20 DAYS IN 2 HOURS CHALLENGE: “BLESSINGS” (Day 12)

ARE YOU MISSING OUT ON THE BLESSINGS FROM GOD?

COMMENT:
When you see how scriptures from various parts of the Bible
“paint a picture” for us, you can understand why I am convinced
that God provides the content for these devotionals, and not me.

BIBLE PASSAGE:
But if from there you seek the Lord your God,
you will find him if you seek him with
all your heart and with all your soul.
(Deuteronomy 4:29)

MEDITATION:
Have you ever heard someone say,
“I just don’t feel the Lord’s presence” or,
“I just can’t seem to enjoy fellowship with the Lord”?
The scriptures tell us that the responsibility is on us.
Since God never changes, He is always there and we must
not only “seek Him”, but seek Him “with all (our) heart and soul”.

What could possibly stand in the way of seeking Him,
and seeking Him in this way?
Our selfish pride and other activities
can replace our desire to seek Him.
In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God. (Psalm 10:4)

Obviously we need to do some housecleaning
if we sincerely want to feel His presence in our lives.
And while we are “tossing things out”, there are
some areas the scriptures tell us to be sure and include.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual
immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because
these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there
be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of
place, but rather thanksgiving. (Ephesians 5:3-4)

Sexual immorality, all kinds of impurities, and greed must
be eradicated from our lives, along with obscene words and
actions, and crude jokes (which are out of place for Christians).

Sex has been described as one of our strongest desires
(second only to hunger), and it must be confined to the
guidelines established by God (as He meant for it to be).
The world encourages us to be jealous, envious, and greedy,
but if we truly want to get nearer to God, they must go!

To encourage us in our cleanup efforts,
we are given a warning in God’s Word.
For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or
greedy person (such a person is an idolater) has any
inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
(Ephesians 5:5)

While we are in the process of purifying ourselves
and our lives, we will have some voids
from the things we have eliminated.
How do we fill those vacated areas of our lives?

Once again, the scriptures provide us with guidance.
We need to focus on the things God has given us,
and thank Him often for His blessings.
“…but rather thanksgiving.” (Ephesians 5:4)

Also, rather than allowing Satan to control us,
we need to get the upper hand on him.
How do we do that?
By resisting him (not just once, but continually)
through the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit.

That can be a monumental task for any human being,
so how can we acquire the strength and stamina we need?
We submit ourselves to God (not just selected portions
of ourselves, but our entire selves – this proves our
purification efforts are real).
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,
and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

When we cleanup, replace our impurities with purities,
and go to God (instead of waiting for Him to come to us),
then we have paved a way for getting close to God.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash
your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you
double-minded. (James 4:8)

ACTION:
From the scriptures previously listed in this devotional,
we can see the importance of reading the Bible.
It is full of valuable instructions to help us enjoy living
our lives to the fullest, and to experience the joy of
fellowshipping with the Lord.

The world has nothing to offer that can even come close
to competing with what God provides, and the blessings
we experience from being near to the One who created us.
He welcomes our praise, thanks, and nearness
when we obey His commands!

God has His arms open wide for you – what will you do?
Will you continue living your life as you have been,
or are you serious about your desire to live closer
to the Lord and enjoy His blessings for you?
God may be saying to you today,
“You’ve been procrastinating for too long, it’s time for you to
prove your love for Me by making changes in your priorities!”

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I admit I have allowed the things of
this world to corrupt my cleanliness, destroy my happiness,
wreck my life in many ways, and create a chasm between
You and me. I miss being near You, and this day I want to
follow Your instructions, so that I can feel Your presence
more every day until You call me home. Thank You, Father,
for all You have given me, and the new life of joy I can
experience through my obedience to Your Word. I praise
You and thank You Lord, because You love me, and I am
blessed by You!”

20 Day Challenge – Day 1:
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/07/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-1/

20 Day Challenge – Day 2:
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/08/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-2/

20 Day Challenge – Day 3:
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/09/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-3/

20 Day Challenge – Day 4:
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/10/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-4/

20 Day Challenge – Day 5:
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/11/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-5/

20 Day Challenge – Day 6:
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/12/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-6/

20 Day Challenge – Day 7
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/13/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-7/

20 Day Challenge – Day 8
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/14/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-8/

20 Day Challenge – Day 9
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/15/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-9/

20 Day Challenge – Day 10
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/16/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-10/

20 Day Challenge – Day 11
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/17/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-11/