praise and maintains the right to redirect us as He chooses. Our motivation must be our love for God and our desire to serve Him through all we do – it must never be driven by the praises of man.

The praise we receive from others is not an indication of God’s approval nor a valid measure of success. We take far too much ownership of accomplishments and most often we simply forget: “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).

Every step of our journey must be established by God and accomplished in His strength. Every day there are those who refuse to turn to God because they fear the loss of status and praise; “they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God” (John 12:42-43). And every day there are those who are diverted in their walk because of a gluttonous desire to feed their pride-filled ego. Unrestrained pride will always choke our relationship with Jesus.

As we are transformed, we WILL begin to accomplish His work; “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10). But as praises come for the work we accomplish, we must present them to God for His approval and guidance. He may return the praise as a Heavenly blessing, but He may also dismiss it as an unnecessary distraction and ask us to walk in a new direction. Either way, we must continue to serve with an obedient and loving heart. Let’s be determined to never lose our focus as a result of being refined and tested by praise.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Sow To Please The Spirit

By Steve T. on March 15, 2011

In the spring, a farmer prepares the soil, plants the seed, and waits several days for the first signs of life. Many weeks pass before a few inches of growth occur and several months go by before it’s time to harvest. Much hard work and patience go into reaping a bountiful crop.

The soil of our spiritual field is rich, full of nutrients and moisture; and whether we realize it or not, we are working hard and planting in our field every single day. Let me say that again: Every day as we go out into the world we are planting into our spiritual field. Anything we plant is going to grow and produce a harvest according to what we have planted.

Galatians 6:7-9
“A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Every day we are given the opportunity to go into the field and plant new seed; “His compassions never fail, they are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23). We are also given the choice of which seed to plant. Seeds of faith and forgiveness are essential for our eternal survival. Seeds of hope and trust are necessary for a life of peace and contentment. And seeds of love, purity, worship and praise are the seeds which will make our fields beautiful – a fragrant offering to the Lord.

But there is another type of seed – the seeds of lies and deception, of worldly passions and self exaltation. Unfortunately, once these seeds are planted, they can grow faster and stronger than all competing plants. If allowed to grow, these sinful seeds will rise up to dominate the field and choke everything which draws us closer to God; “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature” (Luke 8:14).

Today is a new day with a new opportunity to plant. We must not grow weary of planting that which draws us closer to God; “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think of such things” (Philippians 4:8). Today, we WILL plant – so let’s plant wisely!

Let’s sow seed which glorifies our Heavenly Father and honors Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior; and let’s nurture our field with an unending love. Let’s sow the seeds of a bountiful harvest which is free of weeds as we daily abandon the sinful nature and sow to please the Spirit.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Desires of Our Heart

By Steve T. on March 15, 2011

We often talk about the gift of Salvation as a transformation of the heart. Jesus came to give us eternal life through faith in Him and His sacrifice on the cross. His death established a new covenant for all who would come to Him in faith; “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sin” (Matthew 26:28).

When we enter into this covenant we are transformed; “I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). This is the same transformation referred to by Paul: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is also referred to as the “circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit” (Romans 2:29).

As we continue our walk with God – as we continue our journey with a new and transformed heart – we begin a process of being “conformed to the likeness of His Son” (Romans 8:29). This transformation, which begins in our heart, continues for all the rest of our days. We may call this process growth or maturity, but the result is a heart which is becoming more and more like Jesus.

Psalm 37:4
“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

This verse is sometimes misinterpreted to say that God has promised to fulfill all our current desires. There are people all over the world thinking that if they “pursue” God, they will receive an increase in their financial status – a better job, a nicer car, or a bigger home. This is a sad misapplication of scripture! When we are far from God, our heart is full of worldly desires. Apart from God, we will spend a lifetime trying to fulfill these desires only to find we are never satisfied or content.

But God says we need not spend our life chasing these unfulfilling desires. As we are diligent to draw close to God, learn of His ways, and become obedient to His commands, He gives us new desires – the desires of Jesus. As we love the Lord with all our heart, our current desires are replaced with something infinitely better. The single desire of Jesus was to glorify His Father by completing the work He was given to do (John 17:4). Jesus was content beyond our comprehension because He was truly one with His Heavenly Father!

The wonderful blessing from God is that as we delight in Him, He transforms our desires and also gives us the ability to fulfill these desires. This is the only way we will ever find true contentment and peace. Let’s learn to live each moment delighting in our Lord. Let’s allow Him to continue the transformation by giving us, and then teaching us how to satisfy, the desires of our heart.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Prevent The Sparks

By Steve T. on March 2, 2011

Every year, sparks from hot campfires or careless matches start fires which consume millions of trees in beautiful forests. Once begun, these fires move unrelentingly through hills and valleys – nothing is safe from the fury of the flames.

Every year, sparks from hot tempers or careless words start fires which consume millions of lives in beautiful relationships. Once begun, these fires move unrelentingly through self-esteem and trust – nothing is safe from the fury of the tongue.

James 3:5-6
“Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.”

Our tongue has incredible power to build up and encourage, as well as tear down and destroy. And though our sins are eternally forgiven when we place our trust in Jesus, the day will come when our careless words are revealed and we see the full extent of the damage we’ve done; “men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken” (Matthew 12:36).

I confess that I often dread the day when I must account for every careless word. There are indeed many. Perhaps the purpose of that day is to permanently etch in our soul a full appreciation for God’s love. Even with all my careless words, He loves me and wants to spend eternity with me in fellowship. Amazing! But how I long for better control.

David prayed that God would “set a guard over my mouth and keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalms 141:3). While this is a wise prayer, our lips must be seen as an absolute last line of defense – once our words escape they can almost never be fully recovered. We must strive to control the sparks at the true source; “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).

If our heart is filled with the ways of the world, our mouth will naturally speak the world’s wisdom which is “foolishness in God’s sight” (1 Corinthians 3:19). Rather, we must fill our heart with the ways of God and allow our mouth to overflow with His love; “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Psalms 119:11).

Have we been the cause of some raging fires or smoldering embers? If so, we must pray for healing and believe that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). We must fill our heart with the power of His Word and “not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths” (Ephesians 4:29). Let’s stop the destructive fires. Let’s begin today to fill our heart with His Word and prevent the sparks.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Teach The World His Grace

By Steve T. on March 2, 2011

When Jesus was asked to name the greatest commandment, He said; “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Jesus clearly said the most important thing we can do in this life is to love God with absolutely every part of our being. But Jesus immediately added, “the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39).

After our love for God, we are called to love others with a love which flows from the love of Christ. At the end of His ministry, on the night before He was crucified, Jesus set a new standard for our love.

John 13:34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Love for others had always been important, but Jesus called the command “new” and changed the standard from the way we love ourselves to the way He loved us. Why is this significant?

Jesus came into the world with the single purpose of dying for the forgiveness of our sin so we could be restored to a right relationship with God – this is true love; “God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son…” (John 3:16). We didn’t do ANYTHING to deserve this love. While we were completely lost in a world of sin, God looked down on us, and loved: “God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

This degree of love, poured out for those who are utterly undeserving, is the definition of God’s grace. Peter said we are saved by this undeserved love; “it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved” (Acts 15:11). Paul said the same in many different ways: “{We} are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24), and, “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). God’s love is demonstrated through grace!

The concept of grace is essential in beginning our relationship with God as well as continuing with every step of our journey along His path. But, try as we might, we can never adequately convey the meaning of God’s grace with words. We must continue to proclaim His truth through spoken and written words, but in this important area of God’s grace, we are given a “new command” to teach through our actions – to teach through our love.

We have been given an incredible gift! We are given a gift we can never repay, but a gift we must share. The world is in great need! It’s lost and desperate to know the grace of our Lord and Savior. Let’s pour out love to those around us in the same manner it was poured out on us – undeserved and without restraint! Let’s live out Jesus’ new command and, through love, teach the world His grace.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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An Unsearchable Love

By Steve T. on March 2, 2011

As I look back through the Scriptural account of history, I can see how God sent His Son to be born in a manger, grow and live among us, and die for our sins upon a cross. I can clearly see how the sacrifice of Jesus allows us, through faith, to enter into God’s presence. I can even see the purpose of His humble birth as an example of humility and service. But what I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand is why. Oh, sure, I know the reason is love; “For God so loved the world that He gave…” (John 3:16), but I seriously doubt I’ll ever understand the amount of love required to sacrifice so much – the amount of love He had (and has)…for me!

Paul wrote to the Romans with the intent of setting foundational beliefs for the church. In this letter, Paul presented the greatest amount of teaching found anywhere in the Bible. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote on topics ranging from sin and judgement, to faith and Salvation; from the purpose of the Law and life through the Spirit, to the sovereignty of God and the future of Israel. But toward the end of the letter, Paul paused and wrote a short prayer of praise and glory.

Romans 11:33-36
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay Him? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.”

We get the feeling that Paul reviewed the first portion of his letter and just couldn’t continue without praising the Lord. Paul had wrestled through many difficult issues and learned a valuable lesson: God is God, and sometimes this simple truth defies understanding.

God has a perfect plan where every piece fits neatly together; but there are many connections my finite mind fails to comprehend. I can’t always see the purpose of my trials or the lessons I’m to learn, and I get frustrated with His timing (I want to know His plan, now!). But I know His love gave everything; “He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8). I may not fully understand this love, but the little I know is enough to create a desire to live a life of devotion and faith. One day, all His mysteries will be perfectly revealed. Until then I will simply continue to worship and trust.

We may never fully understand, but I pray we are all drawn a little closer today. If you have never experienced His love, I pray that you will release your heart into His care. If you’re feeling unloved by the world, I pray you will look to Him and see a Father who gave His Son so He could hold you for all eternity. He is an unsearchable God who is glorified by pouring out, for you, an unsearchable love.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Live in His Presence

By Steve T. on March 1, 2011

In the message “Enter His Sanctuary” we saw how the seemingly complex and confusing portions of our life are most often made clear as we open the door of our heart and enter His sanctuary. His ways are much higher than ours, “as the heavens are higher than the earth” (Isaiah 55:9), and His true purpose cannot be understood without a heart dedicated to glorifying Him in worship.

We are called to a life of worship; and though we use the phrase “enter His sanctuary,” I pray it comes as no surprise that the presence of God is not confined within the walls of our church buildings. We do not call Him “down” to join us as we sing our songs, and He is not any closer because of the outward expression of our worship.

Matthew 28:20
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

One of the last promises Jesus made was, though He was returning to the Father, He would always remain with us…to the very end! The presence of God is with us right now! He is as near in our most decorated centers of worship as He is when we are on the bus or alone in our car; “never will I leave you” (Hebrews 13:5).

One of the great blessings most believers miss today is that our Heavenly Father is much closer than we realize: “If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast” (Psalm 139:8-10). He is VERY near, and His great desire is that we would join Him in an intimate and worshipful fellowship in whatever circumstances our day may bring.

We fellowship with our Creator by continually communing with Him throughout the day, whether in deep prayer or simple conversation. We must present EVERY thought, word, and deed at His feet as our absolute best offering of love. When impure thoughts or our deceitful tongue pulls us away, we should immediately turn, ask His forgiveness, and return to His presence. As impossible as this may seem, this is the worship God desires – and the worship He deserves. We ought to adopt this as our lifestyle today and continue until He takes us home.

His presence is available to every believer! Some jobs or home environments may pose a challenge, but He has promised to be with those who desire to walk with Him, regardless of the circumstances. Let’s be determined to bring Him glory and honor, and love Him through ALL we do, say, and think. Let’s be determined that for all our remaining days we will worship and live in His presence.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Enter His Sanctuary

By Steve T. on March 1, 2011

In the last several messages we’ve considered the importance of seeking God and loving Him with ALL our heart. This is an important issue with regard to our Salvation and the eternally restored relationship to which we’ve been called. But it’s also critical to how we view the world around us and function in our day to day activities.

The author of Psalm 73 wrote with words of frustration about the things he saw in the world. He couldn’t understand how the wicked could be so carefree and yet so successful; “For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:3). He felt he may have even wasted his time in maintaining Godly values; “Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence” (Psalm 73:13). He kept searching for answers, but found none until he returned to worship in the presence of God.

Psalm 73:16-17
“When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me – till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood.”

Many issues in our life simply cannot be resolved through our human understanding and reasoning. We often try to make sense of events in the world, or in our particular situation, only to discover there are no easy answers or solutions. But no matter how confusing our life may become, we must always remember we are a child of God – a child of the Creator of the Universe! “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth” (Psalm 36:6).

Our Heavenly Father does not function according to a set of human rules. He is not confined by time or space, and He’s certainly not guided by our set of values; “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways” (Isaiah 55:9). We must give God all of our mind as we seek to understand Him through His Word and study how He has moved throughout history; but we must also give Him all of our heart as we worship Him despite what we see, think, or feel. Only in the sanctuary of worship will we begin to truly understand.

We must come to our Heavenly Father with a heart-felt belief that being in His presence is more important than anything else in the world; “Whom have I in Heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You” (Psalm 73:25). This type of passion allows us to draw near and begin to see the disconnected pieces of our life fit neatly into God’s perfect plan.

Let’s return to the place where He is everything we desire and all we really need. Let’s worship Him with all our heart and begin to understand His wonderful plan for our life. Let’s once and for all open the door and enter His sanctuary!

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Full Measure of Our Heart

By Steve T. on March 1, 2011

In the message “He Will Be Found” we saw that God promises to be found by those who will seek Him. But the qualifier is that He will be found by those who seek Him with ALL their heart; “you will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

The consistent message through all of God’s Word is that He is calling us back to a restored relationship with Himself – a relationship which is only possible through faith in Jesus. We enter in by His loving grace, but His expectation for this relationship is that, through faith, we give Him ALL of our heart.

If we desire this restored relationship with God – if we desire to truly “find” Him – then our heart must be fully devoted to Him; there can be no rivals or competing affections which pull us away. When Jesus was asked to name the most important commandment, He replied; “Love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). All means ALL – no cheating or deceiving!

Our Heavenly Father deserves that we give Him our love honestly and completely; “You must have accurate and honest weights and measures. For the Lord detests anyone who deals dishonestly” (Deuteronomy 25:15-16). It’s foolish to think we can cheat God and withhold even a small portion of our heart, for in doing so we ultimately cheat ourselves.

Luke 6:38
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

God has promised to bless those who come to Him with a true and uncompromising faith in Jesus. His blessings include the right to be called children of God, as well as the inheritance of eternal life. But His blessings also extends to our days on earth as we receive the gifts of true joy, peace, and contentment.

When we understand the concept of true blessings, it should not be surprising that the measure we receive from God is directly related to the measure we use to give back to Him. Our blessings graciously flow as we give Him our worship and obedience; as we desire to walk in His presence and praise Him with every breath. But blessings are never earned through what we give or desire, they are always a gracious gift from God.

Our dealings with God become dishonest and deceitful when we expect a full measure of His blessing of peace, clear direction, or even assurance and freedom from doubt, and yet we cheat Him with every measure we return. Let’s be restored and truly receive the full measure of His blessing. Let’s enter into His presence and, each and every day, give Him the full measure of our heart.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Update on My Baby Sister

By Steve T. on February 19, 2011

It’s been over a month since I’ve written about my baby sister. Many people continue to write to let me know they are praying and to ask for updates. Thanks so very much for your prayers!

For the sake of the new people on this list, let me give some history.

In the early part of November, my sister was driving home from work and became disoriented. She called her husband and they decided to go to the hospital. On the way to the hospital she had a seizure and tests revealed she has an advanced stage of glioma brain cancer. My sister is living in Australia with three young children and her husband who is a member of the US Army. Naturally this was quite a shock.

When I sent out my original message in November I received over three thousand replies saying how you were praying. This was, and continues to be, such a blessing!

I traveled to Australia after Christmas and had a wonderful visit. My sister has had two brain surgeries to remove some of the cancer, and while I was visiting she began chemo-therapy and radiation treatments. These treatments were difficult and made her weak and quite nauseous. By the time I left Australia on January 8th I was concerned that she may soon be unable to get out of bed. However, God had other plans.

The decision was made to take a break from treatments and this really allowed her to regain some strength. The family was able to take a trip to the beach which they had planned since early last year. She spent several hours sitting on the beach watching her kids play in the water. She has also been able to attend several of the kids baseball games – as in the attached picture.

Radiation treatments resumed this week. This process is difficult as her immune system is very low and she needs to receive regular transfusions. However, I just found out that on Valentine’s Day she called her husband and informed him that he was taking her out to dinner; this is actually very good news!

The cancer continues to grow but the rate of growth has definitely slowed. The family has had to make many difficult adjustments but God has shown Himself to be exceptionally faithful. Within the immediate family, as well as extended family all across the U.S., there is a strong sense that although we never know what the future might hold, we definitely know Who holds the future.

Thank you so much for your prayers. It means more than you may ever know. I will send out another update as the situation changes, but please know that there is peace within the family and a strong sense of being in the Hand of God.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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He Will Be Found

By Steve T. on February 19, 2011

In the message “The Cry of Our Heart” we saw how the Psalm writer longed to be close to God; “my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Psalm 84:2). The writer knew his heart would only be satisfied by being in the presence of God; but unfortunately, not many of the children of Israel shared this same understanding.

The Israelites continually rebelled and failed to devote their hearts to God. They sought pleasure and security in the world, and turned to worship idols and false gods. And though God sent many messengers to call His children home, they refused to change. Finally, God allowed the armies of Babylon to destroy the temple and lead the people into seventy years of captivity. But even in this most severe discipline, God demonstrated His love and true desire for His Children to return Home.

Jeremiah 29:10-13
“‘I will come to you and fulfill My gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.'”

God’s plan has always been to give us hope and a future, to prosper us and keep us from harm, but His plan can never be separated from a life devoted to Him. There is no hope – no future or security – apart from resting in His arms. And the only lasting prosperity and peace comes as we walk in step with His Spirit. Why do we not trust Him to fully guide our path? And why do we seek His plan for our life without bothering to first seek Him?!

God’s plan is for us to be restored to Him and glorify His name as we love Him with all our heart. All other plans regarding the specific circumstances of our existence flow out of His plan for a loving relationship filled with worship; “seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). Seek Him first!

Yes, He has promised a glorious future – not necessarily a future free of trouble, but a future filled with “the peace of God which transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), a future where we can learn real prosperity by “being content in any and every situation” (Philippians 4:12). But this future can only be had by those who seek Him with all their heart.

Let’s allow God to be the all-consuming top priority of our life. Let’s diligently seek Him in times of quiet as well as in the midst of the endless multitude of daily activities. And let’s be filled with hope and encouraged by His promise that as we faithfully seek Him with all our heart, He will be found!

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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The Cry of Our Heart

By Steve T. on February 19, 2011

In the beginning, after the creation of the heavens and the earth, “God created man in His own image” (Genesis 1:27). The image of God did not refer to our physical appearance but rather the character of our spirit. The spirit of man was created in the image of God for the purpose of bringing Him glory and dwelling with Him for all eternity; “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).

But when man sinned, a separation immediately formed with God; “they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8). Though man was physically banished from the garden and forbidden to experience the joy of walking side by side with his Creator – and though sin and the resulting separation was inherited by all future generations – there forever remains a damaged spirit which longs to return home.

Psalm 84:1-2
“How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”

This passage was written by one who knew God and the joy of His presence. But the author also knew of man’s inability to be satisfied with anything less.

Before we know God we attempt to stop the cry with all sorts of pacifiers, but nothing satisfies. We pursue pleasures of the flesh, challenges of the mind, and advancement in status, but the cry remains. Sooner or later (Oh Lord, may it be sooner!) we realize that Solomon was correct when he said; “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

Many things of this world are worthwhile as they are done for the glory of God; but in the sense that they attempt to satisfy, they are all meaningless. The ONLY answer to the unsettled and restless longing deep within our soul is to return to a restored relationship with God. When we place our life in the Father’s Hands through faith in Jesus, He gives us His Spirit and says, Welcome Home! “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:16). And as we learn to walk in this restored relationship, we will finally be at peace.

There are so many things of this world which can occupy our time and consume our thoughts, but none that will truly satisfy. Our search can continue until our time on earth is gone but the emptiness will remain. Let’s return to the Father today and live the rest of our days fully devoted to loving Him. Let’s put an end to the chasing and wandering, and finally allow Him to satisfy the cry of our heart.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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